Vishuddha-Throat Chakra Introduction

What & Where

Vishuddha—means purification.  The laryngeal chakra is the 5th, and covers the area of the neck and shoulders and includes the external and internal throat, teeth and jaw.  The glandular association is the thyroid and parathyroid.

Main Function

After coming to terms with ourselves and how we relate to others, which is the purview of the lower chakras, we come to the realm of Vishuddha.  This is where we are ready to give something back to the world in terms of creativity.  It is important to support our children’s creativity and practice effective means of communication in order to help the child achieve good self-esteem and communication skills. 

The chakra relates to verbal expression of oneself through careful, responsible selection of the words we use.  This isn't about idle chit-chat although this does have a place in communication.  Balancing this chakra requires a deep commitment to the truth, as well as living from integrity.  When balanced you are filled with strength and the energy path is cleared to the upper spiritual chakras.  Developing the Throat Chakra leads to the expression of oneself by choosing words that are value added to communications.  

This chakra is also directly related to hearing/listening.  It is the active listening that one associates with a good communicator.  The person with a balanced throat chakra will listen to what is being said with their full attention.  They will not be trying to formulate their response while others are talking.  The response will be based on thoughtful, responsible selection of word, and the response will be pertinent to the issue at hand.

This chakra, when balanced, allows us to communicate our truth to other people, and in turn allowing others to communicate their truth to us and know that we heard their words.  Other qualities of this chakra are creativity, willpower, truth and communication.  When the chakra is open and balance the life force moves toward creativity and self-expression.

The archetypes associated of this chakra are the Communicator and the Masked Self or Silent Child.  The Communicator has worked on the lower chakras and balanced them.  They are effective listeners and “hear” what others say.  They know that if others do not “hear” them it is because the other person has not effectively opened their throat chakra, and the failure is not a reflection of their ability to communicate.  The Masked Self is the class clown, always working on getting the laughs, and taking an unrealistically positive view of things.  In reality they are attempting to hide the tragedy of the feeling that no one loves them or will listen to them.  The Silent Child is also an archetype of this chakra.  The silent child has not been allowed to communicate their feelings effectively, and therefore suppress emotions and communication.

The balanced Throat Chakra nurtures a belief in the sanctity of personal expression.  This chakra becomes functional when we commit to expressing our truth to the best of our ability.  An essential practice is that we make what we say matter; we need not suppress needed communication even if it is hurtful.  Conversely there is no need to speak words that are shallow and hurtful, when they serve no useful purpose.  It is balanced communication that heals this chakra. 

If we grew up or are growing up in a family that put down what we said, then speaking up for ourselves is important to us.  Communicating from the depth of our integrity gives us credibility and constancy and defines mature adults who can be trusted and mean what they say.

Mantras and the Chakras

The fifth chakra is about sound and its impact on humans, whether we are making or hearing these sounds. 

“The essence of all beings is earth, the essence of earth is water, the essence of water is plants, the essence of plants is man, the essence of man is speech, the essence of speech is the Holy Knowledge, the essence of Holy Knowledge is Sama-Veda (word, tome, sound), the essence of Sama-Veda is OM” –Changogya Upanishad

This verse from the Upanishad gives a good reason why sounds are so important to people.  Have you ever noticed how different music can affect your mood?  This is because the basic rhythms are uplifting, mournful, relaxing, or aggravating spinning off many different emotions.  They affect the very core of your being, and can change your mood; it also has similar effect on our spiritual being.  This is why mantras and affirmations have such positive affects on us.  The following linked websites have some information on mantras and affirmations.

Did you wonder why music affects my mood?  We live in a vibrational universe.  Matter is made up of various groupings and combinations of atoms with their orbiting electrons and protons, all of which oscillate about each other in a positive-negative vibratory movement, maintaining a fixed magnetic spacing from each other.  When music plays, it will impact our current bodily vibrations.  If the music is happy and energetic so are we; if it is slow and relaxed we are also; if it is hectic, sad, morose these moods transfer also. That is why dirges at funerals processions to the cemetery are played, and why it is followed by the upbeat jazz celebration music. On is the morose music suitable for interment of the body, but this is not a good place to leave a person, thus, the jazz celebration leaving the cemetery which is a much better spot to leave ones vibrations.

Another school of thought says that our bodies contain lots of water, and vibration travels better through water than through air.  The music is not only heard, but it sets up a vibration in the body that can affect the mood. 

In either event music does affect breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and many other autonomic processes of the body.  The vibrations impact our mood regardless of the mechanism.  I think that both of these schools of thought have legitimate stances, and I expect they are both in operation when we listen to the music.

This sound vibration is what also makes the mantras mind altering.  We set up a vibration that affects the aspects of body, mind and spirit.  I think that vibration is what melds all of our aspects together, and why they affect each other. See the article here.

Bodily Functions

The related body parts are throat, ears, nose, teeth, mouth, larynx and neck.  The glandular association is the thyroid and parathyroid.  Related health issues are soar throat, laryngitis, TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome), cervical spine problems, bruxism-teeth grinding, slow or too fast metabolism, over-weight.

Over Active Throat Chakra

Talk too much, dogmatic, arrogant, loud speaking voice, obnoxious communication patterns.

Under active

Unable to communicate effectively, difficulty speaking, fear of speaking ones mind, wishy-washy on their view, unreliable.

Balanced

Effective communication, good listener, reliable, can meditate easily, artistically inspired as related to art forms with the voice, able to express oneself.

Activities to Balance the Throat Chakra

Answer these questions:

• How willingly do you share your truth with others? 
• How willing are you to listen to other people's truths? 
• Do you say what you feel? 
• Do you know that it is important to have personal integrity? 
• Do you do what you say you will do? 
• Do you honor “your” truth? 
• Do you listen to yourself and “know” what your truth is? 
• Where do you channel your creativity?
• What creative activity do you enjoy?

Create your own Litany of I AM.

Symbol

The symbol is a Lotus with 16 petals, containing a downward pointing triangle, with the full-moon circle with in the triangle.  The petals have the Sanskrit letters that represent the vowel sounds.  The elephant is the animal symbol used here.