Exercising for Your Throat Chakra

"Vibrating Into Expression"

Our fifth chakra is located at our throat.  Here is where our attention moves away from things easily seen, such as form, movement, activity, and relationships; all things found in the lower chakras move towards the throat chakra's etheric level. We bring our attention to the realm of vibrations, sound, communication, and creativity.

The vibrations we encounter each day bombard us. We often talk about air, water, and earth pollution. We pay little attention to sound pollution. Unable to close our ears, this is pollution against which we have very little defense. If you live in an urban area, you are constantly exposed to the sounds of highways, stereos, sirens, barking dogs, and the list goes on. It's not just these raw sounds that bombard us. We are also hungry for truth, so we find ourselves listening to news broadcasts obsessed with violence and death, sensationalist stories designed to fill the already agitated mind.

How can we hear our own unique vibration in a world defined by the roars of civilization?  In the subtle realm of the fifth chakra, we can find the quiet necessary to listen to the truth within.  In taking the time to be still, we can truly listen to ourselves.  Active listening to others (listening without planning our comments, suggestions, arguments, or judgments) is a great tool to help balance your 5th chakra.

Communication is the essential function of the fifth chakra. The throat chakra is the internal gateway between mind and body. When the mind and body are not congruent, then there is a tendency to throw the head out of alignment with the body. We then build up neck muscle tension through misalignment as well as life's stresses. Below you will find tools to help you keep this relationship between the head, neck, and body in perfect harmony.

HELPFUL TERMS:

"Flashlights" - When seated, you need to be aware of the placement of your pelvis and your hips. Pay attention to where your "flashlights" are aiming. Let me explain what I mean by flashlights. Concerning your pelvis, you want to imagine you have flashlights on your sitz bones. If your pelvis is in an anterior tilt, your flashlights will be shining out behind you. If your pelvis is in a posterior tilt, your flashlights are shining out in front of you. If your pelvis is neutral, then your flashlights are shining straight below you. Therefore, it is essential always to be aware of where your flashlights are shining.

"Bamboo Stick Spine" - When you visualize your spine, think about a bamboo stick. It is long, strong, and pliable. It is not rigid.

Posture Check:

When checking your posture, make sure you are always creating space in your body, no matter if you are seated, standing, or lying down. You can create space by having oppositional reach in the body. You want to have the lower part of the body reaching down into the earth, and the upper part of the body reaching into the sky. You can find this opposition whether you are seated or standing. 

In standing, the origin of opposition is in the pelvis.  Visualize the sitz bones, and imagine that everything below is reaching into the earth. In opposition, the lower belly and everything above it are reaching up into the sky.

In a seated position, the origin of opposition is the same as standing. Visualize the sitz bones as now reaching into your chair, and the low belly and above as reaching up into the sky. Always make sure your “flashlights” are shining straight towards the ground.

Lengthening of the Neck:

Position: 

Sit upright on the front edge of a chair, making sure you are right on top of your sitz bones. Begin with your flashlights shining straight down to the floor. Have your arms hanging along your sides.

Movement: 

When lengthening your neck, visualize that your neck is like a pencil.  You are long through the lead of the pencil as well as the entire yellow sides of the pencil. Relax your shoulders down and lengthen the neck by reaching up through the crown of your head. The oppositional reach gives the neck a feeling of getting narrower and more prolonged.

Figure 8 the Neck:

Position: 

Sit upright on the front edge of a chair, making sure you are right on top of your sitz bones. Begin with your flashlights shining straight down to the floor. Have your arms hanging along your sides.

Movement: 

Keep the visualization that your neck is long and narrow, and begin moving your neck in a figure 8 position. Inhale and tilt your spine forward and diagonally towards the right ear. Exhale, continue around the right side of the skull, tilting the spine back and returning to the center.  Inhale and tilt the spine forward and diagonally towards the left ear. Exhale, continue around the left side of the skull, tilting the spine back and then returning to the center.  Continue to move in this Figure 8 motion several times in one direction and then reverse and repeat in the other direction.

Side Bend with Ear Lift:

Position: 

Sit upright on the front edge of a chair, making sure you are right on top of your sitz bones. Begin with your flashlights shining straight down to the floor. Have your arms hanging along your sides.

Movement: 

Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale and reach your left ear up to the ceiling while you are pressing your shoulders down.  Inhale and return to an upright position. Exhale and reach your right ear up the ceiling, continuing to press the shoulders down. Inhale and return to the upright position. Repeat this several times alternating sides.

Saying "Yes":

Position: 

Sit upright on the front edge of a chair, making sure you are right on top of your sitz bones. Begin with your flashlights shining straight down to the floor. Have your arms hanging along your sides.

Movement: 

Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale, bring your chin to your chest while you move your Adam's apple back towards your spine. Inhale and return to the starting upright position. Exhale and begin to look up, visualizing you are keeping the back of your neck long.  Inhale and return to the starting upright position.

Saying "No":

Position: 

Sit upright on the front edge of a chair, making sure you are right on top of your sitz bones. Begin with your flashlights shining straight down to the floor. Have your arms hanging along your sides.

Movement: 

Inhale and sit up tall. Exhale, look over your right shoulder keeping your sight line on the horizon. Inhale and return to the starting position looking forward. Exhale and look over your left shoulder, keeping your sight line on the horizon. Inhale and return to the starting position looking forward. Repeat this several times side to side. Make sure you are keeping your shoulders down as you rotate your head from side to side. 

Scalene Stretch:

Position: 

Sit upright on the front edge of a chair, making sure you are right on top of your sitz bones. Begin with your flashlights shining straight down to the floor.

Movement: 

Place your fingertips on your left clavicle. Look right and diagonally up, looking away from your hands. At the same time, push into your skin with your fingertips and pull the skin down. You should feel a stretch along the left side of the neck into the left jawline.  You can also move your jaw from side to side to increase the stretch. Repeat this on the other side.

Pushing head back into the hands:

Position: 

Sit upright on the front edge of a chair, making sure you are right on top of your sitz bones. Begin with your flashlights shining straight down to the floor. Place both hands behind your head.

Movement: 

Inhale and sit up tall.  Exhale and press your head back into your hands; at the same time, create a small resistance by pushing your hands back into your head. Check your posture to ensure your abdominal muscles have turned on and you are not extending your spine backward. Do this several times making sure to keep your shoulders down your back.

Prone Upper Body Lift:

Position: 

Lie prone (on your stomach) with the forehead rested on the back of your hands, using your hands as a pillow.

Movement: 

Inhale to prepare. Exhale, draw your scapulas down your back, press down into your pubic bone and lower ribs, and float your upper back, head, and hands off the floor, keeping your eyes on the floor. Hold this for an entire breath cycle and then return to your starting position. Repeat this several times, increasing the number of breaths you stay up.

Now that we have the tools to help our neck become long and supple, we must pay great attention to it.  Not only do you need to do these exercises and stretches, but you must also check in with yourself many times a day. Check your posture and listen to your body. If you are experiencing any tension or pain, your body is talking to you.  It might be time to take a break and do your stretches.