What I’m Teaching…The Throat Chakra

The next chakra we covered was Vishudda, or the throat chakra. From sanskrit, visha means poison or impure, and shudda means clean, clear. This chakra is all about ridding the body of impurities. It’s located at the throat, jaw, neck, and mouth. Communication, creativity, and self- expression are all associated with this chakra. It is responsible for controlling the thyroid, hormones, breath, and voice.

Vishudda is represented by the color blue and is a space/sound element. Frankincense, sage, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils are commonly used to help open up and cleanse the throat chakra. When selecting a crystal, I chose the lovely sodalite to help encourage self-trust, self-expression, being true to our authentic selves, and to help release stress. Poses included in practice helped open up the throat and neck, allowing for release and better communication. We started with bee’s breath and included several neck stretches, cobra, and camel.

With a balanced throat chakra, you’ll notice ease in speaking openly and being true to your authentic self. With an overactive throat chakra, you may notice arrogance or dominance in conversations. Having an underactive throat chakra can lead to hidden opinions or being unreliable in communication. Practicing nonviolent communication (being respectful and compassionate) or the sacred pause (listening, pausing, and taking in the message before speaking) can both help to balance the throat chakra.