Balancing my Throat Chakra

The throat chakra is the first of the spiritual chakras.  This chakra is located between the neck and shoulders, and is associated with communication and authentic expression.  So often we hide our true thoughts and points of view, for the sake of fitting in or being politically correct.  The throat chakra is not only associated with speaking, but with listening as well.  A person with an open throat chakra has the ability to speak the truth with both tact and diplomacy, and allows and encourages others to be heard and speak openly as well.

When this chakra is open, a person is able to accept their own originality and come to terms with their own personal beliefs and values.  Something I’ve struggled with is looking past my social and familial pre-programming, and act like the type of person I want to be.  There is so much that I just accept as “the way it is” and never question it.  I want to stand for something.  Something good.

Negative thinking and self-doubt are the two main reasons why a person’s throat chakra is closed.  I’m very quick to blame someone else for my problems, and have experienced some very critical people in my life.  Including some individuals, who I’m pretty sure, might run along that line of emotional abuser.  However, in this case, I am my own worst enemy.  I’ve lied to myself without realizing it, as well as, criticized and abused myself through my own negative self-talk.  If I had been stronger, and had known who I was, and what I stood for, I wouldn’t have beaten myself up for having to be corrected by someone else.  I would have been able to see the truth behind the hurtful words, and looked at the feedback for what it was.  I was given the gift of having the opportunity to improve myself.  I could have gone my whole life without realizing how badly I was hurting both myself and others. 

There are also physical and psychological signs of a blocked chakra:

Physical Symptoms:

• Chronic sore throat
• Frequent headaches
• Dental issues
• Mouth ulcers
• Hoarseness
• Thyroid problems
• Laryngitis
• TMJ
• Neck pain

Psychological Problems: 

• Fear of speaking
• Inability to express thought
• Shyness
• Inconsistency in speech and actions
• Social anxiety
• Inhibited creativity
• Stubbornness
• Detachment

I’ve definitely experienced all of the psychological problems at one point or another.  Whether or not it came from a closed throat chakra, who knows.  But, I'll be monitoring how frequently I experience these issues as I work through opening my chakra.

There are several ways that I will work on opening my throat chakra, including:

• Singing.  I don’t listen to music as often as I’d like.  So, putting on something I can sing to will now be a priority.
• Developing more of a routine when it comes to drinking water.  I will develop a more regular routine for keeping myself, and my throat, hydrated.
• Yoga exercises for the throat and hips.  There are several yoga poses to open the throat, but what I’ve learned is that we carry a lot of our stress in our hips, and that doing hip opening poses will also help with the throat.  I’m really looking forward to more hip opening exercises.  They feel so good after sitting at work all day!
• Meditate while focusing on a blue light.
• Speak the truth, but with love.  Just because we’re being honest, does not give a person a free pass to be cruel.
• Bumble Bee Breathing Meditation.  I had no idea what this was until I watched this YouTube video.
• Guided meditation specifically for the throat chakra.  I tend to not like guided meditation, but I’d like to try one geared towards opening my chakra.