The throat chakra (Vishuddha) is linked to communication and speaking one’s truth. This fifth energy center connects directly to your thyroid gland and other surrounding organs.
Origin
The throat chakra is associated with speech and communication, but also allows us to express our spiritual selves. Achieving balance within this chakra is crucial in order to communicate feelings effectively with others and speak truth. Blockage may cause a variety of health issues, including hoarseness or sore throats, anxiety and depression, as well as thyroid conditions.
According to yogi Kristin Leal, the throat chakra acts as an intermediary between lower chakras (muladhara, svadhisthana, manipura and anahata) and higher energies such as intuition, or cosmic or spiritual energies. Leal describes it as a gateway between your emotions and mind, as well as basic needs and intuitive connections.
Blocked throat chakras may be caused by several different factors, including chronic stress, fear of rejection, and being judged harshly. These fears often result in people with blocked throat chakras lying to others out of fear that they won’t be taken seriously enough, or judged harshly themselves.
Yoga, meditation and breathing techniques can be effective ways of healing the throat chakra. A mudra known as lion’s breath may help ease throat and chest tension. Another method to activate this area would be by practicing Granthita mudra. This involves interlocking fingers to release energy blockages in this region.
Symptoms
If the throat chakra becomes blocked or out of balance, its symptoms can include physical and emotional discomfort. Because this chakra is linked to communication, any blockages in it could impede your ability to express yourself freely. People suffering from unbalanced throat chakras may find it hard to express their thoughts and emotions clearly when communicating in relationships. They may avoid public speaking altogether because their voice doesn’t matter.
A healthy Throat Chakra is associated with creativity and allows you to speak your truth freely and generate new ideas. Additionally, this chakra serves as the centerpiece for human interaction, so its proper function helps build strong friendships. When blocked however, self-deception and repression often ensue, resulting in depression or isolation for you, as you don’t open up and share emotions with those close to you.
Physical symptoms of an imbalanced Throat Chakra include throat or neck pain, voice changes and difficulty swallowing. You might also experience lumps in your throat or have frequent sore throat symptoms.
Treatment
When your throat chakra is open and balanced, expressing yourself easily becomes effortless. Your words sound pleasant, yet confident without sounding strident. Furthermore, asking others for what you need from them in an assertive yet polite manner often yields positive responses. When this chakra is balanced, you also feel at peace within relationships, such as family or work colleagues.
Blockages to this chakra may occur if you place the needs of others ahead of your own, discounting your own needs to the extent that they go unmet. It may also manifest in difficulty speaking up for oneself, either verbally or written, which in extreme cases could lead to feelings of isolation and decreased self-esteem.
Fortunately, there are numerous treatment options available to unclog and revitalize the throat chakra, and restore its flow of energy. Meditation, chanting and yoga postures that target the neck may all help. Yogis should incorporate poses like Camel (Ustrasana), Plow (Halasana) and Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) into their practice to optimize this chakra’s performance.
Your can boost this chakra by eating foods in hues of blue, purple and red that contain phytochemicals known to improve health in these regions, such as blueberries, broccoli and kale. Marshmallow, slippery elm and thyme can also provide support.
Prevention
Balance of the throat chakra involves being honest and open when communicating with others. Additionally, self-care must also be prioritized to our own needs. Sometimes this can be challenging given that we may have been trained to conform our words and actions to fit in with those around us. This can especially be true if trauma has left its mark. Trama history may including verbal abuse, emotional abuse or childhood experiences that led to silencing our own voices.
As opposed to this, having an overactive or blocked throat chakra (Vishuddha) may manifest in an inability to express yourself clearly or with confidence, leading to difficulty communicating, poor voice quality or hoarseness, as well as other side effects such as earaches, thyroid problems, sore throats, jaw issues or neck pain.
Some ways of keeping the throat chakra healthy include eating healthily and avoiding toxic foods and chemicals, drinking plenty of water and practicing meditation and yoga regularly. Gemstones like turquoise may also help. Lithotherapy, using gemstones like azurite, can improve communication while simultaneously increasing self-confidence, and clearing stagnant energy from your throat chakra.
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