in this post, we will be looking at the throat chakra, located at your shoulders & neck.

the 7-chakra system works both upward & downward. the upper chakras build on the lower chakras & send energy back down. the fifth stop along the spine, after the heart chakra, is the throat chakra. balancing your fifth chakra is essential for balance in all other chakras.

throat means truth, communication, self-expression, creativity & voice.

with your needs (first chakra) & desires (second chakra) balanced, your sense of self in the world (third chakra) established, and your connection to self & others cultivated (fourth chakra), your focus now turns to discovering your own inner truth and learning to express it with your own authentic voice. a balanced throat chakra can both speak & listen and knows when to say yes, and when to say no. the fifth chakra has a special connection to the second chakra, turning raw creativity into creative expression full of clarity and truth.

some signs of throat chakra imbalance include:

telling lies or keeping secrets
gossip and manipulation
fear of speaking one’s mind
feeling out of alignment with one’s truth
feeling out of touch with one’s creativity
feeling out of touch with one’s inner voice

the throat chakra is all about getting to know and using your voice in a way that connects you to your highest truth. a lot of the ways to balance your fifth chakra involve becoming more open & playful with your voice and diving into your creativity.

how do you open & express from the throat chakra?

practice speaking your truth. our balanced throat chakra goal is to speak honestly, from the heart. if you have trouble with this and find yourself either saying too little or saying too much, take note of your tendencies and look for little ways to break habits and practice new, healthier communication. try playing with humor, or grounding your body & taking a moment to breathe and process before speaking. there are so many ways to work on nurturing your authentic voice so give it love & explore! the more you practice, the easier speaking your truth will get.
sing!* singing is my favorite throat chakra activity because it so beautifully encapsulates the essence of creativity, expression, & communication central to this chakra. and you don’t need to be “good” at it to enjoy singing! you can sing in the shower, while you cook, or look for opportunities to perform or join choirs in your community. and always remember to warm up your voice** if you’re going to be singing for a while!
practice active listen. the throat chakra isn’t all about talking — it’s also about listening. practice using your ears with love & awareness when connecting with others. that way you can begin to understand their truth, even if it doesn’t perfectly match your own. you can also practice deep listening to your favorite music to activate this chakra!
have a craft night. although you might not have time for creative projects every day, set aside a night, with friends or on your own, to dive into something crafty. make collages, make jewelry, or knit while talking & listening to music to get some creative energy flowing in your life!
journal. we don’t just use our voices when we speak, we also use them when we write. you can get in touch with your inner voice through journaling — and don’t be afraid to get creative!
true blue. BLue is the color of the throat chakra, especially light blues & turquoise. add some blue to your surroundings & to your wardrobe to tap into the vibrations of the throat chakra. blue stones like kyanite, amazonite, turqouise, and lapis lazuli are all great options!

notes for singers:

*the fifth chakra is more than your throat — it’s your shoulders, neck, mouth, tongue, larynx, jaw, soft & hard palates, and ears. although every body part is involved in singing, these in particular parts have special roles to play. with practice, you can tune in to all of these areas and make sure they are relaxed and ready to vocalize! throat chakra health is essential for all of your lovely melodies.

**warming up your voice can be super easy & fun! you can use simple, gentle melodies, vocal sirens, scales, & more. I recommend adding movement to your warm ups as well! vocal warm ups are great throat chakra openers, even if you don’t plan on singing much that day.