The throat chakra also governs creativity of expression.
This could very well be my favorite chakra. (Is there such thing as a favorite chakra?) Where is the throat chakra? At the base of the neck, just where you’d think it would be.
A healthy throat chakra is all about honesty of expression. In a world of managed images and people saying what they think others want to hear, that kind of integrity is hard to come by. At a recent benefit concert, the opening speaker addressed the concept of ‘stander-uppers’–people who are willing to stand up for what they believe in, state it aloud and defend it. The kind of people I respect. The kind we need more of. And, I’m sorry to say, I don’t find that most people really want to speak their truth.
Or, maybe they have a skewed definition—how many times have people spoken cruel words in the name of truth? So it seems to me that balancing the throat chakra and expressing what’s true for us are worth some attention.
How many of us know who we are and can express our personal truth? The things we believe in? Fewer than I’d like, although I think it’s easier to access those things after mid-life. To know ourselves and our convictions better.
And then, how many of us can stand our ground about these things, in the face of opposition? It’s hard.
There are still women walking the earth today, in this “post-feminist” 21st century who can’t voice their needs and wants. I know some. This was typical in our parents’ generation –but we like to think today’s woman is ultra-empowered. Yet, we still see this hesitation to ask for what we need, what we want.
Women who don’t speak up are fearful of being judged, for one. Or, they just can’t get the words out because they’re used to sacrificing their own needs and to being the ones who do all the giving.
Yet, we can create the reality in which we want to live by the truths we speak.
So, here are some signs that your throat chakra needs balancing:
Do you grit your teeth or grind them when you sleep? Do you feel a constriction in your throat, maybe words and thoughts stuck there that just can’t let loose? Are you choking on unexpressed thoughts? Like many people, do you hold tension in your shoulders and neck?
If that’s you, then it’s time to open up your throat chakra.
Yoga is effective in helping balance it. But so are other things.
Keeping a journal gives voice to thoughts and feelings we’re unable to speak aloud. Buy a nice little blank notebook, or use the computer; it doesn’t matter which. What matters is that you let the words out, somehow.
Practice saying how you feel with little steps. Nicely say no to an obligation you don’t have time for but would take on ordinarily just to be polite. (I’m always surprised at the number of women I know who simply can’t say no or set limits.) In fact, if you’re doing anything you don’t want to do just to be polite, look again. Is there a way to set that limit for yourself? Claim your time, your activities. Baby steps at first.
If you can make time for some meditation, that, too can help center yourself and your throat chakra. Many beautiful, free guided meditations are available online and 15 minutes a day is not too much to take for yourself.
The goal is to live and speak in a way that’s aligned with your highest truth. Because the only thing more frightening than speaking your truth is not speaking it, and living a life that’s not true to yourself.
Knowing your truth and speaking it are frightening to many women because they fear the results: “She/he will think I don’t like them if I say no”, or “I don’t want to disappoint XXX”, and so on. That was me for too many years.
But we all can learn. New skills can be learned but it takes practicing the newly learned skill to make it comfortable.
And when you fear the results of practicing this new skill then you will not do it often enough to learn it as a comfortable habit. You need to become comfortable with doing it and that will happen with less practice than you might think.
Try managing that fear. Acknowledge it, then imagine the scenario of how your action will play out if you just “do it anyway” and speak your true feelings. Say the word no if that is what you really want to say. If you fear the disappointment of the person you will say no to, then imagine what your next response will be. Have your words in your head, practice your demeanor as you say the words. Then be prepared to move on to the next topic or to whatever else you would normally do. Were you about to finish your walk? Were you about to go take a bubble bath? Whatever would have naturally happened next if you’d never had the conversation in which you had to speak honestly despite fearing to do so – just do it. Visualize and feel how proud you are for standing up for yourself – for taking care of yourself.
Every so often I find myself about to agree to something or remain silent about something when that is not what my inner self really wants to do. That is when I have the inner dialoge again, like a booster talk. Those are the times that make me stronger. Nothing wrong with building up inner strength 🙂
I DO clench my jaw when i sleep. I often wake up with headaches. There are definitely times when I put up and shut up. And then i feel resentment. And there are times when I speak up. I say no. I’ve never had a problem with disagreeing when I disagree or standing up for something I see or feel is wrong. There has been a loosening and aligning of my throat chakra as I’ve grown older. It’s powerful. What a beautiful reminder, Carol.
Sometimes my gut reaction is to say “no” because I am afraid of trying new things or just not in the mood to visit. Then I have to weigh my “no” against the good I might be doing by participating. As a person with anxiety, it is a fine line to walk some days.
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Knowing your truth and speaking it are frightening to many women because they fear the results: “She/he will think I don’t like them if I say no”, or “I don’t want to disappoint XXX”, and so on. That was me for too many years.
But we all can learn. New skills can be learned but it takes practicing the newly learned skill to make it comfortable.
And when you fear the results of practicing this new skill then you will not do it often enough to learn it as a comfortable habit. You need to become comfortable with doing it and that will happen with less practice than you might think.
Try managing that fear. Acknowledge it, then imagine the scenario of how your action will play out if you just “do it anyway” and speak your true feelings. Say the word no if that is what you really want to say. If you fear the disappointment of the person you will say no to, then imagine what your next response will be. Have your words in your head, practice your demeanor as you say the words. Then be prepared to move on to the next topic or to whatever else you would normally do. Were you about to finish your walk? Were you about to go take a bubble bath? Whatever would have naturally happened next if you’d never had the conversation in which you had to speak honestly despite fearing to do so – just do it. Visualize and feel how proud you are for standing up for yourself – for taking care of yourself.
Every so often I find myself about to agree to something or remain silent about something when that is not what my inner self really wants to do. That is when I have the inner dialoge again, like a booster talk. Those are the times that make me stronger. Nothing wrong with building up inner strength 🙂
Thanks so much for progressing the topic even further!
I DO clench my jaw when i sleep. I often wake up with headaches. There are definitely times when I put up and shut up. And then i feel resentment. And there are times when I speak up. I say no. I’ve never had a problem with disagreeing when I disagree or standing up for something I see or feel is wrong. There has been a loosening and aligning of my throat chakra as I’ve grown older. It’s powerful. What a beautiful reminder, Carol.
Sometimes my gut reaction is to say “no” because I am afraid of trying new things or just not in the mood to visit. Then I have to weigh my “no” against the good I might be doing by participating. As a person with anxiety, it is a fine line to walk some days.
Yes, that’s another twist on it.