A Journey into the Energy Centers of the Human Body - The Fifth Chakra - The Throat Chakra
The throat chakra is about opening the voice, speaking your truth, and freeing your creativity. The essence of this chakra is to find resonance and harmony with all that is vibrating around you. To open the fifth chakra is to commune , a word which forms the root of communication, and literally means to be one with. To commune with self and spirit is to take yet another step toward the realization of unity in all things.This chakra is associated with the color blue. Blue is the symbol of inspiration, devotion, infinity and religious goals. It produces calm and peace. The throat chakra is the focusing point of the spoken word, and the expression of feelings by way of communication.
The fifth chakra sits right above the hollow at the base of the neck, where it processes communication from the spirit and the body, and transmits it to the world. This chakra is connected to the neck, shoulders, mouth, and jaw and is associated with the thyroid and parathyroid glands. This area of the physical body holds the communication center, and the gateway to inner and outer worlds.
Healing of this chakra aids sore throats, flu, high blood pressure, the thyroid gland (which will affect the metabolism) anger, frustration and problems with expressing one's truth. The healthfulness of the fifth chakra is in relation to how honestly one expresses him or herself. Sound, vibration, rhythm, music, singing, chanting, and communication, these are all aspects of the fifth chakra.
All choices we make in our lives have consequences on an energetic level. Even choosing not to make a choice such as in repressing our anger (not speaking out) may manifest into laryngitis. We have all experienced that "lump in our throats" when we are at a crossroad of not knowing how to speak the right words in any given situation, perhaps even stuffing our own emotions.
The negative archetype of the throat chakra is the “silent child.” This archetype holds onto its feelings and does not reveal its hurt, pain or anger openly. The silent child stays closed in order not to reveal its intense pain and sorrow, or its abuse. It learns to feel safe in silence or jokingly hiding its true feelings. This archetype may dampen its feelings with drugs, tobacco, alcohol or food. The silent child will have to struggle to make itself heard and to feel that what it says counts.
The healthy archetype of the throat chakra is the “communicator.” This archetype includes anyone whose job or personal well-being is dependant on clear and direct communication, including artists, musicians, and dancers. It takes responsibility for what is says and how it says it. It speaks both its mind and its heart.
When the throat chakra is open and balanced, with a strong flow of chi, you will find it easy to express yourself, and your speech will be clear and smooth. You will have a resonant, full voice and experience clear communication with others. You are able to accept things as they are, and organize ways of working with situations. You have the power to make changes, and you are able to take responsibility for your personal needs.
When this chakra is weak or blocked, not only do you find it difficult speaking or getting the right words out, but you also feel an unwillingness to change. You have an inability to accept things, and an inability to work with situations. You may have excessive egotism and prejudices. You tend to see the world as a hostile place, and expect hostility, violence, and humiliation rather than love and nourishment
If this chakra is overactive you are always trying to take control of things. Too often we have a fear of communicating our true inner thoughts and feelings, or have difficulty in expressing ourselves, which is often seen as excessive shyness. Having difficulty being silent or finding that you may talk too much and are not listening are disorders of the throat chakra.
When there is an insufficient flow of love or emotional nourishment to the heart chakra, the person may try to compensate by desire for physical nourishment through the throat chakra. Problems with gluttony or compulsive eating would then result. When there is also a negative functioning in the base-of-the-neck chakra (negative self-image) the result could be bulimia and/or anorexia.
When our fifth chakra is unclear we often have hearing problems, throat and/or voice problems, coughing, stuttering, poor metabolism, thyroid gland problems and the flu. We feel unfulfilled creatively and may be bored and boring. We may have problems speaking too loud or fear of speaking out. Our relationships may suffer from poor communication and a lack of intimacy. We feel uninspired and disconnected from our spiritual guidance.
When this chakra is clear we have good communication, expression, creativity, inspiration, and positive interactions with others. Our metabolism is healthy, our cholesterol levels are good, we have vital energy and we feel strong physically and psychologically. We are inspired to express our higher self and have a life enriched by creative expression and entertainment. Our relationships are based on truthful communication and true intimacy.
Take some time to make a plan for how you want to work on this chakra. What are your strengths in this chakra? What are your weaknesses? What are your goals?
Remember that a healthy throat chakra cannot sustain lies, coercion, or manipulation . With a healed and healthy throat chakra, one's words are kind, thoughtful, clear, and truthful. The voice is strong and alive with many tones of expression. There is ease with writing, speaking, and sharing thoughts with others. Through healthy communication you can connect, expand, and unite with others, creating your world as you do so.Suggested Meditation
Make yourself comfortable in a place where you will not be disturbed during your meditation.
Wear comfortable clothes. Place your feet flat on the floor and do not cross your legs or arms.
You may want to play some soothing music to help you relax during your meditation (many metaphysical stores have various selections of chakra music).
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
Take twenty deep breaths while visualizing above your head a bright white light that goes from the top of your head and runs down through your spine, down through your tail bone and out of your tail bone into the earth beneath you.
Imagine the light traveling down; down through the earth until it reaches the center where the white light becomes the fire at the center and becomes an anchor, anchoring you to Mother Earth keeping you grounded, safe, and and secure within yourself.
From this anchor visualize the color blue, as a glowing blue ball of light from your chin to the top of your sternum.
Check the shading of this color blue; check the emotions and feelings that you may be experiencing.
Stay with this visualization for five minutes. Afterwards write down what you experienced during this fifth chakra meditation and on all the chakra meditations that you will be experiencing in the coming months.
An important part of this exercise is to write down or journal your findings. Your journal doesn't have to be formal – it doesn't even have to be written in complete sentences! All it is, is a place for you to express what you are feeling. These meditations can strengthen each chakra center by visualizing its vibratory color. Write down your impressions leaving out nothing you observed and/or felt. You will find that as you write that you are exploring who you are, what you are going through, and how you are dealing with it.
In addition to this meditation, Tuesday is the day of Mars and Planetary Hours are the “timing” of when a ritual should be performed for maximizing the effects and results of your intention.
If you would like to conduct a ritual for health and assist clearing your fifth chakra,
Zeffi recommends that on Tuesdays from sunrise to sunset only a vegetarian diet be consumed.
Or in place of that choice you may choose simply to consume green tea and water (a day fast) for the same length of time.