Energy Centers and Aries🔗

Maṇipūraka Cakra : the Fire of Transformation

There are seven major energy centers in our body, called cakras in Sanskrit. They are directly connected to our emotions and impact different aspects of our personality and the way we relate to ourselves, others, and to Existence.

Each planet resonates with a particular energy center in the body. The fiery energy of Mars is connected to maṇipūraka cakra located in the navel region. Its energy can sometimes imbalance the cakra, especially when it is channeled towards worrying! Maṇipūraka flowers when you stop worrying about your worries.

It is a proven fact that cakras correspond and affect the functioning of specific glands that constitute the body's endocrine system. This is why worrying imbalances your system, and creates chronic diseases in the long run. Your body and mind are very deeply rooted in our consciousness!

To keep maṇipūraka balanced, bringing awareness into your mind and irritations, practicing meditation and yoga will benefit you. Wearing coral stone can also contribute to maintain your balance.

Also, Mars stands for the fire which produces heat in the body, a warm temper and an attitude of intensity in life. Mars gives courage and strength to evolve in life. Therefore, it is associated with transformation on all levels: for example, jaṭarāgni is the inner fire through which food is converted into substances which can be assimilated by the body. Inner strength and the power to digest can be maintained by eating slowly and with awareness.

A balanced maṇipūraka cakra will confer a good digestion and physical well-being.

In a birth chart, many influences have to be considered to find out one’s body type. Consulting an experienced Ayurvedic doctor will help you to understand your body constitution.

Generally, the Ayurvedic dośa (or body constitution) related to Aries is pitta.

Let’s use this scale:

If you experience symptoms such as excessive body heat, digestive problems, quickness to anger, impatience, a tendency to exert excessive effort to achieve goals, vision difficulties, being prone to make errors in judgment because of mental or emotional confusion, then there is a good possibility you are suffering from pitta imbalance.

If you have a strong power of digestion, good vitality, goal-setting inclinations, problem-solving skills, a keen intelligence, decisiveness, courage, a bright complexion and mental clarity, then your pitta is balanced.

Here are some of the common characteristics of people who have a predominantly pitta body constitution:

○ Strong and well-built body

○ Sharp mind, good power of concentration

○ Orderly and focused

○ Assertive, self-confident

○ Aggressive, sometimes demanding

○ Enjoy challenges

○ Under stress, pittas become irritated and angry

○ Uncomfortable in sun or hot weather, heat makes them very tired

○ Perspire a lot ○ Good public speakers, capable of sharp and cutting speech

○ Generally good management and leadership ability

○ Subject to impatience and anger

○ Typical physical problems include rashes or inflammations of the skin, acne, boils, ulcers,

○ Heartburn and acidity, insomnia, burning eyes and blurred vision and anemia.

Factors that can cause pitta to increase include a diet that contains too many hot or spicy foods, fasting or skipping meals, over-exposure to the sun or to hot temperatures and emotional traumas. Pitta is stimulated by pungent, sour and salty food and weakened by sweet, bitter and acid tasting foods. A pitta type should also take care not to do things too rapidly, including eating! Pitta imbalances can be quickly corrected by spending time in nature, and doing less. Because pitta people are goal-oriented, they can benefit from going from a swim or simply enjoying some hours of rest. Drinking rose lassi or using sandalwood or rose oil for aromatherapy is also essential for cooling the heat of pitta.

Food items to balance pitta :

Dairy milk, butter, and ghee are good for pacifying pitta.

Sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes decrease pitta influences. Therefore if your pitta characteristics are too pronounced, you can add complex carbohydrates like wheat, white rice, barley and oat to your plate; and favor sweet fruits such as grapes, cherries, melons, berries, avocados, coconuts, pomegranates, mangoes, and fully ripened oranges or pineapples. Incorporate asparagus, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, ladies fingers, lettuce, beans, green beans, zucchini and green leafy vegetables such as lettuce to your diet. And remember, except tofu and split-mung dhal, beans and bean products are not too good for your constitution.

Mars natives can be benefitted through techniques that develop insight and build energy in the body. Aries people like to work on themselves in a practical way, through physical practices (Nithya yoga) or mental techniques like visualizations or rituals.

The first 10 minutes: In standing position, close your eyes and start to intensely shake your body from head to toe. Let your body become like a liquid.

The next 10 minutes: Sit down wherever you are. Sit on a chair if you need to and create whatever sounds and gibberish comes to your mind. Do not use words that you know. Release all the irritation you hold inside. If it is needed, visualize or remember situations which caused tension in you, and focus on bringing out sounds from your navel area. Express yourselves!

The last 10 minutes: Just sit quietly. Witness whatever is happening in your body and mind, without passing any judgment on any of your thoughts, without resisting any thought and without destroying any thought. Just be as you are, enjoy the light sensation in your maṇipūraka cakra!