SOLAR PLEXUS – SELF-WORTH, WILLPOWER, INDEPENDENCE
By Isabelle Schjelderup, author, yoga teacher and therapist
This post is based on the book “Keys to a Better Life – Yoga for Young People”, and explores the third chakra – the solar plexus – which is linked to identity, confidence, and inner strength. It includes a therapeutic yoga practice from the book that helps young people find calm and activate their inner power.
"Congratulations. An impressive and well-done work. This is an important book for our time. It unites ancient wisdom and modern research, providing a solid foundation for strengthening young people's mental health." – Dr. Michael de Vibe, physician with a PhD in mindfulness, family therapist, and author
The solar plexus chakra is the body’s third energy center and is associated with the development of willpower, personal identity, and inner strength. It is about standing in oneself, knowing one’s worth, and daring to set boundaries. When children and young people are given space to take initiative and experience mastery, their self-worth and courage to face life’s challenges are strengthened.
A lack of support and recognition, on the other hand, can lead to shame – the feeling that “I am wrong”, as opposed to guilt, which is about having done something wrong. Shame undermines our sense of self-worth and can weaken both our agency and joy in life. It can also create inner turmoil around making choices and standing up for oneself.
In this phase, the ability to distinguish between one’s own impulses and what is appropriate in relation to others begins to awaken. This marks the beginning of self-regulation and empathy – a budding awareness of how one’s actions affect the environment. When children and young people are not given the opportunity to build confidence in their own choices and needs, they may either suppress themselves – or become overly focused on performance and adapting to external demands.
Here, the difference between self-confidence and self-worth becomes essential: Self-confidence is about what we do and achieve – self-worth is the deep knowing that we have value regardless of achievement. When external demands dominate, self-worth may weaken, and it becomes harder to feel safe in one’s own power.
Through yoga and presence, young people can connect with their inner strength and courage. The practices in this chapter help them build both self-confidence and self-worth, experience mastery, develop willpower, and set healthy boundaries. They invite them to become someone who wants, someone who acts – and someone who takes charge of their own life.
Asana / Physical movement (Child’s Pose + Thunderbolt Pose)
This exercise helps young people experience how calm can be a source of strength and power, by consciously alternating between rest and movement.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: Sit down on your knees with your bottom resting on your heels, and place your forehead on the floor. Let your arms rest alongside your body with the palms facing upward. Alternatively, sit on a chair and place your forehead on your knees (or as close as you can), letting your arms hang down toward the floor. Use a large cushion for support if needed.
Inhale through your nose as you slowly lift your arms overhead, softening your shoulders to avoid tension.
If you are doing the pose on the floor, also lift your upper body so that you’re kneeling upright. Engage your body and spread your fingers actively.
Exhale through your nose as you slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat the movement five more times, following your own breathing rhythm.
Stay tuned! Next post will explore the Heart Chakra – a center for empathy, relationships, and emotional self-regulation. 💚
BENEFITS: This exercise is calming while also building energy. It can help regulate the nervous system by training it to find rest when possible, and be active when needed. It stretches and loosens the muscles in the ankles, hips, back, arms, shoulders, and neck.
📘 From the Book: Keys to a Better Life – Yoga for Young People (currently just in norwegian- contact me if you want to publish it in other languages)
How can yoga support teens in managing everyday stress, navigating personal development, and promoting physical and mental health?
In this book, authors Isabelle Schjelderup, Professor Ingunn Hagen, and Dr. Anodea Judith address these questions through evidence-based yoga practices and reflections. Combining psychological insight, yoga philosophy, and practical exercises, the book is a valuable resource for professionals, educators, and parents—and for young people themselves.
The yoga practices can be used in therapeutic settings, individually or in groups, at home, in nature, or in the classroom. They are designed to support healthy self-development and help prevent
About the Author
Isabelle Schjelderup is a social worker with advanced training in mental health and therapeutic work, and she has extensive experience using yoga and mindfulness as tools for healing and life mastery. She is a certified yoga teacher and mindfulness instructor, with additional training in pedagogical mindfulness and a variety of complementary and alternative therapies.
She has co-led government-supported therapy groups (HELFO-funded) for adults with anxiety disorders, and currently facilitates therapeutic yoga groups for individuals living with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and burnout. Isabelle also founded and ran Hjerte Family Kindergarten, where she incorporated weekly yoga and mindfulness sessions—both indoors and outdoors—as a natural part of the children’s everyday experience.
She is the author of Lek med yoga (Playing with yoga), 2019, and Nøkler til et bedre liv- yoga for unge (Keys to a Better Life – Yoga for Young People), 2025.
The books is currently only available in Norwegian, but we are working with an international agency to bring it to publishers abroad. 📕🔴 If you are a publisher and feel called to this work, please contact me directly.
