If you listen, you can hear it now. It is in your breath, it is in your heart, it is in the wind, the waters, the trees and the sky. It is in your own mind, in the rhythm of each and every thought. From one sound does it all emerge and to one sound it shall return. And the sound is AUM… Aaa-ooo-uuu-mmmmmmmmm…Aum… - Anodea Judith

Speaking from a place of authenticity can be hard. We worry about being judged by others, we worry that people will think that we sound dumb or that they will think “who do they think they are” when they hear what we have to say. We worry that we are inadequate of speaking our truth.

It be hard to even know what our individual truth is unless we take time out of our day-to-day to really reflect on our morals, to see if they are actually what we believe or if they were just programmed into us at an early age.

It is essential though, that we learn what our authentic truth is and how to live and speak it with confidence and clarity. To speak our authentic truth is where Visuddha - our fifth chakra - comes in.

Visuddha is also known as the throat chakra. The throat chakra encompasses the throat, neck, jaw, and the mouth including the teeth and tongue. It is the center related to communication through sound, vibration, self expression, and creativity. It is represented by a bright sky blue color.

Visuddha means “purification”, meaning that we must reach a level of purification to successfully open up and balance the 5th chakra. It also means that sound, as a vibration and a force inherent in all things, has a purifying nature. As I discussed in my blog Living with an open heart + 9 tips to balancing the heart chakra, the heart chakra is the bridge between the lower earthly chakras, and the upper ethereal chakras. To open the 5th chakra, we have to refine our awareness enough to be able to tap into Visuddha - the first of the ethereal chakras.

To keep Visuddha open and in balance means having a healthy relationship with communication, speaking (or singing!) your TRUTH with clarity and confidence and compassion, to be able speak up against evil, being able to listen actively without interrupting others, and refraining from damaging gossip and lies.

Sound, rhythm, vibration, words. Powerful rulers of our lives, we take these things for granted. Communication is the connecting principle that makes life possible. - Anodea Judith

We forget that we are all one. We are all connected, and communication is what allows up to maintain our connection. Authentic, loving communication is key to keeping humanity and our planet thriving. We have to remember that we all have our own unique reason for being here. By keeping our individual truth buried, we cause ourselves and others pain. We all have an authentic life purpose that is divine, and it is important to communicate your truth. If we all did this, the world would be a much better place.

So, as we go into 2019, I encourage you to take time to connect with your 5th chakra. Use some of the techniques below like journaling and meditation to figure out if your throat chakra is open and in balance. If you find that you have some work to do, use the other techniques to help open it and bring it into balance.

9 Tips To Balancing Your Throat Chakra

#1 Verbal Affirmations

Verbal affirmations - or mantras - are extremely beneficial in opening and balancing all of the Chakras, but most specifically the throat since it is the chakra of sound.

Spoken aloud for a few minutes in the morning, an effective mantra can reverberate silently in the mind all day long, carrying with it the imprints of vibration, image, and meaning. With each reverberation, it is believed that the mantra is working its magic on the fabric of both mind and body, creating order and harmony.”

Pick one of these verbal affirmations to use in meditation or throughout your day. You can write them where you will see them or repeat them out loud or to yourself. Say it, read it, use it until you feel it.

I speak my authentic truth with confidence, clarity, and compassion.

I stand up for myself and others.

I listen with attention and allow space for others to talk.

I speak.

My words and actions are done with pure intent.

AUM - the original sound from which the universe was created, the sound of all sounds together.

I am that I am. - unites the individual with the universe.

#2 Working with crystals and essential oils

Pick one of the following crystals. Infuse one of the above affirmations into the crystals by holding it between your palms and repeating the affirmation 10x with intent and clarity. Carry your crystal around with you to bring back the the energy of the affirmation and to remind you of the power of your voice.

Fluorite

Turquoise

Sodalite

Lapis Lazuli

Azurite

Use the following incense or essential oils while meditating, relaxing, or practicing self-care:

Peppermint

Frankincense

Ylang Ylang

Chamomile

Bergamot

Basil

Spearmint

#3 CHANTING

Each chakra has a Bija (seed sound mantra) whose particular vibration is said to be in harmony with that of the chakra. By chanting it’s seed sound mantra, you can clear blockages and bring the throat chakra back into balance.

Seed Sound Mantra: HAM - start by setting a timer for 2 minutes. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in, on your exhale chant HAM and try to feel the vibration clearing and balancing your throat chakra. Repeat until your timer goes off. As you become comfortable, set your alarm for 3 minutes, then 4 minutes, and so on.

#4 THROAT CHAKRA MEDITATION

Find a comfortable seat. Sit up tall with a long spine and place your hands over your throat.

Take a deep inhale, on your exhale go “HMMMMMMMMMMM”. Feel the vibration fill the entire region of your throat chakra. Repeat that 3 times.

Find a natural breath and bring your palms face up on your thighs, making a chin mudra - the mudra of universal consciousness - by tucking the tip of the index finger under the tip of the thumb and gently extending the other three fingers out.

Bring your awareness inward to your throat, neck, jaw, and mouth. Visualize a bright sky blue orb spinning around and around. This is Visuddha. Notice the pace at which it is spinning. See if you can FEEL the energy of the chakra swirling around within you.

Repeat to yourself 10 times “I speak my authentic truth with confidence, clarity, and compassion.”

Each time you repeat that mantra, imagine your throat chakra opening. Imagine all blockages releasing and dissipating. Feel your inner power becoming stronger and more pure.

Take a deep deep inhale. Open mouth exhale HAAAAAAA. Inhale to chant the Bija seed sound mantra of the throat chakra HAM. As you chant HAM feel your throat chakra coming into complete balance.

Inhale to fill up, Exhale to HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM.

Bring your palms together in front of your lips - may your speech be authentic, pure. and full of love. Namaste.

#5 Lion’s BREATH

Pranayama (breath control) is the 4th of the 8 limbs of yoga. Incorporating different breathing practices can be helpful for balancing out each of the chakras. One of the most beneficial pranayama exercises for Visuddha is Lion’s Breath. This breathing exercise can feel silly at first, but it is a great way to remember to lighten up and can help you to get past any feelings of self-consciousness when it comes to speaking your truth.

Steps for practicing Lion’s Breath:

Kneel down, sitting your hips back on your heels. Place a block between your feet for extra support if you have sensitive knees on or tight quads. Place your palms face down on your knees.
Take a deep inhale and scrunch up your face.
On your exhale, stick your tongue out and open your eyes wide as you make a “HAAAAAA” sound.
Repeat 5-10x. Then, close your eyes and find a natural breath. Notice any physical or energetic sensations.
When you’re ready, open your eyes.

#6 YOGA POSTURES

Practice the following yoga postures for 5-8 breaths each. Each of these poses draws energy flow towards the throat chakra, compresses the throat, or opens it up. As you practice each one, physically feel your throat or neck opening and releasing. Energetically feel your throat chakra opening and balancing so that your authentic voice can shine.

Bound Bridge

Plow

Shoulder stand

Fish

Camel

#7 JOURNALING

Journaling is one of the best ways to discover subconscious limiting beliefs and blockages that are holding you back from being able to speak and live your authentic truth. Use the following journaling questions to create awareness of any imbalances in your throat chakra and to create a game plan to bring it into balance.

Do you find it easy or hard to communicate with those closest to you? What about those that you are not close with?
Is public speaking a challenge? If so, what about it is hard for you and where do you think that stems from?
In general, do you speak from a place of authenticity? If not, what holds you back?
Are you a good listener, or do you usually find that you do most of the talking? Why?
Do you find yourself indulging in gossip or lying? If so, how can you take steps to change that?
Great ways to balance the throat chakra include singing, chanting, listening to binaural beats, attending a sound bath, public speaking, and active but silent listening. How can you incorporate these things into your day-to-day?

#8 Practice Active Listening

Practice this active listening exercise with a friend, loved one, or significant other.

Pair up and choose who will speak first and who will listen first.
Choose a topic of discussion. This can be: to tell your life story, to discuss your fear of public speaking, to talk about your goals for the future, etc.
Set a timer for 10 minutes.
The speaker will talk for 10 minutes straight. While they are speaking, the listener is not allowed to give any verbal or visual feedback, meaning that they cannot make any faces or gestures in regards to the story the speaker is telling. They are simply there to listen
After 10 minutes, switch.

When you practice active listening, it is beneficial for both parties. The speaker will have the opportunity to get their story out without the influence of someone else’s opinion, which can lead to epiphanies that they other wise wouldn’t have had. The listener has a chance to hone their listening skills and truly hear what the other person has to say without interjecting.

#9 Color Therapy

The color of the throat chakra is a vibrant sky blue. Surround yourself with this color when you feel out of balance. Wear it, lay in the grass and look up at the sky, decorate your home with it, etc.

Remember, speaking your truth should always come with compassion, love, and the remembrance that we are all one.

Thank you for reading! Make sure to check out my guides to the other chakras & click SUBSCRIBE below to get my monthly wellness newsletter straight to your inbox each month!