Are you feeling a lack of confidence or disconnected with your intuition? Maybe you’re suffering from digestive issues or an overload of anger? You may be experiencing an imbalance in your solar plexus chakra. In today’s yoga class, we focus on poses that open the solar plexus chakra to bring more awareness to the region above the navel and below the rib cage.
A chakra is sanskrit for “wheel” and is regularly depicted as spinning, colored wheels of energy. A chakra is an energy center in the body, with the major seven running along the length of the spine. The solar plexus chakra is located third from the bottom of the main chakra system.
The solar plexus chakra is generally associated with the color yellow and our confidence. When the solar plexus is stable, we feel most connected with who we really are. It is the main chakra for:
- Intuition or connecting to “gut instinct”
- Confidence and Authenticity
- Ability to easily make decisions
Today’s sequence will help you to get more connected within your gut. We will engage the core and activate this region through the expansion of the solar plexus region. This is a great class to help you feel empowered and full of self-confidence.
Learn more about the chakras >
Easy Pose
This is a basic seated pose with crossed legs. Sit comfortably with the spine long, pressing the tailbone into the floor and lifting the top of your head towards the ceiling. Hands can rest palms down or palms up on the knees.
Half Lord of the Fishes
From easy pose, keep the left foot on the floor, pulled towards the right side of the tailbone. Place the right foot on the floor in front of the left shin, knee pointed up towards the ceiling. Optional: Cross the right foot over to the outside of the left leg only if the entire tailbone remains on the floor. Extending the spine by lifting through the crown of the head, begin twisting over to the right side, bringing the right fingertips behind you. Bringing the left elbow to the outside of the right knee will allow you to press deeper into the twist. Optional: Look back over your right shoulder. The spine should stay tall throughout the twist, not allowing the chest to “dump” forward. Repeat on the other side.
Balancing Table
Starting from a strong tabletop position (hands under the shoulders, knees under the hips), pull the belly button up to the spine and press into the ground for stability. Lift your right leg off the ground and stretch it straight back behind you, pressing the heel of your foot away from your center. Keeping stability, extend your left hand out straight in front of you, making a long line of the body through the tips of the fingers to the heel of your foot. Engage your core to find balance. Option: If it’s hard to stay balanced, you can keep the toes on the floor for added stability.
Camel Pose
Start from standing on your knees, with the knees directly underneath the hips. Bring both hands to the lower back, with the fingertips wrapped forward towards the hips. Pull the shoulder blades together and open the chest towards the ceiling while pressing the front of the thighs and hips forward. Remain in this position if it is enough of a stretch for you, allowing the head to drop back if it feels okay on the neck. Option: Bring one or both hands down to the ankles, continuing to press the front of the legs forward. If you cannot easily breathe in this pose, you are going too far.
Extended Child’s Pose
From hands and knees, bring the big toes together and take the knees out as wide as the mat. Sit back onto the heels and walk the hands forward, bringing the forehead down onto the mat. Allow the belly to drop between the thighs and sink into the hips. Reach through the fingertips, but allow the shoulder blades to stay in place.
Downward Facing Dog
From hands and knees, bring the big toes together and take the knees out as wide as the mat. Sit back onto the heels and walk the hands forward, bringing the forehead down onto the mat. Allow the belly to drop between the thighs and sink into the hips. Reach through the fingertips, but allow the shoulder blades to stay in place.
Crescent Warrior
From downward facing dog, step the right foot up in between the hands, making sure that the knee is stacked right over the foot. Staying on your left toes, press into the left heel to straighten and strengthen the back leg. Center your hips forward by pressing your left hip towards the front of the mat. Reach the hands over head, keeping the shoulders drawn back and the belly pulled in. Modification option: Keep the hands on the hips if experiencing shoulder pain.
Crescent Warrior Twist
From crescent warrior, reach the arms out to the side, leveled with the shoulders. Begin twisting towards the side of the front leg, keeping the chest open and engaging the core for balance.
Warrior III
From high lunge with the right foot in front, bring both hands to heart center to find stability. Step the back foot closer to the front as you bring the weight of the body into the right foot. As you start to straighten into the right leg, press the left leg back behind you, lifting the toes off of the ground and pressing the top of the head forward. Aim to straighten fully into both legs fully, creating the shape of a “T” with the body. Keep the left hip dropped in line with the right hip and press into the heel for stability. Optional: Reach the arms forward, back, or out to the side to play with different variations.
Forearm Plank
From hands and knees, place the elbows directly underneath the shoulders and palms directly in front of the elbows, pressing into the forearms and palms into the mat, and lifting into the tops of the shoulders. Tuck the toes and step each foot back, bringing your body into one straight line. Tuck the pelvis, pull the bellybutton up towards the spine, and press the thighs together. Aim to make one long line with the body, not allowing the tailbone to lift or the hips to drop too low.
Forearm Plank with Leg Lifts
From forearm plank, inhale and lift the right foot off the floor. Exhale, place the foot back down. Switch from foot to foot for 4-8 times. Keep the abs engaged and the tailbone low to the ground.
Cobra Pose
Start laying on your belly with the feet stretched back behind with the tops of the feet pressed into the mat. Bring the palms underneath the shoulders, fingers spread wide, and the elbows are pulled in. On an inhale, press into the palms as you lift the chest off the ground and pull the shoulder blades back together. The elbows should stay tucked into the sides as the chest opens and the head remains neutral, not allowing the chin to reach upwards.
Bow Pose
Start laying on the belly, reaching both hands back behind you. Bend into both knees and reach the hands back to grab the ankles or tops of the feet. Lift the chest and thighs off the floor, using the bind of the legs and hands to pull the chest higher off the ground and squeeze the shoulder blades together. The neck should remain neutral, not lifting the chin up towards the ceiling, and the knees are hip distance apart.
Boat Pose
Begin with from a seated position with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keeping the back straight, lean back slightly while lifting the feet to bring the shins parallel with the floor, and reach the arms forward towards the legs (baby boat pose). Lift through the chest, squeezing the shoulder blades together, and balance on the tailbone. To extend into the full boat pose, straighten into the legs at a 45 degree angle while continuing to balance on the tailbone and leaning back. Extend into the pose even further by reaching the hands overhead. Optional movement: Inhale reaching into the full “V” shape of the pose and return to baby boat on the exhale. Repeat.
Leg Raises
From boat pose, bring the hands behind the head and lower down, so the upper body and legs are just hovering over the ground. Keeping the legs as straight as possible, lift one leg up towards the ceiling, lower back down. Repeat on the other side, continuing to switch sides 4-8 times. Options: The pictured leg lift is an easier alternative. Instead of lifting the legs up and down, bring one knee into the chest and extend back out. Then, switch.
Reclined Supine Twist
Start laying on your back and gently draw the right knee into your chest. Use the left hand to draw the knee across the body over to the left side of the mat, rolling onto the left side of the body. Reach the right hand to the right and relax into the twist. Gaze can be to the left or, for a deeper twist, glance back to the right.
Savasana
Don’t skip this one! This may not seem like it, but it is the most difficult yoga pose that you can accomplish. Laying flat on your back, bring the arms to your side with the palms up, allowing the shoulders to roll back. Allow the toes to fall out to the side and tuck the chin in slightly to make sure the back of the neck is straight. Relax the body as much as you can and rest here for 3-5 minutes.
Ready to open up creativity using your solar plexus chakra with these yoga moves? Keep this routine nearby you by printing out this one page PDF.
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Questions about the routine or how to get in touch with your solar plexus chakra? Comment below and let’s keep the conversation going!
Namaste,
