by Kaisa Kapanen:  Vishuddha chakra, the throat Chakra, is located in the neck and throat area…

This chakra is important, because it is the gateway between the physical chakras and the spiritual chakras. The throat chakra governs our own, authentic voice, our ability to listen and to communicate with others. The word Vishuddha in Sanskrit means pure, and the element of this chakra is Akasha, connection. The color is blue, and it’s represented by a lotus flower with 16 petals.

When the throat chakra is in balance, we find it easy to express our own, authentic truth to others. There is no fear regarding speaking out our thoughts and feelings and we can give others the space to speak their truth as well. We don’t have to dominate conversations, or have everyone agree with us. The throat chakra encourages us to find the universal truth, and to connect to it.

When the Vishuddha chakra is not in balance

When the throat chakra is not in balance, it’s hard for us to express ourselves, and it’s hard to hear our own unique voice.

When the throat chakra is overactive, we can get arrogant towards others, talk too much and forget to listen. We can get too critical, have the tendency to lie and manipulate.

If we have a deficient throat chakra, we can find it hard to speak up, to find our voice and to be definite in our goals.

In the physical body the imbalances in this chakra can cause thyroid problems, issues in the neck and shoulders, pain in the jaw or problems in the ears.

How to balance the Vishuddha chakra

When we block emotions and stop the truth from coming out, our feelings are stored in our body. This can be in the hips, the throat, upper body or shoulders, and a nice way to release the tension in your body is to start releasing the truth through using your voice.

Singing can be a good way to balance your vishuddha chakra, and you can chant in your private yoga practice. Get used to hearing your own voice, and start to feel affection towards it.

Expressing yourself can be done also in other forms, such as writing. You can write down your feelings and emotions, and observe them when they land on the paper.

Since the color of this chakra is blue, you can surround yourself with the color blue, and imagine a blue light inside your throat. Let this light clean out any tension you may carry in this area, and let it release any lumps in your throat. You can meditate to feel the connection you have towards all beings and all elements in the universe. When you feel connected, when you feel you are the same, nothing within you, not even your truth, can separate you from the rest.

The vishuddha chakra makes us think about what we choose to express to others, and what we hold inside. But only when we can recognize our authentic truth, and express it to the world, are we ready for further spiritual development.

To balance and strengthen the Vishuddha chakra, you can remind yourself: I have the right to speak my truth. I love sharing my experience and wisdom. I give others the space to express their authentic voices.