What is the Throat Chakra?
- 5th Chakra
- Sanskrit Name: Vishuddha
- Location: Region of the throat
- Color: Blue
- Element: Ether
- Spiritual Attributes: Communication, expression of the true self, creative expression, purification, connection to the spiritual realm, realizing one’s purpose
In the system of 7 chakras, the Throat Chakra (also known as Vishuddha in Sanskrit) is the 5th. It is found in the throat region and rules over the entirety of the components that comprise the mouth, neck, and throat. People who have a healthy Throat Chakra exude confidence, honesty, creativity, warmth, and intensity of their creative passions and truths.
The Center of Communication, Expression of the True Self and Creativity, Purification, Realizing One’s Purpose, and Connection to the Spiritual Realm.
The Throat Chakra is where we derive communication with others. It is where our True Self is realized and expressed to the world. Without this center of expression, the world would know nothing of our creative endeavors.
The Vishuddha gives us the confidence to express ourselves to the world. To stand up and say:
“This is who I am, whether you like it, or not.”
“I freely express my love and desires, and I am not afraid to show it or say it.”
“This is what I stand for.”
“That is what I want.”
“I am the creator of my world.”
“This is me.”
The Throat Chakra is center for our true potential. It is through this energy portal that we realize who we are. What we are meant to be in this life, what we are meant to teach others, and what we are meant to say to the world. It is where we find our voice. Our confidence to tell it like it is. Above all, to be our true selves.
What is it Like to Have a Healthy, Balanced Throat Chakra?
- You find communication comes easily to you. Initiating and holding conversations come easily to you.
- You have a keen sense of what your purpose is here on this earth.
- Expressing your creative Self comes effortlessly to you. You make your creative dreams a reality.
- Speaking your truth is of the utmost importance.
- You stand up for your beliefs and opinions without fear of judgment from others.
- Energy flows more easily throughout the rest of the chakras.
- Your vibrations rise higher, allowing a clearer connection to the ethereal world.
Two Types of Disruptions
There are two types of disruptions to the adequate flow of energy to the Throat Chakra: Deficient and Excessive.
Deficient Energy Flow – a low flow of energy, blocked, introspective, passive.
Associated with:
- social anxiety
- shyness
- quiet / mumbling
- keep opinions to yourself
- inability to be comfortable with expressing creative endeavors
- unable to express your true self
Excessive Energy Flow – too much energy flow, agitated, irritable, overreactive, aggressive, too much focus on outside influences.
Associated with:
- aggressive speech
- excessive talking
- socially overbearing
- loud
- stubbornness
Common Reasons the Throat Chakra Becomes Unbalanced
Starting as early as childhood, there can be many reasons why one’s Throat Chakra can become unbalanced. Discovering the root of the blockages is the first step towards healing yourself.
- As a child, you were told to keep quiet more than not.
- You may have been criticized at school or at home for expressing your opinions and wishes.
- If you were ever made to feel ashamed for expressing yourself.
- Your creativity was stifled by any outside forces in any way as you were growing up or as an adult.
- Lack of support for your creative endeavors.
- Unreciprocated vocal expression of love that made you feel embarrassed.
- If you were ever physically choked or harmed in the throat region.
Symptoms of an Unbalanced Throat Chakra
- Expressing your emotions is difficult for you.
- OR you overly-express your emotions, spewing them at anyone that comes across your path.
- You have a hard time sharing your opinion with others.
- You feel like you are unworthy. Like your opinions and interests do not matter.
- OR you talk way too much, hardly allowing anyone else to get a word in. You feel like you need to feel the void with mindless chatter.
- Speaking up and being heard is terrifying. You would rather keep as quiet as possible.
- Also, you find that people accuse you of mumbling and constantly ask you to speak up.
- OR you may be a very loud talker and find that you get shushed quite often.
- Often times, you feel like you never get heard, so you try to assert your opinion as much as possible, to the dismay of all around you.
- Although you know you are a creative being at your core, you just can’t put your finger on what makes your spirit soar.
- Expressing your creativity to the world makes you feel embarrassed.
- You feel like your creative endeavors could never add up to the tremendous talents that you witness in the world.
- Public speaking or performing on stage is practically paralyzing.
- Your lymph nodes in your neck and throat region are frequently swollen.
- You have issues with thyroid regulation, having either hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or Hashimoto’s disease.
- Your tonsils (if you still have them) are regularly swollen.
- Sore throats, laryngitis, bronchitis, and ear infections are a very common occurrence in your life.
- You often find that you have a stiff, sore neck.
- Additionally, you may even suffer from bouts of TMJ (jaw pain and stiffness)
Methods for Healing the Throat Chakra
1. Get to the Root of it.
Really take the time to look at the list of common causes above. Moreover, think of any other situations in life that may have caused your Throat Chakra to become unbalanced. To move past blockages, you must first uncover the original cause.
2. Visualization Exercise
Get comfortable and raise your vibrations
Find yourself a comfortable place to sit or lie down. Take a few long, deep breaths and try to clear your mind of the day’s worries. Feel yourself rising to a higher vibration, connecting you to the Universe and your Higher Self.
Close your eyes and imagine with your mind’s eye white, healing light pouring over your from the Universe like sunlight beaming down on the forest floor through the treetops. Starting from the top of your head, allow this light to permeate every cell of your body.
Be conscious of any sensations
Feel the warmth. Feel the vibrations buzzing through you to the core. (It’s ok if you don’t feel anything at all at first)
Clear blockages with healing blue light
Turn your attention to the throat region. Now imagine the light turning a beautiful shade of blue. This blue light is permeating the entirety of your neck, throat, and face.
What do you feel? Can you feel any blockages? Do the muscles in your throat feel sore in any way? Do you have pain or tension in your jaw muscles or neck? Are you clenching your teeth or jutting out your lower jaw? Or, maybe you are pressing your tongue against your palate or the back of your teeth?
Release physical tensions
Imagine your rib cage separating from your center, your sides expanding with every breath. Feel your abdomen release and drop to the floor. Notice the separation between your upper abdomen and lower abdomen. Imagine your stomach elongating, creating space in the vertebrae of your spine.
Once you feel a release in these areas, focus your attention to your neck and face once again. Imagine the muscles in your neck are releasing one by one, giving you a sense of your throat sinking towards your spine. Relax your tongue. Release the tension in your jaw. Allow the jaw to drop and your mouth to relax open.
Breathwork
Fill that newly opened space with air from each long inhale. Start sending the air first towards the back of the throat and neck and then down, filling your entire belly while you imagine the breath filling you up like a balloon. When the stomach and ribs can expand no more, hold that breath there for a few seconds.
Slowly release the breath. Feel the stomach return to the earth as you slowly exhale until your lungs are completely empty.
Continue to repeat this breathing technique while you imagine that the healing blue light is blasting each blockage into a million tiny pieces. See these pieces swirl around your Throat Chakra, then dissolve into the blue light. Feel your throat, neck, and face become lighter as you release your burdens into the light.
Send it back to the universe
Now, send the healing light back up into the universe like a beam of light shooting out of your Throat Chakra into the sky. Surrender it. Be free of all that was holding you back.
To conclude your practice, fill your entire body with the white, cleansing light again, and sit with any new sensations that you may feel.
It is absolutely ok if this exercise doesn’t fully heal your Throat Chakra the first few times. Remember, it took a lifetime to build-up your blockages, so you can’t expect them to disappear instantaneously. Keep practicing.
3. Throat Chakra Affirmations
Repeating affirmations daily can help you to overcome blockages in the Vishuddha by rewiring the way your brain thinks. Just by repeating these affirmations, you can open yourself to the flow of creative, passionate, and expressive energy. Try picking a few that resonate with you and repeat them to yourself throughout the day.
- Communication comes easily to me as I want to speak my truths.
- I express my opinions with honesty and integrity.
- The world shall know of my creative endeavors.
- I have no fear of expressing my creativity.
- I am bold, brave, and free to speak my truth.
- Being my true self is of utmost importance.
- My voice shall be heard.
- The Universe supports me and wants me to share my voice with the world.
- I have something to say and the world shall hear it loud and clear.
- My opinions matter.
- I release my fear of judgment and embolden myself to set my voice free.
- It is safe for me to speak my mind.
- I know when it is appropriate to express myself and when it is appropriate to stay quiet.
- My thoughts and opinions belong to me and it is my choice who is allowed to hear them.
- I will be heard.
4. Meditation and Chanting
Practicing meditation has amazing health benefits, including:
- calming the nerves
- lowering blood pressure
- strengthening the immune system
- reducing pain and inflammation
- reducing stress and anxiety
- improving sleep
- and so much more.
Find a meditation practice that you feel you can stick to and see how you can benefit in a short period of time.
While meditating, if you find it hard to fully clear your mind it is helpful to chant (either out loud or in your mind). Chanting some of the affirmations listed above in #3 will work wonders.
Additionally, consider repeating the sound “HAM” (Hahm) as it can help to release the tensions held in your Throat chakra. Check out the chanting meditation video included below.
5. Practice Yoga for Opening the Throat Chakra
Yoga is an amazing way to center the mind and bring focus to the areas that need opening for a better flow of energy. I have enjoyed practicing videos by Brett Larkin on YouTube. Check out her sequence below that specifically targets the Throat Chakra:
6. Aromatherapy
While you are doing the above visualization, meditation, and physical exercises, you can switch on your essential oil diffuser and add one or a blend of the following essential oils:
- Chamomile
- Cypress
- Clove
- Eucalyptus
- Frankincense
- Geranium
- Jasmine
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Sage
- Spearmint
- Tea tree
Before using any essential oils, it is always best to check for any contraindications with any existing conditions that you may have, pregnancy, allergies, or interactions with medications.
7. Herbal Teas | Supplements
The best way to consume medicinal herbs is usually by making herbal teas.
Follow the link above to learn the best way to brew your tea using one or a blend of the following herbs that benefit the Throat Chakra:
- Calendula
- Gotu Kola
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Lavender
- Cleavers
- Marshmallow root
- Slippery elm
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Sage
- Echinacea
- Ginger
If you have a hard time coming around to herbal teas, you can always try these herbs in capsule form.
Before consuming any herbs, it is always best to check for any contraindications with any existing conditions that you may have, pregnancy, allergies, or interactions with medications.
8. Crystal Healing for the Throat Chakra
As the Throat Chakra is associated with the color blue, using blue healing crystals will help to balance the misaligned energies. Try meditating with or carrying the following crystals to receive their beneficial energy to heal your Throat Chakra:
- Amazonite
- Aquamarine
- Azurite
- Blue apatite
- Blue calcite
- Blue lace agate
- Blue kyanite
- Chrysocolla
- Labradorite
- Lapis Lazuli
- Sodalite
- Turquoise
Don’t be daunted by complex crystal placements. Just using one crystal at a time will help you achieve amazing benefits.
9. Healing Foods and Spices
To heal your Throat Chakra using whole, natural foods you will want to focus on blue foods. Additionally adding foods that are warming and soothing to the throat and which contain high levels of vitamin C (Think of having a sore throat) will be very beneficial.
Try adding more of the following foods to your daily intake:
- blueberries
- blackberries
- grapes
- citrus fruits
- elderberry syrup
- raw honey
- raw apple cider vinegar
- Chicken broth or broth-based soups
- coconut water
- turmeric
- cayenne pepper
- black pepper
- rosemary
- sage
- oregano
- thyme
10. Surround Yourself with Hues of Blues
As you are probably sensing the theme here, you may have guessed that adding more shades of blue to your surroundings will be beneficial. And, you guessed right!
Try adding blue, indigo, turquoise, aqua, robin’s egg, and any other rendition of blue that you can think of to your daily life. You can include more blue in your decor at home, in your car, or in your office space. Spruce up your wardrobe by adding more blue pieces. Paint a wall. Get a throw blanket for your bed. Whatever you can think of.
Stare up at the blue sky or the blue ocean more. Try to look for blue everywhere you go.
11. Explore Your Creative Side
Try your hand at creating something. Anything. What have you always wanted to try? Painting? Drawing? Ceramics? Sewing? Dancing? Cooking? Maybe you have always wanted to learn to play an instrument, or sing?
Find a hobby that allows you to use your creative energy. Also, don’t be disappointed if you aren’t amazing at it in the beginning. Just as long as you are creating and exploring, you will get better with practice. It will do your soul good to immerse yourself in something new and creative.
12. Embolden Yourself to Share Your Creations.
That’s right. Put it out there in the world. We are all creative in different ways because that is what the world needs. There is something missing in this world, though. And that thing is whatever you have to offer.
Create it. Perform it. Share it.
The world and the universe are waiting.
This can be as simple as snapping a picture of something that you made or a video of a performance and sharing it with family members. Or, maybe you could post it on Facebook? If you aren’t comfortable sharing it with your entire Facebook audience, find a Facebook group of similar interests and share it on there. You would be amazed at the loving support you can find in online groups.
13. Sing
Even if you aren’t very good at it. Sing. Not only will it help you to open up your throat chakra, but it helps to center yourself as much as chanting and meditating.
It is like breathwork for the soul. Singing literally makes you put your voice out there.
Not comfortable singing around others? Wait until you are in the car by yourself and belt out your favorite songs along with the radio. Or, sing in the shower when you are home alone. Just go for it.
14. Public Speaking
This one is going to be the hardest for most. And, for good reason. Public speaking can be absolutely terrifying for many people. You have everyone staring at you and listening to every word coming out of your mouth.
It doesn’t have to be scary, though. It can be fun and exhilarating if you let it.
Then next time you find yourself in a situation where you may have to speak in front of others don’t shy away from it. Get out there and give it your best shot. Feel the adrenaline getting your heart pumping. Get excited about it. Above all, experience the rush that you get when you have said your piece and the applause start rolling in.
You’ve got this!
Take your time to go through this list and pick a few methods that resonate with you. Not every method with work for each individual, so don’t feel daunted. Do what works best for you.
What other methods have you found to help heal your Throat Chakra? Have any of the methods listed been helpful for you? I would love to hear from you!
Also, be sure check out: