Note: This article is part one of a series focused on chakras in yoga. Below is a summarization of concepts, which I have stickied to each article. If you’re familiar with chakras, or have already read the intro, feel free to jump below the pic to skip straight to the Throat Chakra!
The concept of chakras can be traced back to the early (ca. 1500 BCE) Vedic texts of Hinduism, and there are believed to be over 100 in each of our spiritual energy fields. According to modern yogic philosophy, there are 7 chakras located in our body; they are in ascending order: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. Each chakra is thought to support us physically and energetically as we navigate our lives.
It’s worth mentioning that the location of each chakra in our body corresponds to part of the endocrine system, which is pretty cool when you consider how much time spanned between the conceptualization of chakras and the discovery of glands/organs. The endocrine system is responsible for regulating our hormones via a complex system of messaging and feedback loops, and is comprised of (in corresponding order as above): gonads, pancreas, adrenal glands, thymus, thyroid, pituitary, and pineal.
Chakras are thought to be spinning energy discs within the subtle (metaphysical) body, which overlaps with our physical bodies. Much like our breath can link our minds and bodies, or our endocrine system links our organs and brain, the chakras link our energetic self to our physical self.
When we work on our chakras, we are thought to be manipulating our prana, or life force energy. Often times, chakras are said to be “blocked;” when we talk about opening our chakras, we are aiming to allow unrestricted flow of prana within our subtle body, in other words, “aligning our chakras.”
Chakras can be worked on in a number of ways, including meditation, mantra, diet, reiki, and of course yoga! Other modalities for chakra work include tapping, aromatherapy, and color therapy. I will do my best in this series to touch on as many of these approaches as possible for each chakra.
Chakra meditation is really very beginner friendly once you know the basics, and can be a really fun way to add mind-body work to a busy routine. It doesn’t need to be complicated!
Color therapy: blue evolvus from my back yard
Throat Chakra
- Sanskrit: vishuddhi
- Bija mantra (“seed sound”): Ham
- Color: blue
- Essential oils: eucalyptus; pine; cedarwood
- Symbol: sixteen-petaled lotus
- Element: air
- Endocrine analogue: thyroid
- Pranayama: Lion’s breath
- Mudra: Granthita mudra
Located at the center of the throat within the chakra column, vishuddhi (throat) chakra, regulates our communication, creativity, and authenticity. Much like the fourth chakra, the fifth chakra is thought of as the bridge betwixt the more intellect or spirit-oriented chakras above and the lower chakras, which govern more basic, physical needs.
When the throat chakra is blocked, communication becomes erratic; some may speak out of turn too often or find themselves talking excessively, while others may find it difficult to speak even when they feel that they should. A propensity for dishonesty is also an indicator that vishuddha needs attention. The throat chakra is also associated with the execution of our creatitivity; as such we may feel a lack of purpose or calling when the throat chakra is blocked.
Opening the vishuddhi chakra promotes the full expression of one’s authentic self and inner truth; both verbal and non-verbal communication is affected by the throat chakra, and as such, balancing this chakra will allow one to express their creativity fully, taking ideas from conception to reality. This can be
accomplished in many ways, including breathwork, mudra, mantra, asana and meditation. As usual, I recommend whatever combination speaks to you personally. There are no wrong answers when you listen to your own instincts!
Asana for vishuddhi opens up the throat space, allowing energy to freely flow in and out. Here is a simple series of poses to balance the fourth chakra: seated neck rolls, cat/cow, up dog, bridge, fish pose. Remember to be authentic to yourself and honor your body when considering your range of motion and supporting with props, please. : )
To set up a throat chakra meditation, select any essentials oils and color therapy that speak to you. Color therapy includes all shades of blue, whether you prefer to don the color, sit under a clear sky, or gather a collection of blue items from nature. The vishuddhi chakra element is space, so clearing out a
little extra room for yourself may prove beneficial. Choosing a mudra, such as granthita, is also an option.
If you’d like to incorporate aromatherapy, you can try eucalyptus oil in a carrier, or scoop up one of my exfoliating lotion bars for chakra activation!
The bija mantra or “seed sound” for this chakra is “Ham” (pronounced “hum”), but any mantra that resonates with you is perfect. Here are some common mantras:
-I speak my truth freely
-I know when to speak and when to remain silent
-I use my voice with compassion
To meditate in your home for throat chakra balance, find a pleasantly open space. Gather your sensory elements, mantra, and mudra as desired, using the bulleted list at the top of this article for reference. If you’d like to bring in aromatherapy, you can try one of my chakra-themed lotion bars for a little self-care boost! Begin your lion’s breath, practicing 3-5+ rounds before settling into whatever breathing technique is comfortable for a visualization practice.
As you take your next pranayama(which can be as simple as easy breath), visualize blue energy moving through the throat space, where your fifth chakra resides. Choose to chant the bija mantra or another mantra/affirmation, stimulating the chakra with sound. If using a mudra, visualize the energy entering and exiting with the aid of your fingertips. Remain in your pranayama as long as you like, closing your practice with an OHM, a sweep of the arms into anjali mudra, or a nice savasana.
So, to recap, our throat chakra is associated with our communication; when it’s off balance in some way, we can feel muted, stunted, or as if we are unable to properly express ourselves. Spending some time working with your throat chakra can help you feel confident, in touch with our outer and inner worlds, and connected to our creativity.
An aside for my skeptical hearts: if you’ve never done this kind of work, you may be thinking “I don’t think that there’s a spinning disco puck in my throat, dictating the quality of my connection to the physical realm, that needs to be fed eucalyptus oil or it’ll give me anxiety.” To which I say, “Completely fair.”
But what if I told you that the throat chakra is an idea; the idea of a fully expressed creative mind, and that all of this asana and meditation is a ritual to tell our senses and nervous system “you are capable of changing the world with your words”? In this sense, balancing the throat chakra is simply self-care for your ability to communicate effectively, both internally and externally.
In fact, I view the entire chakra column as a choose your own adventure of mind-body work that can be utilized at any time to bring your awareness and focus to a specific idea or emotion. Conditioning your nervous system to relax through breathwork while centering your awareness on something you would like to improve in your life can be a powerful exercise for skeptics and practitioners alike.
Does anyone have any favorite affirmations or poses for the fifth chakra? Let me know in the comments!
Love and light,
Erin