Manipura Chakra is the power chakra. It rules energy, determination, willpower and the sense of direction in life. It is also the centre for fire, transformation and digestion.

The High Side of Manipura

Shantimurti says that the high side of Manipura begins in Anahata. Anahata is the centre of emotion and devotion. He says that what you don’t use on an emotional level drops from Anahata into Manipura. This unused Anahata energy becomes unrefined devotion in Manipura. This means that Manipura can have some very positive aspects.

Generally it is a happy centre. While the top side of Swadhisthana is joy, Manipura picks up from there and continues on.

Manipura gives you self-determination, plenty of energy to live life to the full and the courage and confidence to fulfil your aspirations. It gives a strong sense of who you are and where you are going. These are valuable characteristics which make life a lot easier to navigate.

Manipura relates to personal empowerment and the ability to make yourself happy. In contrast, at Swadhisthana you need someone to make you happy. Manipura has more energy to express and the ability to be less self-concerned.

A strong Manipura allows for a global vision and a deep understanding of life on a societal level. Such people may even be philanthropic. Shantimurti says that a company that donates lots of money to charity may be acting from a Manipura level. It allows you to see how your actions can benefit others – such as understanding how investing money somewhere would really benefit a person or project.

The Low Side of Manipura

Shantimurti says the low side of Manipura is not the absence of willpower, determination and energy, but rather the misuse of these qualities. He explains that black magicians can get themselves very close to Anahata, but they have a twist in their psychology which makes them look at the world in a reverse way (hence upside-down crucifixes etc).

The reality is they are using the same practices and doing the same things as yogis, and their goal is the same, but the twist allows them only to go to a certain level before they drop back and are not able to go on. They use Manipura’s energy to manipulate, to achieve what they want, or to create destruction.

Since Manipura is the fire chakra, is it related to anger? Shantimurti does not see anger being related to solely Manipura. He says that all chakras below Anahata are related to anger (ie Muladhara, Swadhisthana and Manipura). He says that anger can be created in Manipura which drops down into Swadhisthana or Muladhara for its expression.

The Energy of Manipura

Shantimurti says that Manipura is an intelligent energy and is not blind power. It is possible to have unrefined energy from Manipura, but if a person is truly coming from Manipura they would be aware of what they were doing.

A very powerful Manipura may have a Swadhisthana mentality. It is as if they are seeing the world through a Swadhisthana lens. If the energy is not properly used in Manipura it drops down to Swadhisthana which can result in unconscious use of power.

At Manipura you learn how to work with the energy and not be totally swamped by it – like by Swadhisthana. It is the level of learning how to manipulate prana.

Sometimes the physical side of a chakra may be over emphasised at the expense of the psychological side. However, the psychological side will be eventually dragged up automatically. An example of this is some sports people who have high physical power and skill but are less developed mentally.

Manipura and Subtle Energies

Shantimurti says there are five vayus in the body – or five types of pranic action. Manipura is related to the central aspect – the core of the pranic body – which is samana vayu. He says that when you breathe in the prana is absorbed into samana vayu. When you breath out it is dispensed from there. This is why a lot of the practices use the diaphragm to increase the strength of samana vayu.

Manipura is a rajasic energy. It is creating, doing, building, breaking down barriers. It is like the energy found in business. Shantimurti says that Muladhara and Swadhisthana are tamasic chakras, Manipura and Anahata are rajasic and Vishudhi and Ajna are sattvic.

Shantimurti says that Manipura is sunflower yellow with red. The red is a solid, deep red – the colour of blood. He also says that Manipura relates to blood.

Manipura and Kundalini

Shantimurti says that quite a lot of Buddhist sects consider Manipura to be the seat of Kundalini. He says they don’t acknowledge Swadhisthana or Muladhara because they are thought to be in the animal realm. Shantimurti thinks this is reasonable and can relate to this approach, but his background is Tantra Yoga which always includes Muladhara and Swadhisthan a.

From the Kundalini side of yoga, Manipura is an important centre. Awakenings here are considered real awakenings with more substance than lower awakenings.

Practices to Improve Manipura

Shantimurti says that practices that improve the functioning of Manipura include:

* Diaphragmatic breathing

* Nine count breath

* Bhastrika pranayama

* Uddiyana bandha

* Nauli

* The mantra “Ram”

Postures

* Pose of the Child (Shashankasana) activates Manipura but it is a soft technique. It activates the adrenal glands. It helps to balance adrenal activity and the flight/fight syndrome. It soothes Manipura and makes it a bit deeper.

* Thunderbolt pose (Vajrasana) activates Manipura

* Bow pose (Dhanurasana) is a very strong Manipura practice

* Plank (Santolasana) is Manipura.

Manipura, Digestion and Fasting

Manipura is about digestion on all levels. It transforms food into nourishment. Manipura drives digestive system.

Fasting is not considered to be that beneficial. From an Ayurvedic point of view extensive fasting drives the toxins deeper into the tissues. Shantimurti knows no Vedic text that advocates modern fasting. Feeling hunger during the day is not the same as having the digestive system empty for extended periods.

Fasting does not give substance to the digestive fire to work with – and this has a detrimental effect on Manipura. He suggests that when the digestive system is not using energy to break down food, Manipura may be ‘revved up’. Alternatively the energy may drop down into Swadhisthana, and some claim it can rise up to Anahata.

Shantimurti says that extended fasting has had negative effects on many people. He adds that from a yogic point of view, being quiet is fasting, not talking is fasting and not having eye contact is fasting.

Manipura and Other Chakras

Shantimurti says that Muladhara is related to Ajna and that by working with Muladhara Ajna is automatically stimulated to some degree. Similarly, Swadhisthana is correlated to Bindu and Manipura to Sahasrara. Anahata and Vishuddhi stand alone.