Manipura chakra is shown as having ten petals, bearing the Sanskrit letters
dda,
ddha,
nna,
ta,
tha,
da,
dha,
na,
pa, and
pha. Note that the letters
ddha and
pha are incorrect in the diagram (see
Devanagari#Consonants). The seed sound in the centre is
ram. The tattwa for the element of Fire is shown (here in outline) as a red triangle.
(Sanskrit: मणिपूर, ), called "city of jewels", is the third primary
chakra according to
Hindu tradition.
Also called the
solar plexus, manipura is "the center of etheric-psychic intuition: a vague or non-specific, sensual sense of knowing; a vague sense of size, shape, and intent of being." As such, some psychics recommend "listening" to it since it may help in making better decisions in one's life on many different levels.
Description
It is positioned at the
navel region and it has ten
petals which match the
vrittis of spiritual ignorance,
thirst,
jealousy,
treachery,
shame,
fear,
disgust,
delusion,
foolishness and
sadness.
Manipura is associated with dynamism, energy, and will-power (
Itcha shakti.) It is associated with the power of fire, and digestion. Manipura is said to radiate and distribute
prana to the rest of the body. In this sense, it is roughly similar to the Chinese idea of the
dantian in
qigong.
Symbolism
It is associated with the following:
- Body Parts: Digestive system, Eyes, Feet
Practices
In kundalini yoga, different practices for arousing and balancing the energies of Manipura include various asanas which work on that part of the body, pranayama, Uddiyana bandha (exhaling and pulling back and up of the abdomen and diaphragm respectively) and agnisara kriya (practicing
jalandhara bandha, and moving the abdomen in and out).
Other Associations
In the
endocrine system, Manipura is said to be associated with the
pancreas, and the outer adrenal glands; the
adrenal cortex. These glands create important hormones involved in digestion, converting food into energy for the body, in the same way that Manipura radiates prana throughout the body.
In Chinese
qigong, there exists 3
Dantians, which distribute and regulate
Qi energy (a concept similar to Indian
Prana). The lower Dantian exists in the region of the stomach.
Western occultists make different
kabbalistic associations with Manipura. For some, it relates to the sephira of
Hod and
Netzach, Netzach being that quality of energy to overcome different obstacles, and Hod being the tendency to control and break down energy into different forms, the two being contending and balancing forces, like the forces of
anabolism and
catabolism in the human body.
Alternative names
- Tantra: Dashachchada, Dashadala Padma, Dashapatra, Dashapatrambuja, Manipura, Manipuraka, Nabhipadma, Nabhipankaja
- Puranic: Manipura, Nabhi Chakra
See also
