Meaning: vishuddha – purity
Location: throat area and laryngeal plexus
Element: ether, space
Color: light blue
Symbolism: omnipresence
Mantra:ham
developmental age: from seven years to twelve years
Sense: hearing
Body parts: neck, mouth, ears
Positive emotions: honesty, purity, appreciation and artistic expression
Negative emotions: lies, shyness, artistic blocks
Main physiology activity: governs the health of the throat, esophagus, thyroid and parathyroid glands, vocal cords, trachea, cervical vertebrae, mouth, teeth and gums, hypothalamus and auditory system.
In a previous post on our blog, we talked about the
seven chakras of the subtle body, their meaning and location.
Vishuddha is the fifth chakra. Located in the area of the laryngeal plexus in the throat, it is related to our ability to communicate, to express ourselves clearly and to listen carefully.
If your energy is balanced and flows well, your words are kind, considerate and sincere. Your voice is energetic and vibrant and you can clearly share your thoughts and feelings with others, either in spoken or written form. At the same time, you are able to pay full attention to what is being said to you.
But the energy of the fifth chakra may be unbalanced. When it is due to excess, people talk too much and superficially and always try to say the last word without listening to the interlocutor. If it is by default, the person becomes shy and afraid to express himself, his voice is very low and insecure, and there may be speech impediments or deafness. This imbalance can be due to many reasons: repression of creativity or freedom of expression, not being listened to during childhood or being told to shut up frequently, or being exposed to lies or sounds that are too loud or violent.
To balance the Vishuddha or fifth chakra, we recommend:
AsanaPostures such as Sarvangasana (Shoulder Posture), Simhasana (Lion Posture) or Karnapidasana (Ear Press Posture). In general, inversions where the throat is compressed and other postures where the front of the neck is stretched balance the Vishuddha chakra.
Pranayama: Ujjay breath or victorious breath. Sit in a comfortable meditation posture. Partially close the glottis (at the base of the neck, next to the root of the collarbone) and breathe slowly and deeply through the nose, making a resonant sound in the back of the throat as the air brushes against this area during inhalation and the exhalation. Remain receptive to the experience.
Meditation: SO HAM Meditation. The mantra SO HAM translates as "I am It". Try to listen to your breath saying the mantra instead of repeating it. Sit in a comfortable meditation posture and support the back of your hands on your knees, joining the thumb and middle fingers (Akasha mudra). Close your eyes and bring your attention to the natural sound of breathing. As you inhale, feel your breath make the sound "SO" and breathe in the joy of living. As you exhale, listen to your breath emit the Vishuddha chakra mantra, "HAM," and release tensions and expectations. Remain receptive to the experience.
Affirmations: Sit in a meditative posture and repeat internally: “My creative instincts are solid and pure”. Or: "I always express the truth." Or: "I understand others and seek to be understood."
Others: sing, tell stories, write a diary or paint.
