Chapter
11

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Express Yourself

Tell us all about it. Or can you? If you have an open and healthy fifth chakra, you can. The Throat chakra is the center for communication, sound, vibration, and ultimately, truth. This is where you express yourself in every way, and it’s also how you receive the self-expression of others. People with strong Throat chakras have clear voices that people love to hear. This may also be expressed in a clear ability to write, draw, or express themselves with just the right words because people with strong Throat chakras tend to have good writing abilities and musical abilities. Many also have a good sense of rhythm and timing, not just musically speaking, but saying the right things at the right time. Our inner vibrations are expressed from this chakra and so is our ability to be good listeners.

We all talk, listen, and understand others from this chakra. Through the Throat chakra, you understand what people say, as well as what they actually mean. You understand metaphorical and figurative language here. You also begin to understand Spirit.

The Throat chakra is the first of the Spirit chakras. Some people believe you can’t open this chakra on your own, but instead need the guidance of a teacher. Others believe you can open your own Throat chakra with the right focus. This chakra is certainly different than the Earth-centered ones below it. Associations aren’t as straightforward. This chakra, along with the two above it, enters the realm of Mind: vibration, visualization, intuition, and thought. What you say, what you see, what you imagine, and what you think are all reflected in the upper three chakras. It all starts here with the fifth chakra, where your internal vibration is expressed through words, symbols, music, hand gestures, and expressions—all the ways you communicate with the outside world. In this chapter, we look deeply into that place from which you speak to help you figure out what you know, what you understand, and what you really have to say.

Throat Chakra 101

The fifth chakra, the Throat chakra, is also sometimes called the Communication or the Truth chakra. The Throat chakra is called Vishuddha in the traditional Sanskrit; this word can be translated as “purity” or “purification.” The traditional element associated with the fifth chakra is Ether. Think of Ether as space or the void—the place where nothing exists. Part of the understanding of the void in traditional yogic thought is that the void came out of pure sound vibration. The original sound that created the Universe is the sound of om. Some contemporary writers, such as chakra expert Anodea Judith, prefer to say that the element associated with the fifth chakra, or Throat chakra, is simply Sound.

Om, sometimes spelled aum, is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, representing the impersonal, omnipotent, absolute source of all creation. According to Hindu thought, the sound of om encompasses the past, present, and future and was the original vibration that created the Universe. It is often used as a mantra in meditation or prayer, and speaking this intonation is thought to penetrate the soul (see Chapter 15).

The fifth chakra’s symbolic color is blue, and the traditional lotus symbol depicting this chakra has 16 petals. The sound associated with this chakra is the seed sound HANG (rhymes with “song”). Chanting this sound helps to activate the fifth chakra.

The Throat chakra is located in the throat and encompasses the entire neck and upper chest, radiating around your jaw, mouth, ears, and down through your collarbones. Other physical structures associated with the fifth chakra are your thyroid, trachea, esophagus, parathyroid, neck vertebrae, and pharyngeal nerve plexus.

Let’s Talk

What is talking? It’s a strange ability we humans have. We make vibrations in our throats that come out of our mouths to make sounds that we all understand to symbolize other things. When you talk about a flower, the flower doesn’t have to be anywhere near you. It doesn’t even have to exist. But others who hear you (and speak your language) understand exactly what you mean. Language is all about symbols—including both speaking and writing. In the Throat chakra, we begin to grasp the concept that one thing represents something else.

We understand this kind of symbolism in no simpler way than through what we say. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to function in the world today without being able to speak? If you’ve ever had laryngitis (a classic fifth chakra issue), you know how frustrating it can be. Even the shiest among us need to speak out. How else will anyone know what we need, what we want, or who we are?

Your voice comes from your Throat chakra, and the quality of your voice says a lot about the state of your fifth chakra. A weak, timid, shaky, or cracking voice indicates a blocked chakra, while a loud, booming, or overpowering voice indicates an overloaded chakra. The condition of your voice isn’t your fault, but it is a reflection of what is going on in your fifth chakra, which is, in turn, a reflection of what’s going on within you.

When your fifth chakra is strong and healthy, your voice will be clear, pure, resonant, and pleasing to hear. People will enjoy listening to you speak, and they will be likely to understand what you say (unless they have their own fifth chakra issues with listening). The fifth chakra reflects your ability to communicate your thoughts and intentions clearly, and just as importantly, it reflects your ability to listen to and understand the expressed thoughts and intentions of others.

When you were younger, were you allowed to speak your mind, or were you told to be quiet all the time? Were children supposed to be “seen and not heard” in your home? Or was your home filled with too much talking, noise, yelling, and voices used to express negative emotions like disappointment or anger? How you were raised to use or not use your voice is significant for the health of your fifth chakra today. Children who are discouraged not just from talking but from telling the truth, or who are told lies, often have Throat chakra issues as adults. To get a better feel for the state of your own Throat chakra, think about how talking, listening, and telling the truth were handled in your childhood home.

Listen Up

Do you really know how to listen, or do you usually just wait to talk? When asked to consider the question, many people admit that they usually wait to talk. It’s not surprising, really. In such a loud, raucous world, it’s hard to get a word in edgewise, and it can be easier to focus on getting your own words out than to focus on letting others get theirs out.

However, knowing how to listen is a very important trait. If you balance the words you send out with the words you take in, you will feel calmer, more centered, and have a better understanding of your environment. Plus, listening is an important part of being a good friend, family member, and partner. It’s also an excellent way to hone your intuition, which supports the health of your sixth chakra, or Third Eye chakra, the chakra governing intuition (see Chapter 12). Listening is powerful, and all you have to do to listen is stop talking and pay attention. It’s worth a try.

Truth or Consequences?

You could call the Throat chakra the Truth chakra because this is also the place from where you speak your own truth and discern the truth in what others say and do. This is a most powerful skill, and one everybody possesses. Many of us don’t use it like we could, though. When people constantly suppress their own truths—for example, they don’t say what they really mean or refuse to acknowledge something true about themselves—they often develop a block in their Throat chakras. To keep this chakra open and strong, spend the time to discover what really is true for you. Then spend the time to listen to what others say, including the meaning behind the words and the meaning between the words. Soon, you’ll be hearing their truths, too.

One way to hear the truth behind people’s words is to pay attention not only to what they say but also to how they say it. People who study nonverbal communication say that nonverbal cues tell us more than the actual words people say. One study estimated that up to 93 percent of communication is nonverbal. To begin your study of nonverbal communication, start observing facial expressions, posture, what people do with their hands and feet when they talk, how they stand or sit, which way they lean, and where their gaze falls. For example, people tend to lean toward things that interest them and lean away from things they fear or don’t like. They tend to blink a lot and don’t look people directly in the eyes when they are fudging the truth. Also, they tend to move more when they are nervous and less when they are engaged. See what you notice as you watch what people do and whether it does or doesn’t match what they say. Also, pay attention to what your eyes, hands, feet, and body do when you talk.

Your Inner Music

The fifth chakra is about vibration and rhythm as much as it is about words. People with healthy Throat chakras often have nice singing voices (although not all of them do) and can carry a tune and keep a beat. Although their singing voices might not make them the next American Idol, people with open fifth chakras tend to enjoy singing, even if they only sing in the confines of their own cars! People with strong fifth chakras might have strong, unusual, sonorous, or memorable voices, though their voices aren’t necessarily society’s version of good voice. Instead, they might have more of a distinctive or interesting voice. People who are tone deaf, or who can’t seem to hear rhythm, or keep a beat very well may have blocked Throat chakras.

The entire Universe is made out of vibration (see Chapter 15), and music is one of the most beautiful and poignant ways that we shape and celebrate vibration. Music is an excellent fifth chakra therapy, for both blocked and overloaded chakras, so listen to or play some music every day. It’s good medicine for your fifth chakra, or Throat chakra.

Betsy was working with a client who was a singer. She mentioned in therapy that she was having a difficult time with her voice. Sometimes, her voice lost its strength or became too nasal and shrill, and she couldn’t seem to control when this happened. The woman also said that she found it very difficult to express the right emotion for the song she was singing, an essential part of being a good singer. Through therapy, Betsy discovered that this woman grew up in an abusive family where she was either ignored or told to “shut up and be quiet.”

Betsy’s client was literally prevented from having a voice as a child, and when she did try to express her feelings or emotions, she was punished for it. Thus, she learned to swallow her feelings because she had learned that expressing herself was bad. Yet, how interesting it is that this client chose a career path that forced her to use and develop her voice! Betsy says we often unconsciously choose the experiences we need most. As Betsy began to focus on the client’s fifth chakra and free the energy here, the woman noticed almost immediate changes in her singing voice. Her tone became more even, and the strength of her voice became more powerful. Finally, she began to feel more comfortable exploring the emotions behind the songs she sang because her Throat chakra had opened.

The Write Stuff

Although the second chakra, or Sacral chakra, is an important source of creativity, so is the fifth chakra, or Throat chakra. Music comes from here, as does writing. Writers often have healthy, open fifth chakras because they constantly use them. A blocked Throat chakra can sometimes reveal itself through writer’s block. In the same way speaking uses spoken-word symbols to represent other things, writing uses written-word symbols. We all know how vivid and powerful a book can be, or even just a really descriptive paragraph. Words are our staircase to the mind, and writing helps you climb up there to look around. Writing, like music, is excellent therapy for both blocked and overloaded fifth chakras.

If your Throat chakra needs work, or even if you just want to keep it healthy, try writing a little bit every day. Some people like to keep a journal of what they do and how they feel, while others would rather write stories, poetry, or an autobiography. What you write doesn’t matter as much as just putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

Throat Chakra Correspondences

Your voice, your words, and your music—they all tie together with the other Throat chakra correspondences. See them all at a glance in the following chart.

Fifth Chakra	Correspondence
Sanskrit name	Vishuddha (purity)
Element	Space/the void, sound
Color	Blue
Seed sound	HANG
Location	In the throat
Associated cultural phrases	“Tell it like it is.” “Speak of the devil and he will appear.” “Speak up!” “Talk is cheap.” “The sound of silence.” “Silence is golden.” “Truth or dare.”
Associated anatomy	Throat, trachea, esophagus, neck, thyroid gland, pharyngeal nerve plexus, cervical spine, mouth, jaw, and teeth
Associated psychological and life issues	Communication, ability to express feelings, ability to listen, speaking and hearing the truth, understanding meaning behind or beyond words, and musical and writing ability
Physical issues related to fifth chakra blockage	Lump in the throat, laryngitis, sore throat, jaw pain and tightness, neck pain, stiff neck, neck arthritis, vocal nodes, recurrent strep, hypothyroidism, hearing loss, tinnitus, tone deafness (can’t hear the difference between musical notes), and no sense of rhythm
Psychological issues related to fifth chakra blockage	Problems with self-expression, weak voice, fear of speaking, lying, inability to discern the truth, inability to say what you mean, taking things too literally, and writer’s block
Physical issues related to fifth chakra overload	Hyperthyroidism, neck pain from hyperflexibility, vocal nodes from talking, yelling, or singing too much, tooth decay, tooth loss, cold sores, and canker sores
Psychological issues related to fifth chakra overload	Talking too much, talking too loudly, interrupting, speaking without thinking, inability to listen to others, and automatically speaking the truth without sensitivity to others
Fifth chakra therapy	Mantra meditation, chanting, singing, drumming Speaking in front of others (for blocks) Going without speaking (for overloads) Quiet time of vocal rest Keeping a journal/freewriting Purposeful listening without commenting Practicing taking turns talking Lowering your voice (for overloads) Raising your voice (for blocks) Therapy for improving communication skills

Awakening the Throat Chakra

When your Throat chakra awakens, your voice becomes clearer, you say what you really mean, you listen to others and really hear them, and you discern the truth. Fire up your creative expression by literally opening your throat. Carefully tilt your head back and breathe. Feel your Throat chakra opening.

Another great, powerful way to awaken and energize the Throat chakra is through sound. Singing, chanting, humming, and saying mantras are all fifth chakra enhancers. Sing in the shower, hum while you make breakfast, and belt out your favorite tune in the car. Your Throat chakra will feel great.

To get more Throat chakra energy into your environment, emphasize the color blue. Wear bright sapphire blue on your body, or paint your office shades of blue, or put blue flowers around the house. Just seeing the color blue can help to awaken your Throat chakra. Also, include more of the Sound element in your home: wind chimes, noise machines that produce sounds such as waves or birds in a forest, and of course, music. Play music often to keep your Throat chakra energized.

You can also try this exercise for awakening the Throat chakra:

1. Sit on a pillow or folded blanket on the floor with your legs crossed. Feel your pelvic bones, and imagine roots anchoring those bones to the Earth. Place your hands slightly behind you, and move your shoulders back to open your chest.
2. Take several long, slow, and deep breaths in and out, and then draw your attention to the area inside your throat. Imagine your fifth chakra as a brilliant, sapphire, blue circle spinning slowly.
3. Imagine your chakra radiating a blue circle of brilliant light that encompasses your entire throat, jaw, and upper chest. Feel the cool electric blue in your throat, opening all your channels of communication.
4. Take a deep breath in, and in a low resonating tone, say the word: HANG, holding the “A” sound (pronounced “ah,” the word rhymes with “song”). Repeat the word slowly 16 times. Every time you speak the word, extend the sound as long as you can and feel the vibrations in your entire body, radiating from your Throat chakra.

Aligning the Throat Chakra

When your Throat chakra is properly aligned, you can use communication to help those you love, to improve your love relationships, and also to fully utilize your natural intuition. To get your Throat chakra properly aligned, try this exercise:

1. Stand in yoga’s Mountain pose (see Chapter 7) with your feet about hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Imagine your Throat chakra just behind your voice box, and feel it spinning and getting cooler. Imagine a cool blue breeze blowing through your entire body.
3. Visualize a blue ray of light moving straight up out of your Throat chakra, up through the crown of your head, and filling your head with blue light. Now, visualize this blue beam of light shooting straight down from your throat and down through your fourth (Heart) chakra, third (Solar Plexus) chakra, second (Sacral) chakra, and first (Root) chakra and down into the Earth. Imagine the entire ray of light filling your body with cool sapphire-blue energy.
4. Lift your arms straight up overhead and imagine the blue light flowing up and down, radiating to the center of the Earth and all the way to the Heavens. Your Throat chakra should now be aligned.

Blocks in the Throat Chakra

A blocked Throat chakra can be a major impairment in our culture. It’s the Information Age, and those who can communicate effectively are usually well rewarded. People with blocked Throat chakras tend to be afraid to speak and have weak or quiet voices. They may come across as very shy. In our loud society, this can annoy people who might always be snapping, “Speak up!”

People with blocked Throat chakras also tend to have problems expressing their thoughts and feelings. People often misunderstand their texts and social media posts, and this can frustrate the blocked Throat chakra person so much that they are even more likely to clam up. Or they consistently say what they don’t really mean. This is because they aren’t willing to see and speak their own personal truths, or they fear a backlash or loss of love by speaking their truths, so instead, they say exactly what they think others want to hear.

Healing a blocked Throat chakra is incredibly important, both so you can communicate in society and so you can express your true self. This is essential for psychological as well as physical health. Pent-up feelings and lack of acknowledgement of what is really going on can become major obstacles to contentment and well-being. However, some people fear what can happen if they really begin to speak. This fear can come from childhood experiences, or it can come from a fear of consequences. And yet, the real consequences come from long-term stifling of truth and words. These clog up the body and can manifest as physical illness if you don’t get them out. So, let your Throat chakra open and set your voice, your words, and the truth free.

Blocked Throat Chakra Health Issues

Fifth chakra health issues usually settle into the throat and neck. They can include such minor or temporary complaints as a lump in the throat, laryngitis, a sore throat, strep throat, or a stiff neck, and they can include more chronic problems like jaw pain and tightness, neck pain, arthritis in the neck vertebrae, a stiff neck, neck muscle spasms, throat problems like vocal nodes or recurrent strep, and hypothyroidism. Your ears can also suffer from a blocked Throat chakra, which can manifest as tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or hearing loss, being tone deaf (which means you can’t hear the difference between musical notes), or having no sense of rhythm.

Blocked Throat Chakra Psychological Issues

When the Throat chakra is blocked, the psychological implications usually have to do with self-expression. This can include speaking quietly or not using one’s voice with conviction, fear of speaking in front of people, fear of speaking one’s own truth, compulsive lying, inability to discern the truth in what others say, inability to say what one means, taking things too literally, and writer’s block.

Sometimes, you can spot someone with a blocked fifth chakra not only by the sound of their voice but by the way they tuck the chin in or bow their head to protect the Throat chakra. You might even watch this type of person literally “swallow” their words. It’s as if the voice wants to speak up, but the words get stuck and nothing comes out.

When you lose your voice, consider that there might be something more going on than the common cold virus. People with blocked fifth chakras tend to be more vulnerable to colds, and their cold symptoms tend to settle in their throats. If you’ve lost your voice or have a sore throat, consider whether there is something you are not saying or some truth you are refusing to see. Perhaps the problem is that you haven’t been listening to someone, and your fifth chakra has intervened to make you stop talking so you can hear. Consider it a sign from your fifth chakra that something is awry in your communication system. Start by reviewing your texts and your social media posts and comments for clues to what might be amiss. (Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t drink a warm cup of tea and spend the whole day in bed!)

Healing a Blocked Throat Chakra

To learn how to heal and strengthen a blocked Throat chakra, we turned to one of Betsy’s colleagues, Joseph Mizelle, a licensed massage therapist, certified yoga teacher, and Reiki master and teacher who practices sound energy healing. Joseph has a beautiful voice and can make all kinds of amazing sounds, but his advice for people who need to unblock their fifth chakras is simple: sing (see Chapter 15). “Singing, humming, any kind of toning is activating and empowering for the fifth chakra,” Joseph says. “This chakra is about creative expression, and just making sound gives people the opportunity to get in touch with what they need to say in their lives.”

Don’t worry if you think you can’t carry a tune or you don’t like your voice. Learning how to use it is key to unblocking your Throat chakra and freeing up your communication energy.

Joseph also suggests meditating on the fifth chakra and asking the body: “What am I not saying that I need to be saying?”

Then, start singing and see what comes out. You might be surprised at how relevant it is.

You can also try some of these activities to open a blocked Throat chakra:

• Call a trusted friend to get together in person or on video chat and just talk. Be sure to listen, too.
• Eat blue foods like blueberries, blue corn chips, blue popcorn, and blue potatoes (naturally blue foods, not dyed foods!).
• Handwrite someone an old-fashioned letter. You don’t even have to send it. Just the physical act of writing it by hand will help open your Throat chakra.
• Play music. Stream your favorites, regardless of the musical genre. Close your eyes and soak up the sound.
• Play a drum, or just drum on a tabletop.
• Listen to a new podcast. Ask your friends and colleagues for their favorite podcasts, and give them a listen as well.
• Get a shoulder and neck massage.
• Recite these mantras:

• I say what I mean.
• I speak the truth.
• Everyone hears me.
• I hear others; I listen when they speak.
• I express myself openly and freely.

Joseph Mizelle, sound energy healer, says that when you randomly start singing a song, the song that comes to mind is indicative of your psyche. In other words, the songs you choose to sing for no apparent reason often hold messages for you. Whenever you get a song stuck in your head, stop for a minute and think about the words. What might they mean for you right now? Are they telling you what you aren’t saying by yourself? Are they expressing your current mood? Are they solving a problem you have? In many cases, the answer to one of these questions will be “yes.” That’s the power of sound and your fifth chakra at work.

Overload in the Throat Chakra

If your problem is that you talk too much, too loudly, or you say things that aren’t very considerate, you might have a Throat chakra overload. People with an overloaded Throat chakra have an entirely different kind of communication problem. They just can’t stop talking.

These people talk over others, interrupt, dominate conversations, and are definitely more likely to be waiting to talk rather than listening. These people also use their voices in ways that hurt others. They might say too much, be unable to keep secrets, gossip, or sometimes, even lie. We’ve all had times when we say more than we should have, but people with overloaded chakras do this chronically and have a very hard time controlling the problem.

Overloaded Throat Chakra Health Issues

An overloaded fifth chakra means there is too much energy in the throat. Physical signs of this can include hyperthyroidism (an overproduction of thyroid hormone); neck pain from being too flexible and wearing away cartilage between the vertebrae; and vocal nodes caused by talking, yelling, or singing too much. People who have to talk a lot in their professions can be prone to these problems, including professional singers, coaches, public speakers, and teachers.

Overloaded fifth chakras can also cause problems in the mouth, including tooth decay, tooth loss, cold sores, and canker sores.

Overloaded Throat Chakra Psychological Issues

When you have too much energy in your fifth chakra, you will tend to talk too much, talk too loudly, and interrupt. People with overloaded fifth chakras speak without thinking first. Because of this, their words often hurt others. Just because something is true doesn’t mean you have to say it. These people also tend to talk over others and aren’t able to stop talking long enough to listen.

The problem with an overloaded fifth chakra is the way in which it compromises relationships, personal power, emotions, and even safety. In other words, an overloaded fifth chakra puts the health of all the lower Earth-centered chakras at risk. When you talk without thinking or say everything you are thinking out loud, people begin to withdraw from you. It’s great to be able to express yourself, but you don’t have to express every single detail of yourself. What about everyone else? Would you want to hear them talk about what is coming out of your mouth? Would you really be interested? Sometimes, silence is golden.

As for the upper chakras, how can you focus on your inner voice if your outer voice never stops talking? In the same way that overloaded fifth chakra people need to back off a little bit and learn how to listen to others, they also need to learn how to listen to their own inner voices, which are quieter, but might have much more important things to say.

Eve has always been a talker, so it’s no surprise she grew up to be a writer. She’s had her fair share of chakra blocks, but her fifth chakra always seems to be wide open—maybe too open. When Eve was a child and her family went on car trips, they used to play the game “Who can stay quiet the longest?” While Eve thought this was a fun and exceptionally challenging game, she had no idea that her parents were just trying to get a few blessed moments of silence! Eve now has her own kids, and her youngest son is the same way. He loves to sit and talk, and talk, and talk … and that’s great! He’s very good at self-expression. However, Eve now finds herself proposing that same game on car trips ….

Healing an Overloaded Throat Chakra

Healing an overloaded Throat chakra means burning off some of that excess vibrational energy, but unlike the lower, more physical chakras, the solution isn’t exercise (except that if you are breathing hard enough, you probably can’t talk!). Instead, the solution is simple: silence.

Take a vow of silence, even for just one hour. Or why not try a whole day of silence? Of course, some people can’t be silent all day if they need to speak for their jobs or they have children. However, on a day when it could work, try it. Singers and performers call this “vocal rest.” Refusing to speak can be a transformative experience. You’ll begin to hear things you never knew existed. You can keep a pad of paper and a pen handy for emergencies, but try not to use them. Unplug the phone. No text messaging, social media posts, or even email—that’s cheating. Stop the words and see what else lives out there in the world.

Some other good strategies for healing an overloaded Throat chakra:

• Meditate on the sound of your breath, or just sit quietly and listen to the sounds of the room without making any noise yourself. See if you can go for five minutes. Try to do this every day.
• Practice waiting three seconds to respond to any question or comment someone makes. This three-second wait time can allow you a space to breathe and consider what is appropriate and kind to say, rather than whatever random thing comes into your head first.
• Do people sometimes tell you to lower your voice? Try telling yourself first. Start to become aware of the volume of your speaking voice relative to others. Can you dial it back?
• Practice listening like it’s a sport. Spend some time every day consciously listening to someone who is talking to you. Make sure you understand what they are really saying before you respond. Try repeating back what they said, like this: “So, what I understand you to be saying is ….” Rather than focusing your mental efforts on what you think of what they said, focus instead on what you think they think. (Got that?)

Yoga Poses to Balance the Throat Chakra

The best yoga poses for balancing both blocked and overloaded Throat chakras are those poses that physically open the neck, shoulders, and throat. Even an overloaded Throat chakra can get into better balance through throat-opening poses because these poses tone and strengthen the Throat chakra so it can better keep its normal shape. Think of it like a muscle that is either too tight or overstretched. Both can benefit from strength training.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

This pose opens both the chest and the throat, so it is perfect for fourth chakra, or Heart chakra and fifth chakra, or Throat chakra balancing.

1. Kneel on the floor with your knees about hip-width apart. If this hurts your knees, kneel on a folded blanket. Focus on keeping your tailbone pointing straight down. Rest your hands on your hips.
2. Inhale and relax, softening your body and mind. Exhale and release any fear or tension. On your next inhale, feel your side body, or the space between your waist and armpit, open and lengthen as your shoulder blades engage and come more onto your back body. (The anterior edges of your scapulae press in toward your backbone.) Your heart lifts in an expression of openness and gratitude. Move your upper inner thighs back; you will feel your buttocks begin to stick out slightly. From here, scoop your tailbone down toward the mat, and feel your belly tone.
3. Keeping your hips in line with your knees, exhale, and start to curve back. Your heart and chest begin to shine up toward the sky. Release your hands, stretch your arms down, and hold your heels. If you cannot reach your heels, rest your hands on your calves, or keep your hands on your hips, keeping the action of bending back and lifting the chest up.
4. Take your head back, if that’s comfortable, and breathe evenly. Stay here for 10 seconds to 1 minute, depending on what feels best to your body.

To come out, lead with your heart. Place your hands back on your hips; inhale and lift your torso from the heart, your head coming up last. After you are done, rest in Child’s pose (see Chapter 10) for up to one minute.

Jhalandara Bandha

Tone the Throat chakra with this yoga bandha. Bandhas are interior body locks used in yoga practice to help lock in and control the flow of prana life force energy in the body. Jhalandara bandha, in particular, is perfect for toning the Throat chakra. Here’s how to do it:

1. Sit in a cross-legged position on the floor. Relax.
2. Inhale so your lungs are about three-quarters full. Hold your breath and then drop your chin down and draw it back toward your throat. This locks the breath in.
3. Hold this position (and your breath) for a few seconds or as long as feels comfortable.
4. Raise your chin back to a normal position and exhale. Repeat a few times, working up to 16 repetitions.

Astrology for the Awakened Throat Chakra

Now, we’re going to look more closely at the astrological correspondences for the fifth, or Throat chakra. In Chapter 4, you learned:

• The planetary ruler for the Throat chakra is Mercury 5.
• The signs for the Throat chakra are Gemini T and Virgo I.

Planetary Ruler	Sign(s) Ruled
Mercury 5	Gemini T, Virgo I

Knowing the energy of the planet and signs that correspond to the Throat chakra helps you understand how to bring awakened fifth chakra truth through communication to life. Yoga uses throat-opening poses and poses that incorporate focus on the breath to nurture and tone the body’s instrument of speech. Astrology gives that spinning expression of truth a meaning and a purpose in your life. To see how chakra energy is expressed in your astrological birth chart, see Appendix A, where we’ll study the expression of the chakras in Michelle Obama’s birth chart. Transiting planetary energy in the Heavens also affects the way we feel and experience astrological cycles as we live through their influence here on Earth.

How Mercury 5 Awakens the Throat Chakra

Mercury 5 is one of astrology’s personal planets. Mercury 5 is the natural ruler of Gemini T and the third house of knowledge, logic, information collection and sharing, brothers and sisters, early education, and your immediate environment. Mercury 5 is also the natural ruler of Virgo I and the sixth house of service, personal responsibility, health maintenance, and a desire to be skilled and efficient. As a personal (also an inner) planet, Mercury 5 governs personal expression and core identity, your inner being.

Mercury 5 is the planet of mental acuity, speed of thought, communication, and intelligence. As the planet in charge of information, Mercury loves language in all its forms—from data, to mathematics, to the words we speak, to genetics. Mercury is all about transmitting information as well as listening to, processing, and understanding it. Mercury imbues the Throat chakra with an innate quickness of communication, spinning at the speed of truth to the quickening life force energy at the center of your being (and steadied by the compassionate balance of the Heart chakra below). A strong Mercury searches all the knowledge available to it, evaluating with a logical mind able to prioritize and balance at speed without spinning out of control.

How Gemini T Awakens the Throat Chakra

Gemini T with its yang, Air element energy is ruled by the quicksilver speed of messenger Mercury 5. Gemini’s twinned talent of seeing both sides of every idea suits Throat chakra’s questioning energy. Gemini knows when to speak the truth and when to listen hard to perceive it amidst all the noise of our Digital Age. The Throat chakra searches out intelligent Gemini’s strength of voice—whether through writing, singing, painting, or calculating. With Gemini’s influence awakened, Kundalini energy is channeled from the Heart chakra to spin with a mind that considers all its options and dares you to keep up, resting its truth on a balanced, centered heart.

How Virgo I Awakens the Throat Chakra

Virgo I with its yin, Earth element is ruled by the shrewd, considered thought merchant Mercury 5. Virgo’s relentless pursuit of sacred perfection suits the Throat chakra’s quest for knowledge. Virgo wants nothing more than to put what it learns to use in service—to family, community, and to the world. The Throat chakra seeks responsible Virgo’s appreciation of sacred patterns, its ability to see cycles and model outcomes. With Virgo’s influence awakened, Kundalini energy is channeled from the Heart chakra to spin a devotion to order, duty, efficiency, beauty, and sacred patterns of perfection.

Throat Chakra Rising

Quick-witted seeker Gemini T/Mercury 5 speaks out the truth that calls Kundalini energy to rise from the compassion of the Heart chakra to the sacred voice of the Throat chakra. That voice risks going unheeded without the orderly persistence of Virgo I/Mercury 5 to practice perfection in the performance of service to humankind. To give the Throat chakra its full and highest expression, the energy of both zodiac signs must be present. Once the swiftness of thought is coupled with a devotion to living its most sacred truth, the Throat chakra will activate.

Filled with the quest to learn and teach, to listen and speak, the Throat chakra spins as the Heart chakra provides the compassion that grounds knowledge with empathy. The life force rises to meet your wisdom in the sixth chakra, or Third Eye chakra.