What is the solar plexus?

Factual Questions
1

I repeat: What is the solar plexus?

I know it’s a part of the body, I know it’s somewhere around the stomach kind of area, but I don’t know exactly where to find it.

But more importantly, what does it actually do? Does it have a use? Did it have a use?

Why is it associated with all kinds of ‘mystical’ stuff?

Thanks!

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2

AFAIK, it’s halfway between the bellybutton and the sternum.
I know getting hit there knocks the wind out of you fairly consistenly, I’m assuming because that’s where the diaphram is.

No idea why it’s so “mystical”, though.

3

From Discovery.com

4

For that matter, why is anything?

My guess is that in the continuing effort to link body & spitit, people realize that this area of body is “central” and therefore, significant to something. Then they layer on the mystical stuff.

(by the way, welcome to the SDMB!)

5

The solar plexus is where the Hardy Boys hit people. My understanding is that the Champ also causes devestation there.