What is a Chakra? The word means “wheel” in Sanskrit. The main Chakras are found at seven locations, each one corresponding to a set of organs and systems, closely related to the endocrine and nervous systems. The Chakras have been referenced in many ancient sacred yogic texts. Manipura Chakra, the third energy centre is governed by the fire element and determines our digestive power not only in terms of what we eat,  but also our capacity to cope with and integrate, to digest, the events and experiences of our lives. When this centre is balanced, one has a strong sense of self with high self-esteem and authenticity. When out of balance, there is fear – fear in relation to the body, fear of aging, fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of loneliness and of course fear of death (the yoga texts tell us that this is the root of all fear and we all have this one at some level).

The Covid epidemic has greatly intensified fear in our world – there are record levels of anxiety amongst our young people, who are also trying to come to terms with the fears that surround global warming; for many families with huge mortgages, there is uncertainty on how to make a living going forward; for our older generations and for those with compromised immune systems, the fears of illness, loneliness and death have been magnified. The chakra system provides us with a framework to move beyond identification with the body, to move past fear and to tap into greater levels of consciousness that strengthen our character, our intuition and our ability to honour ourselves. When our 3^rd chakra is in balance, we make choices that empower us, aligning life goals for deeper purpose and meaning, taking actions that facilitate our growth and evolution. The material world constantly draws us outwards – our senses are bombarded on a daily basis and the result is that our nervous systems and endocrine systems suffer as a result. Social media bombards us with images of the “perfect” life and the “perfect” face and the “perfect” body and this perpetuates feelings of inadequacy and insecurity regarding external appearance.

The antidote is to go inwards - to set aside time to address our fears and insecurities – to develop awareness, attention and focus. Only then can our own innate wisdom surface – the part of us that is already perfect, which clears these fears and insecurities. From this place, we can then fully embrace the present moment rather than resisting it by clinging to the past or imagining what the future might bring. We must learn from past experiences but the solution to being the best versions of ourselves is to live life from that place of “being” fully in the present. Awareness and the ability to focus our attention is a key part of this process. This workshop will provide tools to help you do just that, so don’t allow yourself to stay stuck in old mental or emotional patterns that keep you entrenched in the past or increase fear by catastrophising what might happen in the future.