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Monday, December 30, 2013

Vishuddha-Throat Chakra Exercises



Opening the Chakras—The linked website will give you instruction on opening all of your chakras including the Throat. 

Yoga Neck Exercises

Head Raise—Lie flat on your back.  Relax.  Lift your head slowly leaving the shoulders on the floor and look at your toes.  Hold the position until you feel the energy move into your throat.

The following yoga poses are described on the linked websites better than I can, so go there for proper performance.  These are designed for all age groups and physical conditions.


Advanced Yoga Postures for Throat Chakra

The next set of exercises is designed for the more experienced practitioner who is in decent shape.  If you are not in good physical condition do not attempt these poses.  Be sure to observe all of the precautions described on the website.  As with any exercise program you should check with your physician prior to starting the program.  No one should perform exercises that will hurt or injure them. Please see contraindications on the linked site before performing a pose.

Dandasana (Staff Pose)


Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)


Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose)

Non-physical Exercises

Play charades with a friend.  Try to communicate for one hour without making any sounds, only hand gestures, facial expressions, and body movements.  What was the most difficult thing, and did it get any easier after a while?

Vow of Silence—Don’t use your voice for an hour.  By avoiding verbal communication one can open up other means of communication, namely with higher self.  Try extending the time to a couple hours, then by another hour, and shoot for a day.

Voice Recording—Record you voice during a normal conversation.  See how much you say and how much you listen.  Do you interrupt, or falter in speech?  What is your tone of voice?  If you didn’t know this person what would you think about them?

Aromatherapy Oils

Benzoin (Styax benzoin, S. tonkinensis)
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Earl Gray Tea has begamot in it and tastes marvelous
Blue Chamomile (German) (Matricaria chamomilla or M. recutia)
Frankincense (Boswellia thurifera or B. carteri)

Oil diffuser, on a low wattage lamp bulb itself.  In simmering (not boiling) water.

Activities for the Throat

Sing (even off key if you must), in the shower, in the car, when you’re alone, karaoke.   Record your affirmations and play them back to yourself while you sleep.  Chant.  Read Poems.  Just Five minutes of these activities helps.  Start a journal to express your feelings safely.  Quit using addictive drugs, including cigarettes, sugar and coffee.



Light Meditation

Get comfortable.  Take three minutes and study the picture of the Himalayan Blue Poppy.   Absorb the color.  Now lie down or recline in chair or bed, and relax.  Feel that vibrant blue color moving through you eyes to your throat… Feel is mix with the energy of your throat chakra…  Feel that blue color mingle with the motion of the chakra… How does the swirling of this chakra feel…  Is it moving fast enough?  Or is it whirling out of control?...  Ask the higher power to adjust any imbalance of this chakra…  Feel it fall into a natural, comfortable vortex that draws in energy for your use… End of meditation.

The Wisdom Tidbit

When you feel that you are not being heard by someone, imagine that wonderful blue energy filling your throat chakra.  Now speak your carefully chosen words, which may help the other person hear you.  You may also try flooding the other person’s throat chakra with that vibrant blue energy and that may help them hear you better.On the other side of the communication is how we perceive others communication.

This Chakra is about how we communicate, and this is how we interact with other human beings and many animals. It is always a good, helpful activity to learn the power of good communication. It will hold you in good stead regardless of you chosen path. May favorite book on this subject is "The Dance of Connection" by Harriet Lerner Ph. D., but is directed mostly for women. There are many books on communication, and it is one of the best skills you can learn to advance your career, and your connection with your family.  It will help you understand what others are "Really" saying to you, and, in turn, help you convey information to them in a way that helps them understand what you wish to communicate. You will avoid misunderstandings that lead to anger, hurt or other negative emotions.

I hope you enjoy this.

Namaste

I AM Communication
I AM the Listener
I AM that I AM

Vishuddha-Throat Chakra Correspondences



Colors—Blue
Element—Ether (Akasha)
Function—Communication, Creativity
Basic Rights—To speak and to be heard
Demon—Lies
Power—Choice
Strength—Faith, self-knowledge
Shadow—An obsessive need to control relationships and events
Life lessons—Personal expression, active listening, power of choice
Main Issues—Communication and self-expression
Area of body governed—Throat, mouth, nose, neck, teeth
Associated Spinal Area—Superior cervical sympathetic ganglion, 1 cervical spinal ganglion



Nerve Ganglion of the Throat Chakra
Life Issues—To harness your will, express your highest truth & to live creatively
Gland—Thyroid, parathyroid
Physical Ailments—Obesity, difficulty putting on weight, sore throat, trouble hearing, hearing loss, tinnitus
Crystals—Lapis lazuli, turquoise, clelstitie, sodalite, aquamarine, blue lace agate, sapphire
Shape—Inverted pyramid
Plant—Gardenia, HImalayan Blue Poppy
Musical Note—G
Seed Sound—Ham
Ruling Planet—Mercury
Incense/Aromatherapy—Benzoin (styax benzoin. S. tonkinensis), Bergamot (Citris bergamia), German (blue) Chamomile (Matricaria chamomile or M. recutia) Frankincense (Boswellia thrurifera or B. carteri)
Tarot Card—Wheel of Fortune, Judgment, Hierophant
Tree of Life Sephiroth—Binah (understanding)
Hindu Deities—Ganga(river goddess related to purification), Sarasvati
The Goddess Ganga

Other Deities—Hermes, the Muses, Apollo, Grigit, Seshat, Nabu
Astrological—Gemini or some believe Taurus.  I lean towards Gemini as it is ruled by Mercury who is the communicator, and this is what this chakra is all about.
Archangel—Gabriel

Affirmations
  • I AM Truth. My integrity is my word, and my word is my truth.
  • I AM Clear Expression. My integrity is my word, and my word is my truth.
  • I AM Creativity
  • I AM Heard
  • I AM the Listener
  • I AM Compassion; my thoughts and speech are considered before they are spoken.

Aids to Focus on Opening the Throat Chakra

Create a focal point display to help balance this chakra.  Use items that fit with the with the correspondences listed above.  Use blue pieces, and crystals if you have them handy, otherwise pieces of clothing, towels, scarves, pictures, candles all have a place in the display. Whatever reminds you of the areas that we are working on deserve a place in this display.  You may want to use just a little TV tray, night stand or patio table for this.  Make the display in a place that is easily seen while moving through the living space; this will also allow you to stop on the way by, and do a quick visualization exercise.

Now that you have put together the display, it is time to do a quick 5 minute visualization to ask for balance of the chakra.  One of the things I enjoy is using my visualization of the chakra in motion.  Visualize pleasure and joy stemming from this area.  Feel that blue energy and pleasure rise up the sushumna to the crown.  Feel the shiver of pleasure and energy as it passes through the crown and flows over your body in an aura of blue to match the color of the chakra