Part 1 of the Throat Chakra guide can be found here.
The throat chakra is all about the expression of our truths. It is closely tied to the challenges of many other chakras. Often, if those chakras are imbalanced, the symptoms can be seen in the fifth. In the first chakra, we faced fear for our survival. We instinctively freeze and keep as quiet as possible, which necessitates closing up our throat. A fearful person will be afraid to speak their truth. Similarly, we avoid risking exposure due to guilt and shame in the second and third chakras. Instead of opening up, we swallow our words and hide away our perceived flaws to prevent humiliation. A person without self-confidence will be afraid of what others think and give up their authenticity. Their natural vibrations and energy cannot be released and get turned into stress and inner criticism that create cycles of self-sabotage. It is easier to block expression (what comes out) than reception (what comes in). In the heart chakra, we run into challenges to self-acceptance, without which we can be inclined to seek someone else’s affirmations. A person without self-worth will only express what people want to hear.
Lies are the main challenge of the fifth chakra. All lies, whether expressed ourselves or received from others, are damaging to the identity, the heart, to our relationship with ourselves and/or with others. They damage the overall experience of living an authentic life.
Excessive throat chakras manifest in using communication as a way of releasing energy and exerting power. Common examples of this include compulsively controlling a conversation or talking endlessly in detail about anything except the actual issues.
In contrast, those with deficient throat chakras often find it difficult to say anything or even remember to communicate at all. There may be a disconnect between strong internal communication and actually translating it to external expression. They may be strong communicators in matters that are not close to the heart, such as for work, but struggle with having deep, emotional conversations. In this way, it is possible to have both excess and deficiency in the fifth chakra, depending on the situation.
Balancing the Throat Chakra
Because of the importance of purification in the throat chakra, opening it often requires filtering out pollution from our lives. This can be the distracting sounds of the world outside our homes, the overwhelming abundance of the media we consume or the constant vibrations of our phones. It can even be unhealthy food or habits or toxic people in our lives that prevent us from living our truths. Exercising in order to release tension in our body is also encouraged. Purification allows the sounds that we make to be more free and resonant.
A healthy throat chakra requires a balance between speaking and listening. Therefore, the other side of the coin means practicing silence, both for yourself and for others. Becoming comfortable with solitude gives your racing mind and inner voice the opportunity to find peace and quiet, which can allow you to truly listen to the deeper truths of your heart. This quieting of the mind and expression of the emotions can also be practiced through meditation or chanting, as well as making music, which exercises the creativity of this chakra, or through writing, which can be creative but does not have to be, such as with journaling.
Hand in hand with silence, becoming comfortable with allowing others to speak gives you the opportunity to truly hear and understand them, which improves your ability to empathize. The need to be heard is sometimes more important than finding solutions. Active listening is a great practice that serves to improve not just your communication skills and relationships with others but also your ability to listen to and understand your own needs.
When we can express our authentic truths and have them be heard, our experience of life is validated. Our existence is accepted as reality, and we can approach life with creativity, not necessarily with art, but with the ability to imagine endless possibilities, opportunities and achievements. We are free to share ideas and listen to others. With this collaboration, our path to understanding continues to broaden.
Credits and Resources:
Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith
7wisdoms.org by Shai Tubali
Chakras.info by Lizzy Martin
My Other Chakra Guides: