I'm at a turning point in my life where I'm actively rewriting my story and reintroducing who I am or want to be in this world. I'm calling upon my confidence toquelchmy doubts and alchemize my fears into bravery. For this, I'm turning toward my solar plexus chakra for answers.

The solar plexus chakra is the third chakra ofthe seven chakras, and it is represented by the color yellow and the element of fire. This chakra, otherwise known as theManipurachakra, is related to the stomach, and it is seen as the connection to the heart and mind.

The function of this particular chakra, when working correctly, is to activate personal power and help you make decisions that resonate with who you are at your core. Hence, I've been working on this chakra to make sure that I am making decisions based on who I have become, rather than making routine decisions based on who I once was.

I knew this chakra was blocked when I was experiencingimpostersyndrome and worrying too much about what people who think of this "new me." While this is how my block showed up, that may not be the case for everyone.

Tsao-LinMoy, integrative and Chinese medicine specialist and founder of integrative healing arts, educated me on how blocks in this chakra might manifest in others. According toMoy, when blocked in this area, you look to what is out of alignment, like what you're "tolerating" or what you're allowing yourself to be a "victim" of.

Ask yourself, "what beliefs about yourself are blocking you from reaching your full potential and purpose?"Moy also offered that sometimes digestive disorders show up when someone is not on the path of their purpose and spends too much time pleasing others and sacrificing their time and energy. "Eventually, you will no longer be able to "stomach it" and may develop more physical symptoms."

So if any of the above sounds like you, what should you do? An easy and accessible place to begin is turning to crystals to help you heal your solar plexus chakra.

"Crystals each hold specific energetic frequencies, and many of them correspond with the energetic vibration of our body's chakra centers. If you're working on building your willpower, confidence, or healing old worthiness stories, crystals can help give you a big boost, saidKristen Rice,energy healer, behavioral health coach, founder of Raw & Ritual.

The Solar Plexus Chakra Stones

Citrine:

Helps you lift your self-esteem, build your self-worth, and manifest your desires.

Tiger's Eye:

Promotes confidence and overall personal power.

Honey Calcite:

Increases courage and aids in elevating leadership skills.

Golden Topaz:

Manifests intentions and attracts helpful people into your life.

Sunstone:

Encourages independence and originality.

Yellow Jasper:

Gives you a boost of self-confidence and self-assuredness.

Pyrite:

Elevates your strength and gives you the momentum to take action.

Goldstone:

Brings a positive attitude and engages your drive for more.

Lemon Quartz:

Activates and associates with your personal empowerment.

Chrysoberyl:

Increases your energy levels and innate motivation.

Crazy Lace Agate:

Magnifies your happiness, increases confidence, and dispels fear.

Yellow Calcite:

Clears old emotional patterns, rids doubts, and increases your will power.

Amber:

Clears the mind, releases negative energy, and encourages decision-making.

How do you choose? Well, you don't always have to.Moy believes that we intuitively are attracted to what we need and resonate with it. "The colors and crystals you attract will also depend on whether there are other chakras or energy centers out of balance."

Whatever crystal you choose,Moy also suggests you "use a clear quartz crystal every few months to harmonize all chakras and boost the immune system."

How to Use The Solar Plexus Chakra Stones

So you have solar plexus chakra stones, and now you're wondering what to do with them. Lucky for you, there are a variety of different ways you can use these stones to fit with your lifestyle. Before you try any of these, make sure you cleanse your solar plexus chakra stones first.

AdriKyser, an international holistic wellness expert, suggests using these solar plexus chakra stones by laying down, placing the crystal on your navel center. Kyser also suggests holding the crystal in your hand during meditation to activate your solar plexus chakra.

Arielle Sterling, a mind-body-spirit practitioner, suggests wearing your crystal as jewelry on the hands or wrists. This way, the solar plexus chakra stones will naturally fall close to the solar plexus chakra when you're relaxed.

Sterling's other suggestion to harness the crystal's energy is to "charge water by placing the crystal on top of the bottle, or next to it. Doing this will infuse the water, which travels to the solar plexus when consumed."

Michele Lefler, a conscious lifestyle designer, suggested using affirmations during your meditation that coincide with the solar plexus chakra. She also suggested using this technique to do a self-reiki treatment if you are reiki attuned.

Rice suggests carrying stones in your purse, in your work bag, or to have on your workstation. The stones will allow us toactwith courage and take risks that support our overall growth and evolution and remind us that we're worthy of all we desire.

How to Balance the Solar Plexus Chakra

While I love the ease and access of using crystals, I know that it's not always enough for many (including myself). So I solicited advice from a variety of experts on other ways to help heal or balance the solar plexus chakra.

Even though this chakra is ruled by the element of fire and represents passion and creativity, the solar plexus chakra has always resonated more with cleansing and purification to Sterling. Her tip to activate orbalance the solar plexus chakrais to write a letter(s) to anyone who you hold anger or resentment against and then burn the letter.

"By writing a letter, you are expressing your truth in a safe space. The fire transmutes anything that is no longer serving you, allowing you to take back your personal power."

Additionally, Sterling suggests being mindful of the food you eat to keep the solar plexus chakra well balanced. "Food is a great way to address concerns with the solar plexus chakra, especially given its proximity to the stomach and digestive system. Any naturally yellow-colored foods and spices work in harmony to balance this chakra, in addition to anything beneficial for the digestive system."

When it comes to meditation, Lefler offered a sample meditation you can do on your own. Give it a try the next time you're feeling called to heal your solar plexus chakra.

"Close your eyes and visualize yourself sitting inside an egg. The egg represents your aura. Once you see yourself surrounded by the egg, imagine a yellow smoke pouring out of your solar plexus chakra. The smoke is the color of the sun. The smoke is coming out of your belly right above your navel. See the smoke filling the egg. The egg fills with yellow smoke until you can no longer see yourself. All you can see is the yellow smoke. Now breathe in the yellow smoke. Breathe it in deeply all the way down to your toes. Everything it touches turns yellow. Your skin turns yellow. Your insides turn yellow. Everything turns yellow. Continue breathing in the yellow smoke as it circulates throughout your body. Continue until every bit of you inside and out is yellow."

It sounds enlightening, right?! In case you need something more guided, try out this meditation onYouTube, which features 15 minutes of extremely powerful frequencies.

Heather P. Scott,aromatherapist, reiki practitioner, and founder ofThe SpunkyCauldron,uses essential oilsto balance her solar plexus chakra. Some of those oils include bergamot, blood orange, clary sage, and lavender.

According to Scott, "as long as you are working toward your personal goals and desires, and you have an opportunity to moveforwardtoward your true self, then your solar plexus chakra will stay firmly open. In reverse, theManipurachakra will start to clog up and cause you issues if you do not deal with your trauma or moveforwardin acknowledging your true self."

Out of all the suggestions I received, I have toadmitI favored one. Rice, who sees a lot of clients who have significant blocks and depleted energy in the solar plexus chakra, suggested a ritual bath once a week. Self-care combined with spirituality? I'm in. Follow Rice's directions for an empowering and relaxingsolar plexus chakrapractice.

"Combine warm water, Epsom salt, dried organicchamomileflowers, and drop in any polished or tumbled solar plexus crystals (must be completely smooth) to create an energetic retreat. While you're soaking up the energy of nature, visualize a bright yellow light in between your belly and rib cage filling up your torso, starting to wake up dance and spin. Energy moves with intention, so create the space to foster healing."

At the end of the day, I hope that no matter what crystal, meditation, or practice you choose, you remember that you are worthy. This world is spinning and orbiting for you. Harness your personal power and take your rightful place in this universe—it's waiting for you.