From the fourth chakra we rise up to the throat (“vishuddha” or “vishuddhi” in sanskrit), the first of the three upper chakras. With its physical security, emotional stability and individual identity established, the consciousness begins to leave the realm of tangibility into a realm that is more abstract yet larger in scope. It is here where the consciousness finds its voice. Its purpose is to communicate and express its most authentic inner world to the outside. It is the purification of truth. The throat chakra is represented by the 16-petaled lotus, the downward triangle with an inner circle, the element of sound, vibration, ether or space (depending on different sources) and the color blue.
Symbolism and Focus
- The downward triangle can be looked at as an upward-expanding triangle, the channel through which we express our inner self in its purest and truest form. We gather information at its lowest point, which then blossoms up and outward towards enlightenment.
- The circle within the triangle represents the full moon, a symbol of the purified mind.
- The element of the fifth chakra can vary with the source of information, but they all have to do with the subtle, unseen vibrations of space. Due to its affiliation with communication, I chose here to represent it with sound.
- Similarly, the color blue represents openness and space, as well as purity and wisdom. It is a juxtaposition of calmness after the energetic activity of the lower chakras.
The throat chakra is the unseen waves of force flowing through space. It is the hum of human activity in a city - the voices in a crowd, the cars, the televisions and stereos. It is the vibrations underlying the peace found in nature - the whisper of leaves in the wind or underfoot, the steady progress of rain or a river, the scurry of unseen paws and the songs carried upon wings. It is also the resonance of the waves within us, emitted by our brains, beat by our hearts. Pure vibration is all around us and within us, and we all deserve to use it to connect with ourselves and the outer world. The sacral chakra allowed the world inside through the senses. There, the expression of creativity was unconscious, like the creation of a baby. The throat chakra allows us to escape out into the world. Here, creativity is an intentional process, using our will to share, to build, to establish, like the creation of a relationship.
After solidifying our identity in the solar plexus and beginning to share ourselves through emotions in the heart, we work further to integrate ourselves with the outside world through communication of higher truths using the fifth chakra. It governs our basic human need to speak and be heard. It is about expression, creativity and most importantly, the purification of all that is within and without down to its most authentic truth. We only know what’s inside someone when they choose to tell us. At the macro level, communication is how humanity has been able to share information and advance as a species. At the micro level, every human being has a right to express their most authentic individuality without judgment. We deserve to share ourselves, our thoughts and opinions, as well as to receive the purest information without the veil of dishonesty or misrepresentation, especially in this age of technology.
Design Notes
The throat chakra pin was probably one of the hardest ones to design out of the whole set. My challenge was to figure out how to visualize the concept of “sound” in an appealing way, on top of honoring the original symbol for the chakra itself (the 16 petals, downward triangle and inner circle). To be quite frank, I failed at the second part initially, because while doing more in-depth research for this guide, I realized that I had forgotten the inner circle entirely in my design. I was focused on getting the “sound” motifs right - represented by the repeating petals (like the ripple effect created by vibrations in water) and the waveform pattern running horizontally through the middle (like the lines in a heartrate monitor). Since I still wanted to highlight that waveform pattern, I didn’t want to alter it when I went back later to add the inner circle. Luckily there was just enough room in the center for the circle, and while it seems to me like it was slapped in there as an afterthought (because honestly, it was). I just wanted to be absolutely transparent and make the change in order to honor the original symbol, rather than leaving the design as is or making the change after the fact without telling anyone.
Continue with Part 2 of the Throat Chakra guide here.
Credits and Resources:
Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith
7wisdoms.org by Shai Tubali
Chakras.info by Lizzy Martin
My Other Chakra Guides: