Throat Chakra

There are 7 sacred energy centers in your body called the chakras.  Places where prana, or life force, freely flows.  Ideally, energy spirals upward from the base of your spine, passing through each of these centers in turn.  Each center connects with different parts of the body, different emotions, different periods of your life, etc.  It can spin sluggishly or too quickly, causing energy blockages or too much energy passing through.

Kundalini-style yoga helps balance the flow of energy through the chakras. 

I like to lay in Savasana after any yoga practice and take notice of how the energy is flowing through my body.  It often helps me recognize where energy is getting blocked and focus my intention on releasing the blockage.  

For me, it's easiest to notice my throat chakra.  Unspoken words, unacknowledged emotions, denied truth, all rest in your throat chakra.  

Today my son, N, was playing with his favorite cousin when a friend came over.  His cousin and his friend immediately hit it off and started playing together without realizing they were leaving N out.  This went on for most of the day; cousin and friend raucously playing with N tagging along behind.  Then the legos came out and emotions ran high as they argued over which one of them had the idea to build a transformer robot.  I could tell there was more behind N's frustration than just legos, and sure enough, after a few minutes he quietly left the room to go hide in a quiet spot with teary eyes.  I followed after him and asked, "Hey, are you okay?"  He was trying to hold in his tears and he pointed at his throat and said, "My neck just hurts here, Mom."  His throat chakra.  All the sadness, anger, loneliness, frustration he'd been feeling all day was literally stopping up his throat.  

We sat and talked for a few minutes and I encouraged him to try and say what he was feeling.  Mostly, I just tried to listen, to let him express those words and thoughts he was holding back all day long.  

When my father had cancer, my whole family spoke of him as if he was going to recover and get back to normal.  We prayed every day that he would make a full recovery.  We ignored his worsening state and focused on the few small bits of good news that came so few and far between.  After many, many months of this, my throat became scratchy and hoarse.  My throat felt swollen and tender.  It wasn't until I lay in Savasana noticing the energy flow in my body that I recognized the ball of tension in my throat chakra.  

I thought to myself, "What am I not saying?"  And instantly my father came to mind.  My father was dying.  Of course I didn't want this happen, and of course I wanted to manifest his recovery and send healing thoughts his way.  But the simple act of expressing that thought that I had been repressing for so very long dissolved the blockage.  The dull ache in my throat that seemed to always be present was gone.  I did not feel good; I did not like that statement.  But saying it was liberating.  My father was dying from cancer.  Nothing changed, but I was able to face the situation with a little more clarity.  I felt a little more grounded and peaceful with whatever may come.

My favorite poses for the throat chakra:

Fish Pose

Wheel

See more about the chakras at Bodhi Yoga--- there is an online workshop that's wonderful!