The Vishuddhi Chakra is located in the vicinity of the Larynx – and is therefore also known as the Throat Chakra. It is a center of physical and spiritual purification.
With the help of the Vishuddhi Chakra we can rid ourselves of the toxic substances that are absorbed from the environment, as well as mental impurities. An important and life-supporting function of the Chakra is the purification and detoxification of harmful substances that accumulate in the body and primarily come from the food we eat and the air we breathe. This detoxification is brought about by Udāna Prāna, which has its seat in the throat. Udāna Prāna enables us to swallow. The food that is broken down by saliva is purified of toxic substances by this Prāna and is then passed on to the digestive system. An active Vishuddhi Chakra united with a strong Udāna Prāna contributes substantially to the preservation of health.
It is not just the external world that is extremely polluted, but also the psyche and consciousness of many people. For as long as the pernicious, toxic qualities of discord, rivalry, envy and resentment eat away at our mind, the light of God consciousness cannot shine through.
The Vishuddhi Chakra is a place of purification and balancing. The breath that flows through the throat, and therefore through this Chakra, plays a big role in this. The Yoga technique of Prānāyāma (conscious guidance and regulation of the breath) exerts a strong influence on the Vishuddhi Chakra, at both the physical and astral levels.
Through the power of the breath (Prāna Shakti) in the Vishuddhi Chakra harmful residues are removed from the body on a physical level, and in the mental sphere the thoughts emotions, consciousness and subconscious are purified and harmonised.
We spit out hurtful words, mean thoughts and bad behaviour, and swallow bad treatment, insults, doubts and complexes. Both infect our consciousness and subconscious. Numerous psychic disturbances are a result of things we have swallowed. We undergo our first formative experiences in the womb. There are many things we must digest in the course of our life, many things “to swallow”. In childhood we are unable to express many emotions due to fear or helplessness. Much of that which still causes us difficulty today has been bottled up within us from this time. How are we able to cope with the disappointments and insults that we have experienced in the past, particularly in childhood?
Here are three things to think about which may help you with this:
- Trust that every experience in life has its sense and goodness.
- Visualise your situation in those days. You felt yourself dependent, unable to control situations and not free.
- Make yourself aware that you are now grown-up and free, and the situation of those days no longer has validity.
If one merely cuts a weed and doesn’t pull its roots out, it will immediately grow again. When we raise our problems into the Vishuddhi Chakra we then have the option to encapsulate them and either push them back into the subconscious again or free ourselves from them forever. The final inner healing is only possible through realisation and knowledge (Gyāna).
In the Vishuddhi Chakra we are challenged to reflect on our situation in life and to put the following questions to ourselves: “What do I want to realise? What obstacles need to be overcome to realise this? What problems are confronting me and how can I resolve them?” Through meditation we attain clarity about ourself and our innermost desires and motives. We often prevent the resolution of our problems through our own prejudice and our own fixed or one-sided thinking patterns. Through MANANA (reflection) and meditation we can find possibilities for the resolution of issues that we were unable to discover before.
Therefore, do not be afraid and risk the journey of discovery into your own self. Do not shy away from the sediment that appears with a little “stirring” of your psyche. You are that which you would like to experience – you are that which you would like to realise – you are that which you would like to know. You are everything – but you are constantly running away from yourself. Do not allow yourself to be put off by obstacles, or deceive yourself – raise everything from within to the light of consciousness; both nectar and poison. Purify the harmful substances in the Vishuddhi Chakra and realise your beautiful inner powers. Make your life in this world a light in the darkness.
Every thought, every emotion, should be filtered and purified by consciousness and clarity. In the lower Chakras we are led predominantly by our emotions; the real dawning of consciousness begins first in the Vishuddhi Chakra. In this Chakra we begin to articulate our emotions and desires and, at the same time, also learn how to control them.
A saint once said:
“Do not break the ribbon of love because of a triviality. For once torn it is never again one – a knot always remains.”
Such knots, divisions, scars and wounds are endemic within our modern society, in which traditional family and partner relationships are breading down at a growing rate. How can we avoid such wounding? When we forgive, understand and give. Understanding and giving are the two wings of a bird that allows it to fly high into the sky. Understand the feelings, the pain and the life of all living things. Give forgiveness, freedom, clarity, justice, love, devotion, warmth, protection, help and good thoughts.
When we have experienced something that we are inwardly unable to handle, the experience continues to ferment in the subconscious. Until our wisdom is fully developed we are unable to rid ourselves of it. Physical symptoms of a blocked Vishuddhi Chakra are an unnatural reddening of the face, an itchy rash, frequent colds (particularly sore throat and hoarseness), abdominal cramp and digestive problems. Or the Shakti (energy) of the suppressed emotions can express itself explosively at the first opportunity in an outburst of rage or tears.
However, we can learn to manage without “explosions” when we develop patience. The process of maturation in the Vishuddhi Chakra governs the aptitude for patience. Through Prānāyāma and Āsanas that have an effect on the Vishuddhi Chakra we can quieten the thoughts and emotions and bring them into harmony. In this way we protect ourselves from rash actions and prevent our words being like knives or arrows and injuring others.
The Vishuddhi Chakra is the gate through which we are able to raise our consciousness to a higher level. It is the border between the physical and astral levels, between consciousness and superconsciousness. When we cross it the ascent to the realm of wisdom and clarity of consciousness opens up before us.
Quatatioms & Art from the book “Hidden Powers in Human – Kundalini and Chakras” by Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda. © Yoga in Daily Life – The System.
Full Chapter on Manipura Chakra here: https://www.chakras.net/energy-centers/manipura
Featured Image Art: Baruska A Michalcikova
