- The nose and surrounding areas have become more relaxed, allowing energy to flow more freely (previously, the nose felt slightly stiff).
- The Manipura (solar plexus) has become more activated and open.
- There is still some tension in the forehead and between the eyebrows, but it is gradually loosening (a challenge for the future).

I wasn't consciously focusing on the Manipura, but it is activating slightly above the navel. While there are different theories about the location of the Manipura, the Swadhisthana (sacral chakra) is located slightly below the navel, and the Anahata (heart chakra) is located around the chest. Therefore, the Manipura is located somewhere in between, or slightly below that midpoint, and its activation is increasing grounding. This is a vital force, and it seems to be an important power for living in this human society. I had previously activated the area around the Manipura to some extent, but I hadn't yet developed a clear center point for the chakra. Even when Kundalini energy was first activated, there was no central point, only a general feeling of warmth. It seems that the process of Kundalini activation and the development of a chakra center are different stages, and the latter doesn't happen immediately after the former. First, Kundalini is activated, then it stabilizes, and only then does the chakra develop.

In general, the chakras tend to activate in order from the bottom up, but it seems that some people have chakras that are easier to open than others. Yoga books often contain anecdotes about people who have had difficulty opening certain chakras. Even when a chakra is said to be open, the degree of openness varies, and it may be that the chakra center has only just begun to form, with the potential to become a more distinct chakra in the future.

In my case, it seems that the Anahata chakra activated before the Manipura. The Manipura is a chakra that is closely related to human emotions, so it is deeply connected to feelings and earthly experiences. It seems that in this world, love and affection are often associated with the Manipura stage. Therefore, I have often experienced more of the universal love aspect of the Anahata chakra than the human emotions, but with the activation of the Manipura, I have also become more aware of human passions.

Anahata love is closer to tears and a sense of oneness, while the Manipura is about human, earthy emotions. Neither is superior to the other; they are simply different aspects.

There is a misconception that spiritual practice involves abandoning the lower chakras and moving on to the higher ones. The misconception is that one should abandon emotions and move on to universal love. While this is partially true, it is more about transcending the lower stages through the higher ones, and there is no conflict between them. Understanding the lower stages is possible when one is at a higher stage, and there is no struggle.

I used to think that it was enough to focus on the Anahata chakra and not worry about the lower chakras, but without consciously trying, the lower chakras have begun to activate, and the overall balance of the chakras in my body seems to be improving. This has been particularly true for the Ajna chakra, which is one of the main entry points for energy in the body. Therefore, it makes sense that activating the Ajna chakra has also activated the lower chakras.

By the way, the Manipura chakra is often described as yellow in conventional wisdom, but some yoga books describe it as red, with a sensation like blood. This is similar to my own experience, as the Manipura feels more red than yellow.

I have often struggled with the Manipura chakra, and while this sensation has appeared many times, I have often felt that it was unpleasant and have closed it off. I have judged it to be a sensation of something very animalistic and bloody, and I have tried to separate myself from it. However, it seems that this is not the right approach, and the current understanding is that all chakras, from top to bottom, should be activated. Activating the Ajna chakra without activating the Manipura or the lower chakras can cause various problems, but if the Ajna chakra is sufficiently active, these problems are less likely to occur.

The feeling of unpleasantness and the closing off of the Manipura are closely related to whether the Ajna chakra was open. Some schools of thought teach that it is better to open the Ajna chakra first. However, it seems that what is actually needed is not just the Ajna chakra itself, but opening the area around the nose and eyes.

In this regard, yoga books mention that the area around the eyes and nose (not just the Ajna chakra) is related to the Manipura. It is said that the digestive system control meridians are located around the eyes and nose, and that they are closely related to the Manipura. Therefore, although I was not consciously focusing on it, it is possible that by focusing on relaxing the areas around the head, especially the nose and eyes, the Manipura chakra was activated as a result. Similarly, this explains why the yoga practice of Trataka (focusing on a candle or other object) is said to activate the Manipura.

Those areas, even if they are not directly related to the मणिपुर chakra, are important energy pathways (nadis). If the nadis that pass through the nose and eyes are blocked, you may feel a sense of discomfort in the मणिपुर chakra, and it may also seem like the मणिपुर chakra is unstable. I think it is necessary to open the nose and eyes properly, not just the lower abdomen, in order to stabilize the Manipur chakra.

People with a strong Manipur chakra tend to give the impression of having strong vitality. However, that is human vitality. If there are people with strong and weak Manipur chakras, the person with a stronger one may have a slightly unpleasant aura. In reality, chakras are complex entities, but when the Manipur chakra is activated, unpleasant auras may be mixed in. Some people may not notice it, but it seems to depend on the level of activation of the Manipur chakra between the person and the other person. If the other person's Manipur chakra is stronger than yours, you may feel uncomfortable, and that is expressed as a sensation of the Manipur chakra. If your Manipur chakra is stronger than the other person's, you may not feel anything in particular. The Manipur chakra is similar to the image of Japanese samurai or swordsmen from the Edo period. It is a chakra full of vitality that overwhelms the opponent with courage, and it seems to be quite difficult to handle.

When I checked the chakras around the Manipur chakra, the Anahata chakra was relatively open, while the Vishuddha (throat) and Ajna (third eye) chakras still have a lot of work to be done. In my case, I have been weak in the Vishuddha chakra in my throat, but the Ajna chakra in my forehead is also tightly closed. Even if the Ajna chakra moves slightly, it still feels like it is closed as a chakra. However, even if the Ajna chakra is basically closed, I think it is moving slightly. In particular, there is a feeling that the Ajna chakra is moving slightly due to energy from the nose and eyes, and energy from the Sahasrara (crown), and even a slight movement can affect the lower chakras, so I think the Ajna chakra is powerful. Now that the Manipur chakra is activated, I think it would be better to activate the Ajna chakra a little more. This is a challenge for the future.

I, myself, have tended to take the Manipur chakra lightly. Thinking back, chakras seem to be different at the level of energy, the astral level, and levels beyond that. I think that the chakras at the energy level were relatively open overall, but I don't think they were properly open at the astral level. I sometimes felt like I was touching the causal level, but I realized that I am only now starting to properly enter the causal level, and that the basic level is still astral, through this experience.

Even though a kudalini-like energy rose and enveloped the body, I think that was mainly at the energy level. Although it includes astral energy, the chakras open properly and have a sense of rotation at the astral level, but at the energy level, the chakras did not seem to be rotating. That is my understanding.