Balancing the Throat Chakra

What is the Throat Chakra?

The throat chakra, also known as vishudda, is the fifth of the body’s energy centers. (Check out this post for info on the first chakra and how to balance it.) When it’s balanced, we speak confidently and feel free to express ourselves. We can also easily communicate with others and listen to what they have to say.

This chakra is located within the upper abdomen and is represented by the color blue. The energy it brings leads to it being associated with sound. The throat chakra is also linked to the thyroid.

How to Tell if Your Throat Chakra is Unbalanced

If you’re not sure if your throat chakra is balanced, try asking yourself these questions:

Do I have a hard time expressing my needs?
Do others seem to misunderstand me often?
Do I find it hard to say “no”?
Is it hard for me to express myself?
Do I struggle with negative thinking?
Do I experience a lot of neck or jaw pain?
Do I have a hard time listening to what others have to say?
Do I frequently talk just for the sake of talking?
Do I struggle to set boundaries?
Do I like to gossip?
Am I resistant to speaking honestly and from my heart?
Do I have a hard time letting others speak without interrupting them?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your throat chakra might be unbalanced.

An unbalanced throat chakra has also been associated with certain health conditions, such as laryngitis, thyroid dysfunction, sore throat, dental problems, asthma, and upper respiratory infections.

How do I fix it?

If you’ve read this far and decided that you seem to be in pretty good shape, that’s great! Consider reading the rest of this article anyway for tips on staying in balance.

However, if you’re relating to this article a little too much and think you might have an unbalanced chakra, don’t fret! A few small lifestyle changes are enough to bring you into balance again.

Diet

While you should always consult a doctor before making any dietary changes, you don’t have to do anything drastic to support this chakra. This diet doesn’t involve cutting out carbs or counting calories. Instead, this change is so simple that it almost sounds a little silly.

Are you ready?

The throat chakra is represented by the color blue, so to balance it, you need to consume more blue foods. This includes blueberries, elderberries, licorice, blackberries, grapes, and plums. You’ll also want to increase your liquid intake. This can include blueberry smoothies, water, soups and broths, and herbal tea.

Exercise

While I personally enjoy high-intensity forms of exercise, the best form of exercise for balancing chakras is yoga. For the throat chakra specifically, you’ll want to focus on poses that open and stimulate the throat area. Try incorporating some of the following into your practice:

If you don’t currently have a practice, you might consider taking an online class. I’m also currently working on a series of yoga flows to balance the entire chakra system, so check back soon for the throat chakra flow.

Affirmations

Affirmations are great for healing all sorts of issues whether they are physical, mental, or spiritual. You can use them as a focus during meditation or yoga. Writing them in a gratitude journal also works well. For confidence and passion, try one of these:

I express myself truthfully.
I communicate easily with others.
Speaking my truth is an act of self-love.
My thoughts and words are always positive.
I communicate honestly.
I honor my authentic self by speaking my truth.
I listen with compassion.
I am courageous in my self-expression
I let go of the need to seek approval and trust in the value of my unique perspective.

One last thing that I find helpful is swearing. It sounds ridiculous, but there’s this idea within the spiritual community that you can’t be spiritual if you swear. That’s not true! Putting restraints on our language actually creates restrictions with the throat chakra. I’m not saying you have to curse like a sailor, but a well-placed F-bomb can do wonders for balancing this chakra.

Did you try any of these ideas? If you did, or if you have any tips I should try, drop them in the comments below!