Solar Plexus Chakra Basics: Confidence and Personal Power

Short answer

• In the modern seven chakra teaching used in most yoga and wellness contexts, the solar plexus chakra, Manipura, is the third chakra, placed between the sacral chakra below and the heart chakra above, in the upper abdomen. Its traditional associations are the color yellow, the element of fire, a ten petaled lotus, and the seed syllable Ram, and its themes are confidence, personal power, will, and self-esteem. Those are beliefs and symbols from a spiritual tradition. Cleveland Clinic notes that chakras are not recognized by Western science and that there is no scientific evidence that balancing them works, although focusing on them may help some people feel centered. The practices usually paired with this chakra, namely meditation, gentle breathing, yoga movement, journaling, and boundary setting, can be used as ordinary reflective tools. Any benefit is best credited to the attention, reflection, and behavior involved, not to a change in an energy center, and persistent anxiety, depression, or physical symptoms call for a qualified professional, not chakra work.

Introduction

The solar plexus chakra is a concept from spiritual and yogic traditions, not a structure recognized by anatomy or medicine, and nothing in this guide is medical advice or a claim that working with a chakra changes the body in a measurable scientific way. Within those traditions, the solar plexus chakra, called Manipura in Sanskrit, is described as a center of confidence, personal power, will, and self-esteem, placed in the upper abdomen. People who practice chakra meditation, yoga, or related spiritual disciplines use it as a framework for reflection: a way to notice where they feel confident or doubtful, where they set boundaries, and where they act on their own intentions rather than on other people’s expectations.

This guide explains that traditional framework clearly, separates it from scientific claims, and offers practical, safe ways to use it as a reflective and contemplative practice. It draws the traditional details from named teaching and reference sources, and it checks the health related parts against the Cleveland Clinic, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, and the National Institute of Mental Health, all read on 31 October 2026. It also explains when low confidence, anxiety, or low mood deserves professional support, because no spiritual practice replaces mental health care, medical care, or counseling when those are needed.

What Manipura Means in Tradition

The word chakra comes from Sanskrit and means wheel or circle. Encyclopaedia Britannica describes a chakra as any of a number of psychic energy centers of the body, prominent in the practices of certain forms of Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism, conceived as focal points where psychic forces and bodily functions are said to merge and interact. Britannica counts six major chakras located roughly along the spinal cord and another one just above the crown of the skull as the principal ones, each associated with a specific color, shape, sense organ, natural element, deity, and mantra. Cleveland Clinic gives the same picture in plainer terms: seven points along the spine that some people believe are associated with specific physical, emotional, and spiritual functions, each corresponding to a section of the body, a color, an element, and specific emotions.

Historical traditions have counted different numbers of chakras, four in the Buddhist case in Britannica’s account. The seven center sequence, running from the base of the spine to the top of the head, is the version most readers will meet in a modern yoga class.

Manipura combines two Sanskrit words, mani, meaning jewel, and pura, meaning city or place. Yoga Basics gives the combined translation as city of jewels or lustrous gem, and describes Manipura as traditionally the seat of Agni, the inner fire. At a glance, the associations most modern teachers use are these:

• Sanskrit name: Manipura, city of jewels or lustrous gem
• Position: third of the seven chakras, between the sacral and heart centers
• Location as taught: the upper abdomen, between the navel and the base of the sternum; Cleveland Clinic places it at the belly button area
• Color: yellow
• Element: fire
• Symbol: a lotus with ten petals, with a downward pointing triangle at its center in the Yoga Basics description
• Seed syllable, or bija mantra: Ram
• Themes: personal power, self-esteem, will, confidence, and energy

In traditional teaching, a balanced solar plexus chakra is described as confidence without arrogance: a person who knows what they want, can make decisions, sets boundaries, takes responsibility for their choices, and respects other people’s autonomy as well. Yoga Basics describes balance in similar terms, as steady confidence, healthy assertiveness, and a clear sense of personal direction, with the ability to say no or take up space without needing to overpower anyone else. Cleveland Clinic associates this chakra with interpersonal power and connectedness, and an out of balance state with disempowerment and disconnectedness. These are descriptions of inner experience in a spiritual vocabulary, not diagnoses.

The Name Solar Plexus, and the Real Nerve Network

The everyday name needs one clear distinction. The words solar plexus also name something anatomical. In anatomy, the celiac plexus, also called the solar plexus, is a real and complex network of nerve fibers and ganglia in the upper abdomen that provides autonomic innervation to a wide range of abdominal organs, including the liver, stomach, pancreas, spleen, and kidneys, as the StatPearls review on NCBI Bookshelf describes it. That network is real, measurable, and part of ordinary physiology.

The chakra is not that network. It is a spiritual concept that tradition places in roughly the same region, which is likely part of why the area is linked in everyday speech with gut feelings. Keeping the two meanings apart matters: a feeling in the upper abdomen is not evidence about a chakra, and a chakra practice is not a way to assess or treat the nerves, organs, or digestion in that region. Some modern chakra charts also link Manipura to digestion and metabolism because of its location. That link is symbolic, and it should never be used to explain, diagnose, or treat a digestive or metabolic condition.

What Research Does and Does Not Show

It is worth saying plainly that there is no scientific evidence base for chakras as energy centers in the way there is for anatomy or physiology. Cleveland Clinic states the position directly: chakras are not recognized by Western science, there is no scientific evidence that they work, and they may still be a useful metaphor that helps some people feel centered. Skeptical readers can still use the reflective questions in this guide without adopting the chakra model at all.

The practices that travel with chakra work are a separate question, and they have been studied on their own terms. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the United States National Institutes of Health, reports that meditation and mindfulness practices may help people manage anxiety, stress, depression, and sleep, while also warning that much of the research is preliminary and that results have sometimes been interpreted too optimistically. For yoga, the same center reports that research suggests yoga may help improve general wellness by relieving stress, supporting good health habits, and improving mental and emotional health, sleep, and balance. In both cases, researchers attribute any benefit to the practices themselves, such as focused attention, movement, and slow breathing, not to the manipulation of subtle energy. The center also gives the standing caution that applies to everything in this article: do not use meditation, mindfulness, or yoga to replace conventional care or as a reason to postpone seeing a health care provider about a medical problem.

Patterns Practitioners Associate With Imbalance

Practitioners often describe everyday patterns, rather than physical symptoms, as signs that the solar plexus themes deserve attention. Yoga Basics describes a blocked or imbalanced Manipura at either of two ends: an excess of personal power, expressed as a need to dominate, or a deficiency, expressed as persistent low self worth, with controlling and competitive behavior at one end and people pleasing and indecision at the other. None of these patterns, on its own, means anything is wrong with a person, and none is a medical or psychological finding.

One pattern is difficulty deciding: researching endlessly, asking everyone for advice, and still feeling unable to choose, not because the decision is unusually hard, but because choosing wrong feels frightening. A second pattern is difficulty saying no: agreeing to extra work, unwanted plans, or responsibilities there is no time for, and then feeling resentful, because the word no felt unavailable in the moment. A third pattern is the opposite extreme: a need to control outcomes, conversations, or other people’s behavior, paired with frustration when things do not go as planned, perfectionism, impatience, and a habit of taking over tasks rather than delegating.

A fourth pattern is self criticism that goes beyond honest self assessment, in which achievements are discounted, mistakes are magnified, and compliments feel undeserved. A fifth is feeling small in rooms where other people seem confident, where a person has opinions but does not voice them, or voices them so apologetically that they are easily dismissed. These are common human experiences, shaped by upbringing, culture, workplace dynamics, and mental health. The chakra framework simply offers one language for noticing them, and noticing is the first step toward changing any pattern.

Core Practice: A Short Meditation With Breath and Visualization

The most widely taught solar plexus practice is a short, seated meditation focused on the upper abdomen. Cleveland Clinic describes chakra meditation in the same basic form: focus on a particular area of the body, associate that area with the color related to that chakra, notice what you are feeling, and take a slow breath with the intention of letting go of tension. The version below follows that shape, requires no equipment, and ten to fifteen minutes is plenty.

Sit comfortably, with your back supported if needed, and close your eyes or soften your gaze toward the floor. Breathe naturally for a minute, noticing the rise and fall of your abdomen. Then bring your attention gently to the area just above your navel. Some practitioners visualize a warm yellow light there, like sunlight, growing slightly brighter with each inhale and softening with each exhale. Others simply hold their attention in that area without a visual image. If your mind wanders, which it will, notice that without judgment and return your attention to the breath and the area of focus. That returning, repeated many times, is the practice, not a failure of it, and Cleveland Clinic notes that, like other forms of meditation, it may take some practice, so do not feel discouraged if it does not click right away.

Breath practices are often paired with this meditation, and the simplest safe version is slow, even breathing: inhale comfortably through the nose, exhale slowly through the nose or mouth, and keep the breath easy rather than forced. A common pattern is to make the exhale slightly longer than the inhale, which many people find calming. Keep it gentle. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health advises people who are new to yoga to avoid forceful breathing, and aggressive breathing can cause dizziness or discomfort. Meditation itself is usually considered to have few risks, but the same center notes that some people do have negative experiences, most commonly anxiety or depression, reported by about 8 percent of participants in one analysis of studies covering more than 6,000 people. If a practice leaves you feeling worse, stop, shorten it, or choose a different reflective tool.

Visualization can be extended with a simple intention or affirmation, used as a reflective prompt rather than as a magical statement. Cleveland Clinic lists the affirmation for this chakra as: I choose what is right for me. Other traditional phrases include I am capable and I trust my judgment. Cleveland Clinic notes that reciting affirmations you find meaningful can help boost confidence and combat self doubt, and that the useful move is to notice what arises and how it makes you feel. End with a concrete question: Where do I need to make a decision I have been avoiding? Where do I need to say no, or yes, more clearly? What is one small action that would express the confidence I want to practice? Writing the answer down turns a pleasant meditation into a practical step, which is where real change usually happens.

Movement Practice: Yoga Poses Linked to This Chakra

Movement practices are also associated with the solar plexus in yoga traditions, particularly core engaging poses and twists. Cleveland Clinic lists poses featuring twists for this chakra, including Warrior I, seated twist, downward dog, chair pose, and bridge pose. Yoga Basics lists Boat pose, Warrior I and Warrior II, and twists. In a class, a teacher may frame the physical steadiness of such poses as a metaphor for inner steadiness. The benefit of a pose, where one is felt, is the movement, strength, balance, and attention it involves, not a measured effect on an energy center.

Practice within your own limits. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health states that yoga is generally considered safe for healthy people when performed properly, under the guidance of a qualified instructor, and that the most common injuries are sprains and strains, most often to the knee or lower leg. It advises beginners to avoid extreme practices, and pregnant women, older adults, and people with health conditions to talk with their health care providers and the instructor about their needs, because some poses may need to be avoided or modified.

Everyday Practices Beyond Meditation

Chakra practice does not have to stay on a meditation cushion. Many practitioners use the solar plexus framework as a lens for everyday decisions, and those applications are often more useful than the meditation itself. One application is a daily decision review. At the end of the day, ask three questions: What decision did I make today that I feel good about? What decision did I avoid, and what would help me make it tomorrow? Where did I agree to something I did not want, and what stopped me from saying so? Answering honestly, without self punishment, builds the habit of noticing your own agency, the practical core of what practitioners mean by personal power.

Another application is boundary practice in small, low stakes situations, because boundaries are easier to set in small matters before they are needed in large ones. Practice saying a clear, kind no to a minor request: Thank you for thinking of me, but I cannot take that on this week. Practice stating a preference directly instead of deferring: I would prefer the earlier time, if that works. Each small act of clarity strengthens the same capacity that larger boundaries require, through real behavior rather than visualization alone.

Journaling is a third everyday practice. A useful prompt is to write about a situation in which you felt powerless, then rewrite it from the perspective of what was actually in your control. This is not about blaming yourself for circumstances beyond your control. It is about separating what you could influence from what you could not, so your energy goes toward the part you can change.

A fourth practice is basic physical care. The National Institute of Mental Health lists the same unglamorous basics in its guidance on mild symptoms: regularly exercising, eating healthy, getting seven to nine hours of sleep, spending time with loved ones, and practicing meditation or breathing exercises. Exhaustion and hunger reliably make confidence and decisions harder, in ways that no visualization can fix.

A fifth practice is reviewing your relationship with achievement. Confidence tied entirely to accomplishments or approval is fragile: it rises with success and collapses with failure. A more durable version rests on values and effort rather than outcomes alone. Ask what kind of person you want to be, and measure yourself partly by whether your actions match those values, even when outcomes are uncertain.

Symbols, Colors, and Objects Used in Practice

Traditional solar plexus symbolism includes the color yellow, the element of fire, and a ten petaled lotus, and modern practitioners often use these symbols as reminders during meditation or in their surroundings. Wearing yellow or keeping a sunflower on a desk creates a visual cue for an intention. These are personal, symbolic choices. They work, if they work, because they remind you of what you intend to practice, not because the color itself has power over your body or your life. Stones are also associated with the solar plexus in modern practice. Yoga Basics lists yellow and gold stones such as citrine, tiger’s eye, and yellow jasper as traditionally used to support Manipura, held during meditation or kept nearby. No stone has been shown to change confidence, health, or life outcomes, and Cleveland Clinic’s broader point applies here: there is no scientific evidence that chakra balancing works, even though focusing on the framework may help a person feel centered. Keeping a stone as a reminder is a harmless personal practice, provided you do not rely on it instead of real action or professional help. Be wary of inflated prices based on supposed powers, and treat any seller who promises health, wealth, or relationship outcomes as a warning sign.

Sound is another traditional association. The seed syllable Ram is the bija mantra linked with this chakra, and some practitioners chant it during meditation. Chanting can be a legitimate meditative practice in itself: rhythmic sound, focused attention, and controlled breathing can be calming and centering. Claims about specific healing frequencies, however, are not supported by scientific evidence, and you should not pay for expensive sound products on the basis of such claims.

Scents and candles are sometimes used to set a sensory atmosphere for practice. Yoga Basics lists warming scents such as ginger, black pepper, and citrus among the traditional aromatherapy correspondences for Manipura. Use scent and flame safely. The National Fire Protection Association advises keeping candles at least one foot away from anything that can burn, never leaving a burning candle unattended, and blowing out all candles when you leave the room or go to sleep. Ventilate the room, and avoid strong scents if you have asthma, allergies, or sensitivities, or if children or pets share the space.

Common Mistakes and Misunderstandings

One common misunderstanding is treating the chakra system as a diagnostic tool for health. Feeling low in confidence does not mean your solar plexus chakra is blocked in any medical sense, and physical symptoms in the abdomen do not mean a chakra needs balancing. Use the framework for reflection, and use medical care for health. A second misunderstanding is treating affirmations as substitutes for action. Repeating I am confident while avoiding every decision that requires confidence will not build it. Confidence grows mainly through action: making a small decision, surviving a mistake, setting a boundary, and learning that you can handle the result.

A third misunderstanding is confusing personal power with control over others. In traditional teaching, a balanced solar plexus respects other people’s autonomy, and Yoga Basics describes balance in exactly those terms: able to say no or take up space without needing to overpower anyone else. Trying to dominate a partner, a colleague, or a child is not personal power. It is the excessive pattern the tradition itself warns against, and it damages relationships. If you notice a pattern of controlling behavior in yourself, that is worth honest reflection, and possibly professional support, because control often grows from insecurity rather than from strength.

A fourth misunderstanding is expecting quick results. Real changes in confidence, boundaries, and decision making are gradual, built from repeated small actions over weeks and months, not from a single meditation, stone, or ritual. Be skeptical of any product, course, or practitioner who promises to unblock your chakra permanently, heal a condition, or guarantee success, love, or wealth. Those promises are marketing, not tradition, and they exploit the very self doubt they claim to cure.

A fifth misunderstanding is practicing in isolation from the rest of life. Confidence is built in relationships, work, health, and community, where choices have real consequences and real feedback. If a practice is pulling you away from those things, or is being used to avoid difficult decisions, ask whether it is serving you or sheltering you.

A Simple Seven Day Practice Plan

If you want to explore solar plexus practice for a week, a simple plan keeps it grounded. On day one, sit for ten minutes with the meditation described above, then write down one decision you have been avoiding and its smallest next step. On day two, practice one clear, kind no in a low stakes situation, and notice how it feels afterward without judging the feeling. On day three, review a situation in which you felt powerless, and separate what was in your control from what was not. On day four, take a walk or do gentle movement, paying attention to posture and breath, and notice whether movement changes your mood.

On day five, write about a value that matters to you, and one action that expressed it this week, even imperfectly. On day six, state a preference directly in a conversation instead of deferring, and listen to the response with curiosity rather than defensiveness. On day seven, review the week in writing: what felt easier, what felt harder, and what you want to continue. This plan uses the chakra framework as a prompt for real behavior, which is the most defensible way to use it. If a step feels unhelpful, drop it. If a step feels meaningful, keep it, and let your own experience decide what belongs in your practice.

When to Seek Professional Support Instead

Chakra reflection is a tool for ordinary self doubt and everyday decisions, not the right response to persistent or severe symptoms. The National Institute of Mental Health advises people to seek professional help when they have had severe symptoms for two weeks or more, and its list includes feeling sad, tearful, or hopeless, feeling worthless or guilty, losing interest in things you typically enjoy, difficulty concentrating or making simple decisions, trouble completing tasks, and changes in appetite, weight, or sleep. Do not wait for a two week mark if symptoms are worsening, if self care is not helping, or if a physical symptom such as ongoing digestive trouble or pain is part of the picture. Talk to a health care provider, who can consider both physical and mental health causes.

If you are having thoughts of suicide or urges to hurt yourself, get immediate help. In the United States, call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, for 24 hour, confidential support, and call 911 in life threatening situations, as the National Institute of Mental Health directs. Any practitioner who tells you that chakra work should replace that kind of help should not be trusted with your health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the solar plexus chakra a real part of the body?

No, not in the anatomical or medical sense. The name solar plexus is also used for a real network of nerves in the abdomen, the celiac plexus, but the chakra is a spiritual concept from yogic traditions, described as a center of subtle energy in roughly the same region. The two meanings should not be confused, and chakra practice is not a medical treatment.

Can working with the solar plexus chakra improve confidence?

It can support reflection about confidence, and practices such as meditation, journaling, and boundary setting can help people notice patterns and take practical steps. There is no scientific evidence that manipulating an energy center itself changes confidence. Benefits, when they occur, most plausibly come from the attention, reflection, and behavior change involved.

What color and element are associated with the solar plexus chakra?

In the modern teaching most commonly used, the color is yellow and the element is fire, as both Yoga Basics and Cleveland Clinic give them. They are symbolic associations used in visualization and meditation, not physical properties of the body.

How long should a solar plexus meditation last?

Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty for a beginner, and even five minutes of calm, focused attention is a reasonable start. Longer is not necessarily better. Consistency matters more than duration, and if meditation leaves you feeling more anxious, shorten the session or stop and choose a different practice.

Should I see a professional instead of doing chakra practice?

If you experience persistent anxiety, depression, or low self esteem that interferes with daily life, or any physical symptom that concerns you, see a qualified medical or mental health professional. The National Institute of Mental Health advises seeking professional help for severe symptoms lasting two weeks or more. Chakra practice can be a reflective complement, but it is not a substitute for professional care.

Do I need crystals, oils, or special equipment?

No. A quiet place to sit, a few minutes of time, and a willingness to reflect honestly are enough. Stones, scents, and candles can serve as personal reminders, but they are optional, and expensive products are not more effective than simple practice. If you use a candle, keep it at least one foot from anything that can burn and never leave it unattended.

Keep reading: Manifesting with a Gratitude Journal: Daily Practice and Honest Expectations

Keep reading: Chair Yoga for Beginners: Gentle Flexibility at Home

Sources & references

• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Chakra. Used for chakra meaning wheel, for a chakra being any of a number of psychic energy centers of the body prominent in the practices of certain forms of Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism, for the centers being conceived as focal points where psychic forces and bodily functions merge and interact, for six major chakras located roughly along the spinal cord and another one just above the crown of the skull being of principal importance, for each of the seven major chakras, four in Buddhism, being associated with a specific color, shape, sense organ, natural element, deity, and mantra, and for the lowest chakra at the base of the spine and the highest at the top of the head.
• Cleveland Clinic, 7 Chakras and What They Mean, Health Essentials, 26 September 2025. Used for chakras referring to seven points along the spine that some people believe are associated with specific physical, emotional, and spiritual functions, for their being part of South Asian traditional systems of medicine and healing, for chakras not being recognized by Western science, for there being no scientific evidence that they work while focusing on them may help a person feel centered, for the word chakra being based on the Sanskrit word for wheel or circle with origins in the Hindu and Buddhist faiths, for each chakra corresponding to a section of the body, a color, an element, and specific emotions, for the solar plexus chakra Manipura being placed at the belly button area with color yellow and element fire, for its affirmation I choose what is right for me, for its association with interpersonal power and connectedness and, out of balance, with disempowerment and disconnectedness, for chakra meditation as focusing on a particular area of the body and associating it with the related color, for the advice to notice what you are feeling and to expect that the practice may take time, for reciting positive affirmations a person finds meaningful being described as able to help boost confidence and combat self doubt, and for Western medicine recognizing the value of practices such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork even though it does not recognize chakras.
• Yoga Basics, Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Meaning, Colors and How to Balance It. Used for Manipura meaning lustrous gem and combining mani, jewel, and pura, city or place, giving city of jewels, for Manipura being the third chakra between the sacral and heart centers and located at the solar plexus between the navel and the base of the sternum, for the color yellow, the element fire or Agni, the bija mantra Ram, and a triangle within a lotus with ten petals, for its issues being personal power, self esteem, willfulness, and energy, for a balanced Manipura being described as steady confidence, healthy assertiveness, and a clear sense of personal direction, with the ability to say no or take up space without overpowering anyone else, for a blocked Manipura being described as an excess or a deficiency of personal power, expressed as controlling and competitive behavior or as people pleasing and indecision, for core engaging poses including Boat, Warrior I, Warrior II, and twists being traditionally used for this chakra, for yellow and gold stones such as citrine, tiger's eye, and yellow jasper being traditionally used to support Manipura, and for warming scents such as ginger, black pepper, and citrus being listed among its traditional aromatherapy correspondences.
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Meditation and Mindfulness: Effectiveness and Safety. Used for meditation involving maintaining mental focus on a particular sensation such as breathing, a sound, a visual image, or a mantra, for mindfulness based approaches being better than no treatment for anxiety and depression in the large analysis described and working as well as evidence based therapies in that analysis, for the warning that much of the research is preliminary or not scientifically rigorous and that results have been difficult to analyze and may have been interpreted too optimistically, for meditation and mindfulness usually being considered to have few risks, and for the instruction not to use meditation or mindfulness to replace conventional care or as a reason to postpone seeing a health care provider about a medical problem.
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 8 Things to Know About Meditation and Mindfulness. Used for mindfulness based practices possibly helping with anxiety and depression and for meditation and mindfulness practices usually being considered to have few risks, with some people having negative experiences, and for the analysis of studies on more than 6,000 people in which about 8 percent of participants reported negative effects, most commonly anxiety or depression.
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Yoga: Effectiveness and Safety. Used for yoga typically emphasizing physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation in the United States, for research suggesting yoga may help improve general wellness by relieving stress, supporting good health habits, and improving mental and emotional health, sleep, and balance, for yoga being generally considered a safe form of physical activity for healthy people when performed properly under the guidance of a qualified instructor, for the most common injuries being sprains and strains, most often to the knee or lower leg, for beginners being advised to avoid extreme practices including forceful breathing, for pregnant women, older adults, and people with health conditions being advised to talk with their health care providers and the yoga instructor about individual needs because some poses and practices may need to be avoided or modified, and for the instruction not to use yoga to postpone seeing a health care provider about a medical problem.
• John, Dixon, Hendrix, and colleagues, Celiac Plexus Block, in StatPearls, via NCBI Bookshelf. Used for the celiac plexus, or solar plexus, providing autonomic innervation to a wide range of abdominal organs through a complex network of nerve fibers, including the liver, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, small intestine, and the first two thirds of the large intestine, and for the plexus comprising the celiac, aorticorenal, and superior mesenteric ganglia.
• National Institute of Mental Health, My Mental Health: Do I Need Help?, revised 2025. Used for the mild symptom activities that may help, namely regularly exercising, eating healthy, getting seven to nine hours of sleep, spending time with loved ones, practicing meditation or breathing exercises, and making time for low stress activities, for the advice to talk to a health care provider if those activities do not help or symptoms worsen, for the severe symptom list for symptoms lasting two weeks or more, including feeling worthless or guilty, difficulty concentrating or making simple decisions, trouble completing tasks and activities, and changes in appetite, weight, sleep, or sex drive, followed by the instruction to seek professional help, and for the crisis guidance to call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for 24 hour, confidential support, and to call 911 in life threatening situations.
• National Fire Protection Association, candle safety guidance as published in its public safety releases. Used for keeping candles at least one foot, or 30 centimeters, away from anything flammable, for never leaving a burning candle unattended, and for blowing out all candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.