The Throat Chakra: Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Your Fifth Chakra

Our emotions reside physically in our bodies. On a subtle level, our bodies communicate with the energies around us, and certain energetic impulses usually relate directly to a certain part of the body and chakra that’s weakened or imbalanced.

Each chakra represents a spiritual life lesson or challenge to help us gain a more in-depth understanding of our personal and spiritual power. This, in turn, helps us learn how to overcome obstacles, let go of emotional blockages, and walk the path towards spiritual consciousness.
 

“Can we speak in flowers? It will be easier for me to understand.” -Nayyirah Waheed

 
This article explains the Throat Chakra (the fifth chakra) in-depth by exploring its emotional and mental connection to the physical world.
 
The Throat Chakra is connected to the way you express your life with utmost authenticity. It is about communicating your thoughts, feelings, and intentions clearly and accurately. The throat chakra, also known as the Vishuddha, is the place where we work on expanding our voice and the power of will.
 
The sacred truth of the Vishuddha is that every choice we make – every thought, every word, and every action is an act of power that has consequences on a biological, environmental, social, personal, and global scale.
 
For example: If you choose to stay at home all day watching television and moan about it, you are vocalizing that you are unhappy with your choice but don’t have the willpower to make changes.
 
In short, your thoughts become things, and this potential of creation stems from the power of the Throat Chakra.
 

Here are the main characteristics of the Throat Chakra:

The energy of the Throat Chakra is having an awareness of your personal power, and knowing that no one outside of yourself has power over you and the choices you make. However, this personal power of choice (often referred to as free will) is limited to the human experience.
 
Often we are left wondering if another force greater than us has power over us, and we ask why is this happening? and what is my purpose? This is where the Vishuddha begins to connect with the Third Eye chakra, which we will discuss in the next article.
 
The Vishuddha begins to understand the power of faith, having faith in ourselves and a higher existence, and knowing although we do have the power to make our own choices, we are also guided by an existential force that opens doors and gateways.
 
Free will dictates that it is up to us which door we choose to walk through. This is the power of creation itself – energy changes into matter as a result of throat chakra actions such as thinking, speaking, and visualizing.
 

The Throat Chakra Heals and Empowers

In connection with the energy of the Heart Chakra, the Vishuddha expresses love in things that you do – as well as do not – say. Sometimes withholding judgment and negative opinions of yourself or another person is one of the greatest acts of love.
 

The Throat Chakra Forgives

Symbolically, the Throat Chakra resonates with confession and forgiveness. The act of confessing a mistake and saying out loud, “I forgive you” is often an extremely liberating and healing process. Forgiveness allows any guilt or hurt to be eliminated via the Root Chakra, and thus enables the individual to openly express, give, and receive love.
 

The Throat Chakra is Your Voice

This is the place from where we speak, sing, recite poetry or say loving gestures. Conversely, we can use our voice to project hurt, criticism or slander.
 
Therefore when the throat chakra is in harmony, we affirm life in the way we speak and express ourselves – we communicate love and we vocalize an appreciation for global matters beyond the fixation of selfish desires.
 

What the Throat Chakra Teaches Us

The throat chakra resonates with emotional and mental struggles and having the willpower to vocalize what you desire in your life. Because choice – or the lack of it – is involved in every detail of our life, it can also be traced back to nearly all illnesses.
 

The Power of the Throat Chakra

We forget we do have a choice to say we want change, or admit that we are unhappy, and so we suffer in silence in the name of making others happy. Perhaps because we feel obligated to appear good and dutiful? Or perhaps because we feel we have no choice (or voice) at all? But actually, we do!
 

Signs of Imbalance in the Throat Chakra

The primary fear of the Throat Chakra is feeling as though we have no authority or power of choice within our lives. Many of us are made to believe we are not leaders of our own destinies and that we must succumb to societal pressures of what we “should and shouldn’t do.” This way of thinking leads to restricting and oppressive thought patterns, which ultimately result in Throat Chakra blockages.
 
Those who suffer with an imbalanced Vishuddha struggle with dis-ease of the throat or respiratory system such as laryngitis, tonsillitis or the common cold because they are not voicing their authentic self. A deficiency of this energy can make a person become timid, afraid to speak up, and insecure about communicating their wants and needs.
 
An overactive Vishuddha can bring about a dogmatic persona, arrogance, a gossiping nature, excessive talking and/or complaining, self-righteousness and even an inability to listen to others (listening is also an act of communication).
 
 

How to Heal Your Throat Chakra

Pray, talk to nature, sing like nobody is listening, meditate and commune with the divine. Say “No” if something does not resonate with you. Do not be afraid to vocalize what you want, what you believe in, or who you are.
 
Yoga Poses for the Throat Chakra: Bow Pose, Sitting Forward Bend, and Lion Pose
Crystals to Balance the Throat Chakra: Blue Topaz, Turquoise, Chrysocolla
Aromatherapy for the Throat Chakra: Lavender, Chamomile, Rosemary
 
From a psychological perspective of the Vishuddha, we begin to face our truth and see beyond maya (illusion), we vocalize our authentic self and are no longer lying to ourselves. We remain clear and direct in speaking our personal truth when we say “I am not happy” or “This is who I am!”
 
When we activate the Throat Chakra, we drop the façade of social conditioning and we awaken to our true human potential. Are you ready to speak out for what you truly believe?
 

You May Also Enjoy

Heart Chakra: Here's Everything You Need to Know About Your Fourth Chakra
The heart chakra is the central powerhouse of the subtle body. It's the center of love and compassion, and directly affects your relationship with others.
Read »