I usually see my yoga teacher on Thursday evenings but tonight is Bonfire Night here in the UK and we go to my parents’ for a party (more on that tomorrow I hope!) so I went last night instead. We are currently working through the chakras, one chakra a week so I really didn’t want to miss a week. Last night was Anahata Chakra, the heart centre. Practices for opening the heart, working into the chest, ribcage and shoulders.

As the practice began I felt a lot of resistance. And I mean A LOT. I haven’t felt that much resistance in a practice for years. My ego was wild with crazy thoughts (and not very yogic ones at that). As many of you know I suffer from an upper thoracic scoliosis, right about where Anahata is which results in a lot of shoulder stiffness and I suspected that this was the source of the resistance. So I stopped thinking about Anahata per se and started thinking about how I always feel I need to work into that part of my back. How I need to focus on straightness, strength and opening there.

And then somewhere during Ardha Chandrasana something snapped and the resistance just fell away and I SOARED!! Suddenly I felt remarkable, like I could do anything. And for the first time in a long time the permanent dull ache of scoliosis just…. disappeared!

One of the translations of Anahata is “Unbound” and that is exactly how I felt – as though all the tension in my upper back and ribcage had just come undone.

I drove home from class with a smile on my face that has just not been there in recent days (things have been a bit tough at home recently).

And then I got home and the cat peed on the beanbag and life went back to normal again!

I do still feel good today although I have a strange hungover feeling (as I haven’t had alcohol in months I am presuming the practice has had a detoxing effect on me), but this experience has made me remember one thing. I have never had any problem finding bliss, especially when it comes to my yoga practice, but I find it so difficult to maintain that bliss off my mat. And I think, if I get a chance, this might be what I write up for Blisschick’s latest project.

Manipura Chakra, the third chakra or wheel of energy in the body is located at the solar plexus. It is therefore associated with digestion. On a more esoteric level Manipura Chakra is associated with dyanmism, energy and will power. It is the seat of one’s identity and personal power. It is the centre of our sense of Self.

If Manipura Chakra is out of balance we can lose our identity, our self esteem. Think about it. If a person feels low, worthless. If they have low self-esteem the tend to hunch forward, crushing and cramming the solar plexus area. Someone in touch with their sense of Self walks tall, opening their Manipura Chakra.

Watch out though! Chakras can be *too* open. Out of balance in the other direction, when ego takes over and runs the show and arrogance prevails.

Like so many things it is all about balance. Finding a sense of Self without arrogance, without having to let the world know about it. Finding that sense of Self but not hiding it either.

Of course on a physical level an imbalance in this Chakra can manifest in abdominal and digestive disorders.

So why am I talking about this specifically? Well I am currently working with a series of poses, the second part of the Pawanmuktasana series (you may remember that the first part worked on freeing the joints) which works on the core muscles and thus on balancing Manipura Chakra.

The question of course is, is it working?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m going through a lot of personal stuff at the moment and it’s hard to find a balance. My yoga practice always helps of course but I’m not sure if I’m finding my sense of Self right now.

I do however have digestive problems and I have to say, they seem a *lot* better working with this sequence, so maybe I juse need to give it more time.

Oms and Namaste