Standing in Your Truth with the 5th/Throat Chakra
By Carol Grimes
Standing up and speaking the truth is never easy, and the reasons why we might have difficulty expressing ourselves are varied and complex and can include:
How you learned to communicate through your family of origin
How you learned or were taught to process or express/repress your emotions
Traumas in childhood or adulthood, including abuse or neglect
Being born into a culture or at a time in history that doesn’t value, or actively works to repress your voice (including race, religion, gender, sexual identity, etc.)
Carrying the DNA of your ancestry and generations before you who weren’t allowed to express themselves
Past life traumas including being ostracized, harmed, or killed in a past life for speaking your truth
Current lifetime fears including fear of being ostracized, fear of not receiving opportunities or work, fear of being harmed or killed, fear of rejection or abandonment, fear of being hated, etc.
According to the Chakra system (the 7 major energy centers in your body), the energy center you should focus on to help you express yourself and stand strong in your truth is the 5th Chakra or Throat Chakra, place of communication, truth, and expression.
In Sanskrit, the throat chakra is Vishuddha, which means purification. Physically it is located around neck and shoulders, in the throat and thyroid, as well as mouth and jaw.
When this chakra is blocked we are unable to express ourselves, or our voice might feel stuck or silent. Alternatively, we can talk too much or express ourselves aggressively. We might feel misunderstood, lonely or doubt ourselves. Pain, stiffness, or soreness of the throat or neck, or jaw tightness is another sign.
When this chakra is awake and balanced, communication and expression will flow freely. You will experience clarity in thought and action. You'll speak more thoughtfully, and listen more fully. Your emotions will feel like they have enough spaciousness to exist without fear. You will also feel empowered to stand up for what you believe in, and speak up for what’s right no matter how difficult. You will know the truth of your conviction.
Let’s explore some ways to awaken and balance the 5th Chakra, so as to more easily express ourselves and stand strong in our truth:
The Color Blue
Since the color of the 5th Chakra is blue, you can awaken and strengthen it by surrounding yourself with the color blue, wearing blue clothing, scarves or jewelry, painting walls blue, or buying blue furniture or decorations.
Cultivating Spaciousness
The element of the 5th Chakra is ether, or space. Take some deep breaths in between thoughts to cultivate spaciousness of the mind. Starfish pose (lying down with arms and legs in a wide V) will encourage spaciousness throughout the body, and the mind will follow suit. Create more space in your day by slowing down and not filling up your time with so much busyness. When you strengthen the element of space within your body/mind, your emotions will feel like they have enough spaciousness to exist without fear.
Therapeutic Movement for Neck, Shoulders and Jaw
Gentle neck rolls, shoulder rolls, and jaw massage can help to relax and soften the 5th Chakra. No need to overstretch or force any kind of opening. In fact, the gentler the better. What you want is to feel a true release and natural opening of the physical space of the 5th chakra. Gentle/therapeutic movement or massage is best.
Chanting or Singing
If you enjoy singing, make a habit of singing in the car or shower or during chores. Chanting is even more accessible, as it is repetitive and doesn’t require a wide range of vocals. No need to get fancy, humming works just as well. Basically anything that helps to awaken vibrational frequencies around neck and throat will do the job to help strengthen and balance this chakra.
Pranayama
Lion’s Breath is the most commonly used breathing technique for the 5th Chakra. Take a deep inhale through the nose, open your mouth wide, and exhale by sticking out your tongue as far as you can, expelling all the air out of your lungs and throat. Look down with eyes towards tip of nose. Do this three times.
Listening Meditation
You can help to balance the 5th Chakra by strengthening your ability to be a good listener. Start your meditation by listening for sounds within, such as your breath and your heartbeat. Then listen for sounds inside your house or building, such as voices or appliances humming. Next stretch your ears to listen for sounds outside (an open window helps). Gently rest your mind on a sound, and follow it until the end of its duration. For example, if an airplane is flying overhead, continue to train your ears to listen to the drone until it fades into nothingness, then listen to the silence and space left behind. Find another sound such as a bird calling, the wind blowing, or a dog barking, and repeat.
Aligning with Other Chakras
If you are working to awaken, strengthen, or balance the 5th Chakra, likely you will also need to focus on one or more other chakras. For example, if you suspect your communication style is rooted in trauma, please focus on strengthening the 1st or Root Chakra. If your emotions feel overwhelming or out of control, you may want to spend time balancing the 2nd or Sacral Chakra. If you know you tend to communicate your truth too harshly or aggressively, it would be wise to focus on cultivating more kindness and compassion through the 4th or Heart Chakra.
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