A Moment for Meditation

The 5th Chakra

As I mentioned in the previous columns, when doing any chakra work, it is imperative to keep yourself grounded. While you can use any grounding exercise that you prefer, I have always used this one in my chakra classes:

**Stand up, grip toes to the ground, long deep breathing, visualize your roots going deep into Mother Earth, keeping you grounded and centered. Inhale and bring the earth energy up to the base of your spine; exhale and let the energy return to the Earth. With each inhale, receive healing energy from the Earth; with each exhale, release all negativity. This will not hurt Mother Earth, as long as it is done for healing and revitalization. Activate your feelings of consciousness and open yourself up to the limitless possibilities surrounding you.**

*From my 7-Week Chakra Course*

(Photo Credit: synchromysticsmforum.com)

The Fifth Chakra is also called the Throat Chakra. It’s name in Sanskrit is Visuddha, which means *pure or purification*. It is located right at your throat. This chakra is all about TRUTH. The color of this chakra is blue; it’s element is the Ether/Spirit and it is considered a “masculine” chakra.

The Fifth Chakra is the balance between your heart and your head. It is the gateway to the higher levels of consciousness. This chakra is all about communicating with one’s self and others, creating connection, being heard and being understood. One of the best ways to open the throat chakra is through mantra. Mantra is sound that sets up a vibration and helps to liberate us from unwanted thoughts. Chanting and singing makes us happy; it is the song of the spirit/soul. (Please see my previous column on Mantra – https://paganpages.org/emagazine/2015/01/a-moment-for-meditation-5/)

When this chakra is balanced and functioning properly, you are able to fully communicate with others; you are able to also comprehend when others speak. You are confident, clear and focused. You may find yourself being an inspiration to others, being able to educate and elevate through speaking the truth, honestly and openly.

Conversely, if this chakra is unbalanced, you may find yourself unwilling or incapable of speaking the truth, as you are unable to connect to it. You may be afraid of communicating and unable to accurately express yourself.

A wonderful breath exercise for this chakra is *Dog Breath*, not the most wonderful of names, but accurate. This healing exercise will help to cleanse the toxins from your throat; helping to clear out lies of the past and leave you able to speak your truth, as you see it:

Sit with your mouth open and extend your tongue as

far out as it will go and begin to pant rapidly, like a dog

would do (hence, the name). Pant deeply putting your

lungs and navel into it. Move your navel with the breath, so it

is as if your are pumping your belly.

Do for 3 minutes

(From The Eight Human Talents by Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa)

Any exercise where you put a stretch on the throat will strengthen this chakra. You can try standing, bringing your hands straight up over your head, clasping the palms together. Inhale and begin to gently do a back bend, stretching the throat. Exhale the breath and you come back to the standing straight position. Do this for at least 3 minutes, with powerful breath.

Rolling your neck (gently) in a circular motion, or in a figure-8, is beneficial, as is Cobra Pose:

(Photo Credit: tinareale.com)

Additionally, for this chakra, you can do the following breath visualization meditation:

**Lie on your back. Close your eyes. Breathe low and deep. Visualize that you are lying under a beautiful blue sky. Watch the clouds as they pass. Feel that beautiful blue coming down, surrounding you, surrounding your spirit. Stretch your consciousness up into that blueness, and then beyond, into space. Feel yourself amongst the stars, continuing to reach out with your consciousness. You are one among the stars. Feel the universe enveloping you, filling you with peace and contentment. When you are finished, start to slowly bring yourself back, bringing with you that feeling of peace.**

(*From my 7-Week Chakra Course*)

After the meditation, continue to lie down on the floor and relax for at least five minutes or alternately, sit quietly with a relaxed breath. Stretch your arms up toward to ceiling several times before moving.

(Photo Credit: chakralover.com)

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected]

Until next month, when we continue with the Sixth Chakra, I wish you peace, joy and happiness.