Do you ever feel like you’re not able to really express what’s on your mind, no matter how hard you try? Maybe you’ve started to realize you’re driving people away with harsh interactions? If so, your throat chakra might be off balance.
“Wait a minute, my what?”
That’s fair. Let’s backtrack a little bit.
To keep it simple, chakras are the spiritual energies that fuel each essential aspect of our lives. There are seven main chakras: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. Placed along the spine, they each play a pivotal role in everyday life.
The Throat Chakra
The root is focused on survival, the sacral deals with creativity, emotion & sexuality. The heart is occupied with love, and, as you hopefully guessed by now, the throat is the energy that fuels communication & expression.
It’s set between the third & fifth neck vertebrae, with the base of the neck serving as the center, and it provides support to the thyroid & parathyroid glands.
Moving away from the anatomy aspect, it’s associated with the color blue (all chakras are associated with a certain color), and the symbol includes 16 flower petals (all chakras also have symbols with petals).
When this chakra is properly cared for, onewill notice their ability to bring good energy towards themselves with their words, as well as an ability to send that energy to others in the same way,
Your truest, best self will flow from you in daily conversation, and you’ll know exactly when & how something needs to be said, along with knowing when silence is the best option.
When the chakra is blocked, unfortunately, so is your tongue. You might have a whirlwind going on in your mind, with a world of thoughts waiting to be let loose, but still end up as a fly on the wall, even in one on one discussions.
Let it get over activated, though, and you’ll end up worse than if you said nothing at all. Your casual chats can quickly become debates, and average interactions might blow up into friendship & relationship-ending events.
After considering these details, you’ll be ready to consider the exact connection between the development of this chakra & the pursuit of self-improvement.
Personal Growth Through Focus on the Throat Chakra
The first step in the effort of becoming your best self & getting what you want out of life is communicating what that looks like.
If you can’t look yourself in the mirror and explain how you’ll improve as a person in the future, you likely don’t know what needs to be done. If you can’t put your goals into words in private, are you sure about what they are?
In this sense, expression is a necessity. As a little-known poet from Chicago once said, “Just say it out loud to see how it feels.” When you hear yourself utter something, and realize others could hear you say it as well, you’re that much more driven to consider the words’ content.
This is where development of the throat chakra comes in. When we take time to focus on how we bring our thoughts into the world, along with considering what those ideas are, we’re that much ready to understand the path ahead.
As we set off on that path, communication will remain as crucial, if not more so. The primary way we learn is from interactions with our fellow humans, and when we work on connecting with them on a deeper level in that way, the potential of what we can pick up becomes endless.
Then there’s the more apparent benefit, being that good communicators can work & charm their way to positions of power and influence with astonishing quickness. Unless you’re a less than savory character, expressing your true self is a surefire way to get people on your side.
If you need an example of this, look no further than Bay Area hip hop legend Lil B. He spent years being considered a joke due to his persona & the perceived quality of his musical output.
As he kept at it, though, people began to notice that whatever he was doing, he was doing it as well as he could, and in turn opening himself up to the world as much as humanly possible.
This earned him the respect of his community, and the country in turn. He could only be Lil B, and now that’s all people ever want him to be.
Music legends of all stripes regard him as a legend in his own right for his approach to marketing & fan interaction. In other words, communication. What we’re saying is, if he can change his life by speaking out his truth, so can you.
Activation & Balance of the Throat Chakra
Armed with your new (or refreshed) knowledge of this vital chakra’s part in our growth, you’re that much more ready to learn how to activate it & keep everything moderated in the process.
If you’re an artist looking for a way to improve your communication abilities, you’re in luck! Whether you’re a singer, a standup comic, or even a painter, practicing any sort of creative endeavor can help open things up.
Most sources also agree that keeping a journal of your daily thoughts is a surefire way to keep the chakra balanced. This goes along with what we were saying earlier: communicating with yourself is a great way to become a strong communicator.
You can also try surrounding yourself with blue, the throat chakra’s color. Blue gemstones, blue clothing, blue house decorations, listening to Blue (Da Ba Dee) by Eiffel 65 (kidding), all are effective options.
Yoga is also considered to be an effective method. Positions such as the plow, camel pose, shoulder stand & bridge pose are considered the most effective for stimulating the parts of the body connected to the chakra.
Some good food never hurt anyone, either. Any fruits & vegetables that have high water content (perhaps some blueberries or blue grapes) will do the trick, along with juices & herbal teas. We also recommend honey for extra throat-soothing power.
Fittingly enough, chants are also a great way to bring down blockages. A simple, elongated chant of “hum” should have you nice & centered in no time. Other sources also suggest “ham”, but we think you’ll be fine either way.
