Chakra Series: Throat Chakra

“In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.”

Sound is the basic pattern, which brought the world into being. The Hindus believe that all is a matter of sound. Our own sound vibrations or thoughts create the shape of things around us. The fifth chakra, a mental organ, is divinely in-spired to express itself through creative communication. Its element is sound and its “Life Lesson” is to speak the truth.

This chakra is the seat of the souls voice. Energy comes from the soul via the higher self and is converted into thought by the throat. The throat is the fulcrum of the will, a balance of my will and God’s Will or thy will. Problems arise if the personality challenges the souls instructions. Your soul guides your personality to go in a certain direction, but maybe YOU don’t want to go that route. This impulse creates a block in energy leading to problems in the throat area. Dysfunctions within the alimentary canal, including eating disorders can be related to the throat chakra in addition to the center nearest the problem. Control issues – “my will versus thy will” – are often the cause. Are you swallowing your truth? Are you living according to the voice of your soul?

Vishuddha, the Sanskrit name for the throat chakra meaning “Purification,” cleanses and energizes the body through the breath. Breath is life. Nearly all words meaning soul, spirit, life, etc., can trace their origins to words meaning breath or wind. Yogis say that by altering the way we breathe we can alter our consciousness Ancient man thought that without breath there was no soul. When you sneezed it was thought your spirit was forcefully ejected from your body, hence the retort “God Bless You,” to protect from possession of evil spirits. To be in-spired is to take in-spiritus or the breath of God, breathing wisdom into your words. This poem by Kabir reveals the divinity of the breath:

Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
You will not find me in the stupas, not in Indian shrines rooms, nor in synagogues, nor in cathedrals; not in masses, nor kirtans, not in legs winding around your own neck, nor in eating nothing but vegetables.
When you really look for me, you will see me instantly - - you will find me in the tiniest house of time.
Kabir says: Student, tell me what is God?
He is the breath inside the breath.

The throat chakra has many more dimensions, but for now concentrate on opening it to sound and breath. Use these exercises to help you balance the throat chakra:

• Pursue some form of creative expression such as dance, art, writing, pottery, singing, etc.
• Choose to speak your truth, speak up rather than bury your feelings. If it makes you feel better before speaking your truth, you can always say to people that you are practicing “speaking your truth” this week.
• Blue is associated with this chakra. Use blue scarves or blue jewelry around the throat or eat blue foods such as blueberries, etc., to enhance the blue ray vibration.
• Set your watch to alarm every hour and take a deep breath in every time it alarms.
• Try the yoga practice of pranayama – breathing – make a habit of waking each morning and taking some deep breaths before getting out of bed. Better still take up yoga and make sure breathing practice is part of the curriculum.
• Meditate, connect with your soul, ask your soul to join you on your journey through life and make an intention to follow your souls instructions.
• Find the sound of your soul, and the sound of your healed body. Close your eyes, connect with your throat chakra and ask what these sounds are. Just as you would chant “OM” chant the sound of your soul and the sound of your healed body on a daily basis.
• When you drive along in the car chant a powerful sacred phrase, maybe purchase a CD to help with this. Something like “Om Namah Shivaya,” or “We all come from the Goddess.” Open your throat. No one listens to you in the car so you can sing your heart out.

Enjoy the coming month