Chakra Series: VIŚUDDHA, Throat

The Fifth Chakra: Viśuddha, Throat

विशुद्ध

“Daring greatly means the courage to be vulnerable, it means to show up and be seen. To ask for what you need. To talk about how you’re feeling, to have the hard conversations.” - Brené Brown

This post covers the fifth chakra, Viśuddha, if you want to learn more about chakras in general or the first four chakras, please see my previous posts.

The Viśuddha chakra is located in the throat. Viśuddha is often translated as “purification.” This is where the pairs of opposites: light and dark, hot and cold, sun and moon, come together to harmonize and purify. 

Viśuddha is connected to the element of space and sound, the sense of hearing, and is represented by a bright blue lotus of sixteen petals. The first five chakras have attending animals and Viśuddha’s is a white elephant, symbolizing the ether element which is the vehicle of consciousness. The mantra associated with the heart chakra is “HAM,” pronounced “hum.” The seven mantras of the chakras are chanted in succession, meant to be a cleansing ritual.

Energetically, the throat chakra is tied to communication, self-expression and creative identity. Because of its connection to the auditory sense, it is oriented to conscious communication and authentic voice. When thinking about balancing these chakras in succession, it is easy to see why first healing the heart can lead to finding our own authentic voice. If the ego isn’t properly dealt with in the heart, we are speaking from an ego-driven space. If we can stay connected to the voice of our heart, we can have authentic exchanges with ourselves and others. Not only are we working to truly express ourselves with this chakra, we are also learning to truly listen to others. When the ego is dealt with, we begin to see our interdependence with all beings. 

An imbalance in this chakra is represented by fear and an inability to speak clearly and confidently. When we fall under the misconception of our separateness, we become lost to our true identity. When this happens, it is difficult to express ourselves authentically.

What is drawing my attention about this chakra today is its connection to purity. I grew up in a religious tradition that used the idea of purity to diminish authenticity. To be pure meant to be something very specific and to fall short of that caused perceptible blemishes, or so it felt. To speak from this definition of purity was, for me, not speaking from an authentic space. I strived to fit this definition of purity until something inside of me broke. My later spiritual seeking pulled my own voice from beneath all that conditioning, the samskaras. To now redefine the word purity feels like a radical act. This chakra teaches me that to purify myself, I simply have to bring forth what’s already inside of me. I bring forth equanimity, loving kindness, compassion, forgiveness, awareness of interdependence, mindfulness, presence. I speak boldly from a place of truth. I know I can be confident in my speech if I am resting in a space of loving awareness. There is no need to force or mold anything to a different standard, I am already pure. 

May you be well

May you be safe

May you remember your true Self

May you speak boldly

May you listen with compassion

Reflection

What does purity mean to you? What kind of connotation does it hold?

What pairs of opposites are most difficult for you to hold at the same time? Start simple: hot and cold. Which do you prefer? Which is difficult to handle? Can you imagine they are the same? Do the same exercise with other opposites: winter and summer, wealth and poverty, life and death.

Where is it difficult for you to speak up? Where is it difficult for you to listen? Who makes you feel seen?

Listening Meditation

Find a comfortable seat that will allow you to feel alert and spacious. Find a long spine and draw the shoulders back. Close the eyes if this is comfortable, otherwise bring your focus to just a couple feet in front of you. Take ten conscious breaths to focus the mind. 

What can you hear? Cars outside? A fan? Other people? Your own breathing? Slowly and mindfully begin to list five different things you can hear. Imagine your whole body is one big ear. Take in all the sounds around you. This is your only focus. Hear what you hear. Pay attention to any reactions. Notice if they are positive or negative but resist following the thoughts that arise. Be aware of the reaction and let it go.

Do this for 5-20 minutes and end with reciting the mantras of the chakras three times:

LAM

VAM

RAM

YAM

HAM

AUM

*SILENCE*

Asana 

Lion’s Breath in Cat/Cow

Do a few rounds of cat/cow movement. On your inhales, lift your tail, drop your belly and look up. On your exhales, tuck your tail, arch your back and drop your head so that your gaze comes to your navel.

After a few rounds, begin to introduce Lion’s Breath. Inhale through the nose in Cow pose as usual. On your exhale, open the mouth, stick out the tongue, and breathe forcefully out from the throat, holding your Cow pose. Inhale through the nose and exhale back into Cat. Repeat 3-5 times.

Plough

Lying on the floor with the arms alongside the body with the palms down, bend the knees and kick and rock the legs up and back, bringing the bent knees to the forehead and placing the hands under the hips.

Slowly straighten the legs, reaching the toes to the floor over the head.

When the toes touch the floor, you can release the arms into one of three positions: a) along the floor, palms down behind your back; b) interlace the fingers behind your back and gently squeeze the shoulder blades together; c) slide the arms over your head and hold onto the toes.

Breath and hold for 4-10 breaths.

To release: bend the knees back to the head, and carefully and slowly roll the spine back onto the floor.

Fish

Lying on your back with the arms alongside your body and the legs a few inches apart, slide the hands palms down under the tops of the thighs, just below the buttocks. Have the elbows slightly bent, next to the sides of your torso.

 Pressing into the elbows, use the arms to lift the chest up, arching the spine, and rolling on to the crown of the head. Do not use the head or neck to support the posture, use the arms, torso, buttocks and legs to continue to lift the chest towards the ceiling. Little or no weight should be on the head.

Breathe and hold for 3-8 breaths.

To release: slowly remove all of the weight off of the head and gently lower the back of the head, the neck and then the spine back down to the floor. Remove the hands from under the legs.