Do you like the sound of your voice?
Do you ever feel choked by emotion?
Have you forgotten how to listen?
These are some of the questions that relate to our next chakra, the throat. The throat chakra is located in the base of the throat and develops between the ages of 28 and 35 years. On a physical level it governs the neck, mouth, tongue, ears, neck and throat as well as physical, mental and speech development. On a mental level, imbalances show up as identity problems and communication difficulties. On an emotional level, it can show up as suppression, compulsive lying, isolation and aloofness. On a spiritual level, it governs expression and communication.
The body has an uncanny way of forcing us to confront our problems via our health. When we are confronted by any of these problems the sound of the voice can change, becoming weak and dull or over loud and raucous. Speech difficulties, ear infections, thyroid problems, a sore throat, laryngitis, neck problems, cervical spine issues, eating disorders, tinnitus and hearing loss are all difficult to ignore, however hard we try. They affect our behaviour too. Gossiping, substance abuse, over-eating and being obsessive can test our friends to the limits, as can either incessant chatter or a refusal to speak.
So what can we do to help our throat chakras? Part of the challenge is to find a balance between speech and silence, talking and listening. Try spending part of every day out in nature listening to the myriad of sounds. This trains us to listen to ourselves in silence and show us what our extraordinary intuition and gut feelings have to say.
Fortunately, we have an in-built healer in our bodies – our voice. Singing is our birthright and it can help to keep us healthy. Ignore any fear that you sound like a cat when you sing. Cats are much more clued up than we are. They purr not only when they are happy but also to heal themselves. Trust that if you can speak, you can learn to sing in tune. All you have to do is to learn to listen deeply. Then try joining a choir and experience the amazingly heart-warming feeling of singing with others.
Chanting and toning are ancient methods of healing which can provide seemingly miraculous cures. Try chanting the Sanskrit word HAHM, either out loud or silently to the self, and feel the voice strengthen and the throat chakra come back into balance.
Speaking beautifully also works wonders. Interestingly, Pythagoras used to encourage any poorly pupils to recite poetry and then watched them heal themselves. Reciting helps us to treat words as sacred sounds rather than taking language for granted. Thoughtless, unnecessary speech expends energy unnecessarily whereas speaking mindfully and positively reveals the true beauty of the voice and leads to a peaceful contentment.
If, however, you need therapeutic help, then either music or sound therapy are perfect for the throat chakra. Music therapy uses organised sound whereas sound therapy uses unorganised sound, thereby bypassing the left hemisphere of the brain. Both are beautiful ways to release issues. Colour is also helpful. Colour is 40 octaves higher than sound, both being on the spectrum of light. The colour for the throat chakra is sky blue so try wearing blue, walking under a blue sky, or by a blue lake, or the blue sea. Perfect for the summer!
So enjoy the summer, the blue skies and the sea. Hum, sing, speak and listen mindfully and when you return back home you’ll be amazed at how much better your throat chakra will feel, your voice will sound and you will be.
Happy holidays!
Love Laurelle
