Location: At the base of the throat
in front, cervical neck area in
back
Spinal Nerve Plexus: Cervical spinal ganglion (pharyngeal plexus)
Glands: Thyroid, Parathyroid
Body Parts: Throat, mouth, larynx, ears, neck, shoulders, arms, hands
Sanskrit Name: Visuddha
Element: Sound/Vibration
Color Vibration: Sky Blue
Keynote Vibration: G
Focus: Communication, creative expression;
synthesis of ideas into
symbols
Stones: turquoise, aquamarine, blue topaz, other light blue stones
Incense: frankincense, benzoin
Foods: fruits
Affirmations: I speak; I hear; I communicate; I express
Disorders: Thyroid disorders (Grave's
Disease, Myxedema), Parathyroid
disorders (Calcium levels in blood), vocal cord
disorders (laryngitis,
polyps, frozen cords), throat and mouth cancers,
hearing disorders and
ear infections, canker sores, dental problems,
sore throat, popping or
ringing in ears, carpal tunnel, tight/sore neck
& shoulders, Reynaud's
Disease (numb, cold hands), colds & sinus
problems, tendency to whine,
scream, curse, or otherwise verbally abuse self
and others using words
or sounds; or conversely, to "clam up" and repress
speech
Communication is vital to the proper functioning
of the body as well
as interaction with other beings and the environment.
Full
communication requires three parts: input, output,
and processing. A
block at any level of communication may result
in a physical or
emotional disorder at the throat chakra level.
Even mild frustration
can lead to a harmful communication problem,
such as yelling or
sarcasm. If these problems persist or are sublimated/internalized,
physical problems of the neck/throat, arms/hands
and sinuses/ears can
occur.
In order to keep the throat chakra functioning
well, be conscious of
the tightness of the throat and neck; take time
to focus on relaxing
these areas, especially before attempting communication
with others.
Humming or toning helps with this process. Stretch
the arms, roll the
shoulders and neck. Try not to abuse your ears
with cacophanous noise;
if you work in a loud environment, use your ear
protection. Count to
ten to give your mind a moment to focus on input
before immediately
allowing your mouth or hands to deliver output.
You will find that you
will be getting better quality of responses because
your words and
actions will be more considered and polished.
If you are truly having
problems with this issue, you might consider
taking a class in drama,
speech, dance, tai chi, qi gong or yoga. Patience
is a learned skill
that is important at this level.
And most importantly, know that others may not
be as conscious or as
courteous as you with communication skills. Be
patient and attempt to
hear what they are truly saying, rather than
how they are saying it.
Our greatest flaw in communication is jumping
to conclusions and
taking offense before knowing what others are
attempting to express.
If the person's tone is offensive, we tend to
ignore the words.
This is the key difference between "hearing" and "listening".
In the past, women and children were not encouraged
to speak, and if
you will notice, many of the disorders at this
level are common to
women. There is no need for this to persist now,
if we learn to feel
confident, patient and strong in our communication
skills. We can
express what we need. We can hear and respond
to the needs of others.
We can sing, and hug, and laugh, and listen.
Just like the blue sky,
our possibilities are endless.
Animals associated with the throat chakra in East
Indian tradition are
the elephant, the bull, and the lion.
These materials copyright Caroline Gutierrez Abreu, 2000