Third Chakra Issues

You have seven chakras, or energy centers, that run along your spine from the base to the top of your head. Chakra means "wheel" in Sanskrit, and it is believed to be something like a spinning vortex. The third chakra is located in your solar plexus and is associated with the yellow color of the sun. It represents your personal power, self-esteem, metabolism and digestion. The way you internalize life’s situations and experiences can greatly affect the balance of your chakras.

Feeling Stuck

As the third chakra represents transformation, overcoming inertia is a root aspect. The third chakra is identified with the sun, or heat; movement stimulates heat. In return, heat stimulates movement. Feeling stuck in any of life’s situations, such as feeling stuck in a marriage, job or obligation, can be a sign that your third chakra is unbalanced. Alternatively, if you are someone who cannot sit still or that always has to be doing something, your third chakra may be imbalanced by being overactive.

Low Self-Esteem

Since childhood you’ve been taught to be submissive by people like parents and teachers. Order is needed in society, but for some people, this submission can dampen self-esteem. This can cause an imbalance in the third chakra, which -- unless fixed -- will continue on a sort of downward spiral and lead to a further lack of confidence. As a child, so many decisions are made for you or put on you that as an adult you can have trouble believing in your own voice, intuition and thoughts and need constant validation from an outside influence.

Control and Domination

An overactive third chakra can lead to you being controlling and dominating; this trait can also lead back to self-esteem, as you may feel a need to control to feel confident. It is likely that you may also be lacking a true feeling of power and therefore use control and domination in an attempt to exert some sort of power over others. However, real power comes from a true belief in yourself, not from influencing others.

Balancing the Third Chakra

Several different ways are available to balance your chakras, including meditation, energy healing and yoga. Since the third chakra is located in the solar plexus, which is located from the bottom of your chest bone to your naval, physically strengthening this area can help to bring the chakra back into balance. Abdominal exercises, such as stomach crunches, wood choppers, boat pose and bow pose are all recommended.