Everybody is talented because everybody who is human has something to express. ~ Brenda Ueland
With the art of expression, one can share their words, feelings, emotions, and creativity with others & thus, the world seems a beautiful place. Isn’t it?
Throat in our body is the source of expression which affects communication, hearing, and vision. In the subtle body, we can understand the energy associated with a throat in the form of the throat chakra.
Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): What Is It?
In the series of 7 majors chakras in our body, the throat chakra is titled as the fifth chakra when counting in ascending order from the base of the spine to the crown of the head.
The throat chakra is home to creativity with sound as it is located at the base of the subtle body’s throat. Its purpose is to express truth coming from the soul and is the center of communication and speech, and it also regulates hearing and listening.
In Sanskrit, it’s referred to Vishuddha, literally means “Purest”. Indeed, Vishuddha is called to something which is purified on both physical and mental level.
Other names of throat chakra are Kantha, Kantha-desha, Kantha-padma, Kantha-pankaja, shodasha, and kanthambhoja etc.
The element associated with this chakra is ether/akasha, which acts as a transmitting pathway to the vibrations of mantras.
Energy comes out of this chakra is the source of the voice in the body & acts as a pressure valve that allows the energy to transfer from one chakra to the next one.
Characteristics of Throat Chakra
1) Honor your right to speak
This feature is classic to throat chakra as, “each word acts as your bond”, Every time you give your word, you’re putting your honor on the line. This implies that others can place their trust in you because you value integrity and would never let them down.
2) Honor your unique power of existence
Each being is born with unique talents & has a unique life purpose. This marks it necessary to clearly analyze true desires and not be influenced and enchanted by others.
Self-esteem is the negative or positive attitude that individuals have of themselves and balanced throat chakra helps totally accept our uniqueness and express it.
3) The 5 T’s of Communication
The 5 T’s of communication are;
- Throat chakra- Balanced
- Timing
- Tone
- Technique
- Truth
These rules of communication are to prepare the ground to have a total impact of our words in a positive way.
Throat chakra helps to release all fears of speaking and fears of listening thus finally, being completely present at the moment with wisdom and throat to speak.
4) Respect your words, they are the bond with your Vissudha chakra
If you have given a promise to someone no matter who the person is, or how small the promise is, you must honor your commitment. It displays the capacity to make decisions knowing that no matter what decisions you make, you can keep your word to yourself or to another person.
5) Will Power and Power of Choice
The choices you make reveal your intentions, hence one must develop strong willpower by making choices in alignment with your life purpose, which draws on both the desires of the heart and the wisdom of the mind.
Thorat Chakra in Detail
To understand the throat chakra in detail, we need to acknowledge and know more about the following aspects:
1. Location
Anatomical Location: Located at the center of the neck at the level of the throat above the collarbone
This chakra acts as the passage of the energy between the lower parts of the body and the head, and is mainly driven by the principle of expression and communication.
Corresponding to the laryngeal nerve [efn_note] Learn more about Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Associated with Throat [https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine/recurrent-laryngeal-nerve][/efn_note], this chakra is associated with both hearing and listening & is the purification point of the body and the center of wisdom, willpower, truth.
The Throat chakra is associated with the pharyngeal and brachial plexus and is connected to the body organs mouth, jaws, tongue, pharynx, and palate. It’s is also linked to the shoulders and the neck.
Glands associated: Thyroid, which regulates the processing of energy in the body through temperature, growth, and in large parts, metabolism.
2. Color Coding of Throat Chakra
Color: Blue or turquoise
In our color spectrum, Blue is the first of the three primary colors, connecting us with the Divine and it is also the color associated with Heaven.
Blue energy is pure, soothing, healing & is also at the cooler end of the spectrum, allowing us to take time to be still.
On physical anatomical level blue relates to the throat, esophagus, thyroid gland, neck, cervical spine, mouth, teeth, and jaw.
3. Symbol of Awakening
The throat chakra is positioned between the head and heart, linking feeling and thought. The throat chakra symbol is often depicted as shades of radiant blue viz the color of wisdom, faith, purification, and trust depicted as a circle within a descending triangle.
- Number of Petals in Thorat Chakra symbol: 16 (Sixteen)
The lotus flower symbolizes the development of human consciousness. This chakra has 16 petals, each linked with one of the Sanskrit vowels, a mantra. - White Circle/Silver Crescent: The central chakra region is white, transparent, sky-blue in the color, symbolizing the cosmic sound i.e. nadam, which represents purity. It represents the full moon pointing towards our psychic powers.
- Downward-Pointing Triangle: It represents the akasamandala. The downward-pointing triangle of the throat chakra is symbolic of spiritual growth and is affiliated with the gathering of information, while the wide upward sides represent the knowledge leading to Enlightenment.
- White Elephant: Airavata (elephant) is the animal gesture of throat chakra. Airavata carries the sound mantra & Indra, the god of thunder as per Hindu mythology. The white elephant is symbolic of strength, prosperity, luck.
4. The Energy Frequency and Seed Mantra
The sacred frequency of throat chakra acts as vessels of a self-generating power of expressions and hence better communication.
Bijaakshara or seed mantra: HAM
Frequency: 384 Hz
[alert-success] Ham is the mantra to unblock the Throat Chakra defining our physical and spiritual voice viz the means of communicating of “who you are” and “what you need and want” from yourself and the universe. [/alert-success]
5. Associated Element with Throat Chakra
The element associated with the Throat Chakra is Ether/Spirit/Life and Sound which represents the Level of Psychology/Mind and is associated with Transformation, Unification, Power, Time.
Through the throat, the sound is propagated into the air and its vibration can be felt not just in our ears, but also in our whole body.
The Throat chakra is associated with psychological and behavioral characteristics:
- Expression as an inability to express & to speak out.
- Communication skills.
- Connection with the etheric realm or soul.
- Realizing your purpose in life.
- Good sense of timing and connectivity.
Balanced Throat Chakra
When Throat chakra is in a balanced stage, one is able to express the thoughts & desires in connective relationship with the heart chakra and, mind.
The energy radiated from balanced vishuddha chakra springs upward from the sacral chakra through the solar plexus & continue its path enabling free expression of the values and needs expressed within the energy.
One learns to communicate his ideas, beliefs, and emotions and lives in harmony as:
- Openly able to express feelings and thoughts.
- Living in a creative way.
- Good sense of timing and communication skills.
- Imaginative & imperative speech.
- Trusting your inner guidance viz your inner self.
- Openly passing knowledge
Hence when your voice is rhythmic and resonant, clear with precise expression, it symbolizes your balanced stage of the fifth chakra, defining your ability to take decisions & hence to follow your dreams.
Imbalanced Throat Chakra
When the throat chakra is out of balance, the physical symptoms shown are sore throat, tight jaw, stiff neck, and frequent headache.
Spiritually one becomes habitual in lying, feeling of fear and doubt the intentions of others, or stammering or at a loss for words with balanced feelings of being isolated and misunderstood.
The blocked Throat Chakra affects the ability to communicate by creating confusion in mindset leading to timidity, a fear of speaking up, and sometimes manipulative behavior. Rather than speaking up fully from open-heart, one speaks half-truths and untruths to repress the inner dissatisfaction.
Creative impulses get suppressed by blockage of the fifth chakra as ideas do not move through to the lower chakras where they are made into reality, with other features like,
- Fear of speaking
- Difficulty putting feelings into words
- Shy, quiet and withdrawn
- Out of touch with your own desires
- Not trusting of intuitive powers
More precisely are the following features of imbalanced throat chakra in communication:
- Talking too much
- Talking as a defense
- Dominating voice
- Inability to listen
- Have to appear strong at all costs
Physical Imbalances:
- Cold symptoms
- Tickle or phlegm in the throat
- Coughing
- Stress
- Hyperactivity
- Allergies
- Signs of a goiter
- Stuffy, runny nose
- Fatigue
Overactive Vishuddha Chakra
The over-reactive phase of this chakra makes the person yell and dominate others in a conversation, not allowing them to speak or listen to them, with a loud and shrill voice, and become judgmental by overanalyzing things.
When your Vishuddha Chakra is overactive;
- Voice will be loud with dominancy.
- Interrupt behavior with ongoing conversations.
- Over-opinionated and critical of others.
- Bad listener and intellectualize things to avoid the vulnerability of feelings.
- Mostly a compulsive liar prone to gossiping.
- Dishonors his own words with an inability to fulfill commitments and promises.
Underactive Vishuddha Chakra
Underactive chakra makes one whisper and speaks in a timid voice with stammering. These people find it hard to initiate conversations or find the right words when speaking.
When your Vishuddha Chakra is underactive:
- Difficulty to express feelings and emotion
- Feel shy and timid.
- Unable to initiate a conversation and think that you do not have the right to ask a question.
- Feel under-rated with your own feelings and difficulty in telling the truth and being honest with oneself.
Balancing Throat Chakra Energy
If you feel any symptoms of your throat energy blocking in physical or psychological level, emulate following practices in your life to flow energy through the throat chakra.
1) Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
No one is perfect in this world and there will always be someone better or lesser than you. Everyone has their own set of unique talents that make them successful.
2) Express Yourself
Fear of expressing one’s ideas and thoughts because of the fear of others’ rejection leads to fear of sharing the opinion with others and expressing one’s talent. Everyone is a unique soul with a unique life purpose and for that unique talents need to be expressed in society.
3) Remove the Fear of Being Misunderstood
Fear of being misunderstood arises with doubt leading to communication problems. Hence, it is important to have trust in the other person and to make yourself understood.
4) Releasing Dependency
Communication always happens between equals as if you feel lesser or higher than the other due to dependency results in no communication.
5) Release Guilt
Guilt comes with the tagline, “I am wrong and have to be punished”. To address your guilt, magnify it, face it and then release it with an acceptance of having right thought at that moment.
One can also imbibe the following practices apart from their regular activity to balance the throat chakra energy.
Crystal Energy and Sound Therapy
- Blue crystal energy unblocks and balances the throat chakra as the dark shades of blue have the power of truth and the lighter shades have the power of flexibility relaxation and balance.
- Yellow crystals are used to augment the blue crystal as it brings the power of communication and free expression drawing the energy from the solar plexus.
Sound Therapy
- Crystal healing of the throat can be accompanied by soothing, melodic music for maximum effectiveness.
Yoga & Meditation
The Throat Chakra teaches us about the beauty of our uniqueness.
[alert-success] You are meant to share yourself just as you are – your strengths and your beauty along with your vulnerabilities and your blemishes are your uniqueness. [/alert-success]
The ancient science of yoga and meditation is the easiest key to open the door of Chakras energy. Practice these yoga asanas and meditation for the throat chakra.
- HAM (Vishuddha seed Mantra): Cross your fingers on the inside of your hands, without the thumbs. Let the thumbs touch at the tops, and pull them slightly up. Concentrate on the Throat Chakra at the base of the throat. Chant the mantra HAM. Do it for 10 minutes and feel the sensation of the awakening of the Vishuddha Chakra.
- Head Rolls and Neck Stretches
- Lion’s Breath (Simhasana Pranayama)
- Supported Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana)
- Supported Fish Pose (Salamba Matsyasana)
Throat Chakra Stones
The throat chakra is the main hub of emotion and expression and governs creativity and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
One of the best ways to balance an underactive or overactive chakra is by using crystals. The crystals below all resonate at the frequency of the throat chakra,
- Amazonite: Dispels and guards against negativity while restoring emotional balance.
- Lapis lazuli: Used to open, stimulate, and balance. This “stone of truth” restores your ability to communicate effectively.
- Turquoise: Used to stimulate and balance. Dispels negativity and restores confidence to speak and express one’s thoughts effectively.
- Aquamarine: Used to cleanse and stimulate. It offers courage and promotes tolerance and compassion while dispelling fear.
