What does the Throat Chakra Do?

Vishuddha, throat chakra symbol. Colorful mandala.

The Throat Chakra, or Vishuddha as it is named in Hindu, is the fifth chakra. It is located in the throat, as you might expect. If you place your hand in the center of your neck, over your throat, this is where the fifth chakra is found. Communication and expression are what the throat chakra is all about; it is closely associated with your voice. However, this association goes far beyond the physical voice and links into your ability to express yourself, your creativity, and your ability to transform ideas into action. It is also associated with your perception of the spiritual. It is an important, sometimes overlooked energy center, and blockages at this level can have a profound impact on a persons life.

What Does the Throat Chakra Do?

The Throat Chakra has a number of important purposes:

The word "communication" with colorful dialog speech bubbles

Communication: We often think of communication as being the ability to say what you want to say, but there is so much more to communication than simply speaking. Being able to transform complicated abstract ideas and feelings into the right words so that others can understand our true meaning is not always easy. We arent always listening to what a person is saying with an open mind; in fact, most often, we are thinking about how we will respond. Knowing when to communicate and when to remain silent or reserve judgment is another aspect of communication that is all connected to the Throat Chakra. When this chakra is open, and the energy can flow healthily, it is easier and more enjoyable to communicate. Ideas and feelings can be put into words and shared in a positive way.

Express yourself concept hand lettering motivation poster.

Expression: This is slightly different to communication. Communication is about connecting to another person or group of people. Expression doesnt have to have an audience. Self-expression can take the form of talking, but it also includes creative forms such as expression through art, writing, or music. This can be very tough for some people to do, but the Throat Chakra gives us each the power to express ourselves. Exploring your thoughts and feelings through artistic expression is a healthy human activity, but social conditioning and negative self-image can hold us back. This energy center located in the throat is all about removing those obstacles and allowing for self-expression in whatever form you choose.

sense of purpose - white chalk handwriting on a blackboard

Sense of Purpose: Understanding our higher sense of purpose is one of the most important and sometimes most challenging aspects of our inner lives. Having a vocation, whether it is a job or some other activity, is important for people. Without a higher purpose, we can feel adrift in life. The Throat Chakra is very much associated with the sense of purpose and being able to discern the right path for our lives. When it is open, we should have a stronger sense of our own power, a greater faith in our ability, and greater courage to express our intentions and step forward towards our higher purpose without fear.

Spirituality: The Throat Chakra is associated with ether, air, or space. This is the chakra most closely linked to what is called the causal plane; a spiritual plane that echoes the physical body. This means that it holds this connection between your physical body and your spiritual body; the inner you. Your spiritual goals and aspirations are an essential part of you. In order to hone your intuition and become more attuned to your sense of the spiritual, you need to be able to connect to this inner self. The ability to connect to this part of you will allow you to express your true self to speak your truth more freely.

The Throat Chakra and the Physical Body

All of the chakras are linked to the physical body as well as the energetic body. A blocked Throat Chakra, or one that is not functioning as it should, can cause problems with the neck, throat, mouth, jaw, and even into the shoulders. Remember, we often hold a lot of our pent-up tension and stress in the jaw, neck, and shoulders; often without even realizing we are doing it. Stress is one of the key reasons that the Throat Chakra may become blocked.

The Throat Chakra is often named as an important component in a healthy endocrine system. This is the hormone system in which glands throughout the body produce hormones that send messages around the body in order for it to function properly. The thyroid and parathyroid glands are located in the neck. So this chakra is often associated with dysfunction of the thyroid, which has a negative impact on metabolism, hormones, temperature, and growth.

Working with the Throat Chakra

Reiki practitioner standing and healing throat chakra

Energy must flow freely through the chakras for optimum physical and spiritual health and wellness. When the chakras become blocked or arent working as well as they could, we feel it! Dysfunction in this chakra can cause all kinds of issues with communication, expression, and clarity of purpose. When this chakra is functioning well, however, we feel clearer in our minds, and it is easier to express ourselves, both verbally and non-verbally. Clearing this chakra can result in improved confidence. This leads to a stronger voice; the ability to say no when we need to, the ability to stand up for what we believe in, and have the words to communicate why! The Throat Chakra is sensitive to stress, and it can easily become blocked. Reiki sessions are a great way to clear the chakras, another wonderful way of helping with this is to sing! While often people feel that they need deeper help with unblocking this chakra, singing is a great way to start to make a change and reverse the blockage so that energy can once again flow freely.

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What does the Throat Chakra Do?