What you say defines who you are. The words you use to express yourself become your message to the world about the life you are manifesting. This is the work of the fifth chakra—our communication chakra, or Vishuddha.
Today, dedicate yourself to your most truthful intentions. This clears the way for you to ask the right questions as you design your personal vision.
On the mat, our poses serve to refine our abilities to listen intently and speak honestly with ourselves. Once we are able to internally express what we want to manifest, we can share this outwardly with our friends and family.
The Throat Chakra
Visuddha in Sanskrit means, “extraordinarily pure.” Found at the level of the Adam’s apple on the throat, this chakra governs our intentions for speech and communication, our right to speak and hear the truth, our self-expression, and our creative identity.
Color: Bright blue
Element: Sound
Sense: Hearing
Healing Stones: Turquoise, aquamarine, lapis
Affirmation: “May I be able to express my feelings with ease and be balanced between heart and mind.”
Mantra: “I am truth.”
The Psychology of Visuddha
When your throat chakra is overactive, you may have a tendency of talking too much or of using hasty or inappropriate language, an inability to listen to others, a habit of gossip, and a penchant for dominating most your conversations.
An underactive or deficient visuddha, on the other hand, is characterized by a fear of speaking or hesitation in communication, shyness and introversion, a weak voice, tone deafness, stuttering, and difficulty in putting words together.
A sustained or extreme imbalance in this chakra leads to dishonesty, repressed communication, and addictions to substances like opiates or marijuana. To restore balance in your visuddha, focus on opening and closing the throat, and practice yoga poses like Camel, Plow, Fish, and Shoulder Stand.
Throat Chakra Tune-Up
Take a moment right now to really tune in and listen. cover your ears and breathe in, — shhhhh as you exhale, cover your heart and breathe in, — shhhhh as you exhale, cover your navel center and breathe in, — shhhhh as you exhale.
Listen to what your mind, heart, and body are trying to tell you. If you can't hear anything, ask better questions and wait again.
Once you hear a truth that resonates—something that is relevant to living a more inspired life from this practice of question and answer—then you must find the courage to do something about it. You must act on it.
As the Buddha says, "An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea." As big as your intention may be, keep it simple enough to actually start it and keep it going to completion.
Intentions set in yoga and in meditation bring together the power of communication and the dialogue of heart, body, and mind. For the magic to happen in your throat chakra, stay true to yourself, and allow others to know who you really are.
