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The fifth chakra is the throat chakra, also known as the Vishudda chakra, and it stands for pure or purification. This chakra is represented by an azure lotus that has 16 petals. In the middle of the lotus is a circle containing a downward-pointing triangle, within which another circle is inscribed.
The throat chakra is vitally important for communication, creativity, and self-expression. When this chakra is out of harmony, you may experience difficulty speaking clearly.
If the throat chakra is blocked or out of balance, you may experience fear sharing your inner truth and have difficulty expressing your opinions. You may experience emotional outbursts or the opposite: extreme silence or refusal to speak.
Emotionally, people with throat chakra imbalance may be highly critical or themselves or others. Physically they may experience a raspy throat, mouth ulcers, gum diseases, and thyroid challenges.
In this article, we will look at some yoga poses that can help you balance your throat chakra.
Yoga Poses to Open Throat Chakra
Check out the following six yoga poses to help open your throat chakra.
1) Balasana
This restorative yoga pose alleviates neck strain and soreness, which can contribute to throat chakra blockages.
Instructions:
- Exhale and lower your hips so that they rest on your heels, leaving your toes untucked so that the top of your feet are flat on the floor.
- Gently flex your torso forward; hinge at the hips, and place your forehead on the ground.
- The sit bones should continue to rest on your heels, and the arms should remain by the sides.
- Remain in this position for at least five minutes while breathing deeply and actively pressing your stomach towards the floor.
- Relax the facial muscles, particularly the jaw and forehead.
2) Cat Cow Pose
This fluid stance helps enhance mobility and flexibility in the core, shoulders, and spine by focusing the breath. It also involves a slight stretch of the neck as the head is moved up and down, which helps release tension in the throat chakra.
Instructions:
- Start off in the tabletop position. Ensure that your wrists are just beneath your shoulders and that your knees are beneath your hips.
- Inhale as you lower your core and lift your head, and exhale as you tuck your head and circle your spine towards the ceiling.
- Start by holding the stance for one to three minutes.
- As you feel your spine loosening and becoming more supple, increase the speed of your cat-cow transitions.
3) Fish Pose
The fish pose focuses on opening up the neck and connection to breath. Due to the nature of the pose, you may truly focus on energizing the throat chakra as your body lies exposed to the sky.
Instructions:
- Raise through your navel while creating space between your lower spine and the mat. Your head should remain in place, touching the mat below.
- Be careful to not put pressure on your head. Instead, exert force through your palms.
- Extend your head in a slight backward tilt to generate space in the throat for expansive breathing.
- Remain for five breaths before returning softly to a state of total body relaxation on the mat.
4) Cobra Pose
The cobra pose requires you to link your bottom body to your mat as you lift your upper body and spread it open. Adding this pose to your practice can deepen your breathing, free up space in the front of your body, and spark the energy within as a way to connect to the throat chakra.
Instructions:
- Simply lie down on the yoga mat, and press your hands into the ground.
- Lead with your head as you push your upper body off the mat by lifting your head.
- Concentrate on elongating your neck while your shoulders drop, generating space between your chin and chest.
- Take a few moments for thorough breathing in and out.
5) Camel Pose
The camel pose promotes confidence and self-empowerment. This energizing position represents the opening of the throat chakra by stretching and elongating the front of the body.
Instructions:
- Beginning in a kneeling position, stretch your arms back towards your toes while bending slightly backward.
- Raise your head through the heart space while lifting your chest.
- Stretch your neck as you let your head to fall back, and gaze upwards.
- Remain in this position for a few deep breaths, focusing on the space between your chin and chest and the throat chakra.
6) Shoulder Stand Pose
This pose is excellent for stimulating the thyroid gland and opening the throat chakra.
Instructions:
- The aim is to allow the chest to open up and prevent the body's weight from dropping on the neck and shoulders.
- Place blankets and yoga blocks beneath your back and glutes; stretch your legs up a wall, and rest on it for as long as necessary.
- Interlace your fingers, and roll your shoulders underneath you while pressing your hands firmly into the ground to support your shoulders.
- Raise your legs off of the wall, and maintain balance for one minute.
- Gradually you may increase the duration of the stance to between 5-10 minutes.
Takeaway
Performing the aforementioned yoga poses can help open your throat chakra and improve your self-expression as well as communication.
For more yoga poses, check out our articles on relaxing yoga poses to create an ideal evening routine, yoga asanas for comfort and nourishment, yoga poses to balance your root chakra, and more.
