The navel or the belly button is the source of life before we’re born. We derive nourishment from the navel via the umbilical cord while still in the womb and are only now discovering the various life saving benefits of the blood that is contained in the umbilical cord. But is the navel of any great significance after birth and then later in life? Doesn’t the function and the importance of the navel or the umbilicus cease when it is no longer required to nourish a baby it the womb; when it dries and falls off? Well actually no. The navel is the centre of the body and is believed to be a focal point in more ways than one.
The navel is the third chakra
As you know the human body is a collection of various energy points; wheels or chakras. A part of the subtle body rather than the physical body, it is through our chakras that the prana or the vital energy is transported. Of the several chakras located in the human body, the navel or nabhi chakra is the third chakra that is thought to be connected to contentment and satisfaction. It is located close to the spine and governs aspects such as balance in the body. The nabhi chakra influences quality of meditation as well it is thought. Since this chakra is closely associated with a sense of peace and wellbeing, it can help with dhyana.
The connection of the navel to the body’s health
While western practitioners dismiss the importance of the navel beyond the womb and the early part of infancy, alternative theorists say that the muscles and the vessels that connect the navel to other parts of the body do not become obsolete later in life. It is thought that these pathways merely remain dormant until such time as the body has need for them. Thinkers and sages such as Osho opined that the centre of the human body’s life energy is at the navel and that the good health and cleansing of this centre is vital for good health and well being.
In fact the navel is still very much connected to the round ligament of the liver and the veins below the umbilicus drain into the hepatic portal vein. The umbilicus is also connected to the bladder; something that is demonstrated to be true when cysts or bladder infections sometimes cause pus to be discharged from the navel. The fact that too much pressure on some areas results in an umbilical hernia is another indicator of how closely intertwined the navel is with health and well being. It is also thought that the navel being off centre results in the health and well being of the whole body being off centre. This could cause physical illness as well as emotional problems such as anxiety, anger and depression.
It is also a fact that the navel or belly button is home to several types of bacteria, some benign but some that could be harmful to health and wellbeing. So for reasons that we don’t fully understand yet, and for reasons that clearly demonstrate the connection between wellness and the navel, cleansing the nabhi chakra and taking care of the health and well being of your navel is vitally important.