Shame and the Solar Plexus: Healing Core Wounds

BY NICOLE LAU

Shame lives in your solar plexus. That sick, heavy feeling in your stomach when you feel "not good enough"—that's shame, lodged in your third chakra.

Shame is different from guilt. Guilt says "I did something bad." Shame says "I AM bad." Guilt is about behavior. Shame is about identity.

And when shame gets stuck in your solar plexus chakra—your center of personal power, self-worth, and identity—it creates a core wound that affects everything: your confidence, your boundaries, your ability to take up space, your sense of self.

Healing shame requires working with both the energetic body (the solar plexus chakra) and the psychological wound. This is your complete guide to understanding and healing shame at its root.

Understanding Shame

What Is Shame?

Shame is the belief that you are fundamentally flawed, unworthy, or bad.

It's not about what you did—it's about who you are. Shame says:

• "I'm not good enough"
• "I'm broken"
• "I'm unlovable"
• "I don't deserve good things"
• "There's something wrong with me"

Shame vs. Guilt

Guilt: "I made a mistake" (behavior-focused, can be corrected)

Shame: "I AM a mistake" (identity-focused, feels permanent)

Guilt is actually healthy—it helps you course-correct. Shame is toxic—it makes you believe you're irredeemable.

Where Shame Comes From

• Childhood shaming: Being told you're bad, stupid, ugly, too much, or not enough
• Abuse or neglect: Internalizing "I must be bad if this is happening to me"
• Cultural/religious messaging: Being taught your body, desires, or identity are shameful
• Bullying or rejection: Being excluded or humiliated
• Perfectionist environments: Never being good enough

The Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)

Location and Function

Location: Upper abdomen, stomach area

Color: Yellow

Element: Fire

Governs:

• Personal power and confidence
• Self-worth and self-esteem
• Identity and sense of self
• Willpower and motivation
• Boundaries and assertiveness
• Digestion (physical and emotional)

Why Shame Lives Here

The solar plexus is your power center. When you experience shame, you internalize the message "I have no worth, no power, no right to exist." This directly attacks the solar plexus.

Shame literally diminishes your sense of self—and the solar plexus IS your sense of self.

Signs of Shame in the Solar Plexus

Physical Symptoms

• Digestive issues (IBS, ulcers, nausea)
• Stomach pain or tightness
• Solar plexus feels collapsed or caved in
• Difficulty breathing deeply into the belly
• Chronic fatigue (shame is exhausting)

Emotional Symptoms

• Low self-esteem or self-worth
• Feeling "not good enough" no matter what you achieve
• Perfectionism (trying to prove you're worthy)
• People-pleasing (trying to earn love/acceptance)
• Difficulty setting boundaries
• Fear of being seen or taking up space
• Self-sabotage

Behavioral Symptoms

• Hiding your true self
• Overachieving or underachieving (both are shame responses)
• Difficulty accepting compliments
• Apologizing excessively
• Making yourself small (physically and energetically)
• Avoiding eye contact

The Shame Spiral

Shame creates a vicious cycle:

1. You feel shame ("I'm not good enough")
2. You try to compensate (perfectionism, people-pleasing, hiding)
3. You inevitably "fail" (because you're human)
4. This confirms the shame ("See? I AM not good enough")
5. The shame deepens

Breaking this cycle requires addressing shame at both the energetic and psychological levels.

Healing Shame: The Solar Plexus Approach

Step 1: Acknowledge the Shame

You can't heal what you don't acknowledge.

Say it out loud: "I carry shame. I feel like I'm not good enough."

This is hard. Shame wants to stay hidden. But bringing it into the light is the first step.

Step 2: Identify the Source

Where did this shame come from?

• Who taught you that you're not good enough?
• What messages did you internalize?
• What experiences created this core wound?

Write it down. Name it.

Step 3: Separate Shame from Truth

Shame is a feeling, not a fact.

Just because you FEEL unworthy doesn't mean you ARE unworthy.

Challenge the shame: "Is this actually true? Or is this what I was taught?"

Step 4: Reclaim Your Power

Shame took your power. Now you take it back.

Say: "I am worthy. I am enough. I have the right to exist, to take up space, to be seen."

This won't feel true at first. Say it anyway.

Solar Plexus Healing Practices

The Solar Plexus Activation Meditation

A practice to restore power to your third chakra (15 minutes).

1. Sit comfortably (2 min): Place your hands on your solar plexus (upper abdomen)
2. Breathe into the area (3 min): Deep belly breaths, feeling your solar plexus expand
3. Visualize yellow light (5 min): See a bright yellow sun glowing in your solar plexus, growing brighter with each breath
4. Affirm your worth (3 min): Say: "I am worthy. I am powerful. I am enough. I reclaim my power."
5. Feel the shift (2 min): Notice how your solar plexus feels. Lighter? More open?

The Shame Release Ritual

A ritual to release shame from your body (30 minutes).

1. Write the shame (10 min): List everything you're ashamed of. Don't censor.
2. Read it aloud (5 min): Speak your shame out loud. This breaks its power.
3. Challenge each one (10 min): For each shame, ask: "Is this true? Or was I taught this?" Write the truth next to each shame.
4. Burn the shame (5 min): Safely burn the list. As it burns, say: "I release this shame. It is not mine. I am free."

Solar Plexus Yoga Poses

Physical poses to open and heal the solar plexus:

• Boat Pose (Navasana): Strengthens the core, activates solar plexus
• Warrior I & II: Builds confidence and power
• Bow Pose (Dhanurasana): Opens the solar plexus, releases stored shame
• Breath of Fire: Rapid breathing to activate and cleanse the solar plexus

Crystals for Solar Plexus Shame Healing

• Citrine: Confidence, self-worth, joy
• Tiger's Eye: Personal power, courage, grounding
• Yellow Jasper: Self-esteem, protection from shame
• Pyrite: Willpower, manifestation, strength

How to use: Place on your solar plexus during meditation, carry in your pocket, or create a grid.

Affirmations for Shame Healing

Speak these daily, hand on solar plexus:

• "I am worthy exactly as I am."
• "I am enough."
• "I have the right to take up space."
• "I am powerful."
• "I release shame. It is not mine."
• "I am not my mistakes. I am not my past."
• "I deserve love, respect, and good things."

Psychological Shame Healing

Shame Resilience (Brené Brown's Framework)

1. Recognize shame: Notice when you're feeling it
2. Practice critical awareness: Understand where it came from
3. Reach out: Share your shame with someone safe (shame dies in connection)
4. Speak shame: Name it out loud

Self-Compassion Practice

Shame thrives on self-judgment. Self-compassion is the antidote.

When shame arises:

1. Place hand on heart
2. Say: "This is a moment of suffering. Suffering is part of being human. May I be kind to myself."
3. Treat yourself as you would a beloved friend

Therapy for Shame

Deep shame often requires professional help.

Look for therapists trained in:

• Shame resilience
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
• Somatic therapy

When Shame Is Deeply Rooted

If shame is from severe trauma (abuse, neglect, etc.), you need both energetic and psychological healing.

• Work with a trauma therapist
• Work with an energy healer for solar plexus work
• Be patient—deep shame takes time to heal
• Don't try to heal it alone

The Gift of a Healed Solar Plexus

When you heal shame and restore your solar plexus:

• You know your worth (not intellectually—you FEEL it)
• You set boundaries easily
• You take up space without apology
• You pursue your goals with confidence
• You stop people-pleasing
• You accept yourself fully
• You shine

The Deeper Truth

Shame is a liar. It tells you you're not enough, but that's not true. It never was.

You are worthy—not because of what you do, but because you exist. Your worth is inherent, not earned.

Healing shame is reclaiming your power, your light, your right to be here.

Your solar plexus is meant to shine like the sun. Let it.

Next: The Dark Night of the Soul—spiritual crisis as transformation.

As you continue nurturing your solar plexus back to its radiant strength, remember that each small act of self-honor rewrites the old stories of shame into new narratives of sovereignty. To deepen this work, consider journaling with the tarot journaling prompts 100 questions for self discovery, which can gently illuminate the unconscious patterns that dim your inner fire. You might also weave in the breathe into radiance a breath ritual for inner glow to consciously anchor warmth and worth in your body, or carry the supportive energy of the major arcana tarot dress as a wearable reminder of your courageous journey toward wholeness.