We are now at the final post of our Chakra Series, which is our Seventh chakra, or Crown Chakra. The Sanskrit name for the crown chakra is “Sahasrara” which means “thousandfold.” This chakra is located at the top of the head, and when working with […]
We are almost to the end of our Chakra Series! Today’s post is all about The Third Eye. The Third eye Chakra, also called Ajna in Sanskrit, means “to perceive” or “To Know.” This chakra is located above and between the eyebrows. This is […]
Today we continue with our Chakra Series with our 5thChakra, which is located at the throat. In Sanskrit this chakra is referred to as the “Vishuddha” which means “Purification.” When working with this chakra we are looking to purify our intention in regard to speech and communication. We learn to choose words that bring value and meaning, not just empty chit chat. To reach a pure form of truthful communication, we must first work our way through the previous four chakras, so our throat chakra can fully open, and we are free to speak to productively express ourselves. This chakra is all about personal expression combined with responsibility.
Location- Base of neck/throat
Name and Meaning- Vishuddha/Purification
Associated Color- Blue
Main Issue- Communication/ Self expression
Glandular connection- Thyroid/ Parathyroid
Associated body parts- Mouth, Throat, ears
Element and ruling planet- Ether/Mercury
Astrological associations-Gemini, Virgo
Associated Sense- Sound/ Hearing
Fragrances/Incense/Oils-Chamomile/Myrrh
Crystals-Lapis Lazuli/Turquoise/Aquamarine
Animals and Archtypes- elephant, Bull, /communicator, Masked Self
Physical Dysfunctions- Sore throats, neckache, thyroid problems, tinnitus, asthma
Emotional Dysfunctions- perfectionism, inability to express emotions, blocked creativity
Sacramental associations- Confession
Foods- Fruit
Developmental age & Life Lesson- 28-35 yrs/ Personal expression
What is the current status of your throat chakra? Is it too open? Too closed? Or is it spinning in harmony? Here are the symptoms of each….
Too Open- If your chakra spins too fast you may be over-talkative, dogmatic, self-righteous, or arrogant
Blocked or closed- If your chakra spins sluggishly or not at all you may find yourself holding back from self expression, unreliable, or holding inconsistent views.
A Balanced Chakra- which spins at the correct speed will make one a good communicator, contented, easy to meditate, and artistically inspired.
The two archetypes associated with the throat chakra are the communicator and the masked self. When our throat chakra is out of balance one “masks” their true self. They are incapable of openly and honestly expressing themselves. In contrast the balanced individual will be excellent communicators. They “walk their talk” and they know how to express themselves with amazing clarity and purpose.
As mentioned in our other chakra posts, I use an app called “Insight Timer.” If you are interested in some throat chakra meditations, here are a few that are available on the app….
I hope you are enjoying our chakra series. Our next post will be on the Third Eye Chakra.
Getting to the “heart” of things…. Continuing on with our Chakra series, today we will be discussing the “Anahata” or Heart Chakra. This chakra is our 4thchakra, and is located at the center of our being…the heart. The heart chakra lingers between the two worlds […]
30 Day HIIT and Mini Band Challenge The challenge- Today we are going to share with you something we have wanted to do for a long time; A fitness challenge! We wanted this challenge to be one that everyone can take part in, and that […]
We are continuing our chakra series today by discussing the 3rdchakra, or solar plexus chakra. If you didn’t read our root chakra or sacral chakra posts, you can check them out here, and here.
In Sanskrit the solar plexus chakra is called the manipura, which translates to “lustrous gem”. This chakra is all about the power of being an individual, and celebration of our uniqueness, while simultaneously continuing on with our connection to all of humanity. The 3rdchakra also relates to self will.
Sanskrit name and meaning- Manipura/lustrous gem
Location on the body- between navel & base of sternum
Associated color-Yellow
Main issue- personal power/self will
Glandular connection- pancreas
Associated body parts- digestive system/muscles
Element and ruling planet- fire/mars&sun
Astrological associations- Aries/Leo
Associated sense- sight
Fragrances/incense/oils- vetivert/ylang ylang/ bergamot
Crystals- aventurine/quartz/sunstone/yellow citrine
Animals and archtypes- ram/spiritual warrior/drudge
Physical dysfunctions- stomach ulcers/digestive problems/ chronic fatigue/allergies/ diabetes
Emotional dysfunctions-oversensitive to criticism/ need to be in control/ low self esteem
Sacramental association- confirmation
Foods- complex carbohydrates
Developmental age and life lesson- 14-21 years/self esteem/ self confidence
When working regularly with our solar plexus chakra, we strive to attain a balanced self-esteem, and achieve true personal power*. When we strengthen this chakra we will attain a level in which we can easily shake off the fears of rejection, and criticism. We can easily stand alone. We create our own unique identity, in which we accept who we are, and attain a high level of self respect. We become courageous; We have the ability to take risks. We accept the challenges we face with confidence because we know can handle them due to our keen knowledge of our own personal strength.
Being aware of how our chakras “spin” will determine what actions we need to take in working with our energy centers.
3rdchakra is “too open” or spins to fast- we become angry, controlling, workaholic, judgmental and act superior to others.
3rdchakra is “blocked” or spins sluggishly or not at all- we become overly concerned with what others think, fearful of being alone, insecure, or need constant reassurance.
3rdchakra is “balanced” or maintains equilibrium and spins at correct vibrational speed- we respect self and others, we have personal power, we are spontaneous, and uninhibited.
Note* when we refer to “power” or “personal power” here, we are not referring to to the type that is aggressive or controlling. Instead this refers to the ability to acknowledge differences, but transcend challenges of polarity connected with the sacral chakra (2ndchakra) to achieve a new point of balance. Working on this chakra helps to bridge differences to accomplish wholeness. (Simpson)
As I stated in our root chakra post, if you would like to learn more about your chakras, and see examples, as well as exercises to strengthen all your chakras, check out the Book of Chakra Healing by Liz Simpson. It’s a good starting point in which to begin learning about this amazing system of health and wellbeing.
If you read our post on meditation (here) there is an app I use twice daily called “insight timer” On it there are some great chakra meditations. Here are a few of my favorites…
As always, I hope this post sparked an interest in you to learn more about chakras. In our next post we will cover the heart chakra (4thchakra).
Thank you for joining us here! Until next time….
This week in our Chakra Series, we will be discussing the svadhisthana chakra, or sacral chakra. If you missed our first post on the 1stchakra or root chakra, please go read it now here. In the root chakra post I suggest a great book to […]
THE ROOT CHAKRA Back in February I wrote about how meditation had changed my life for the better (Click here to read). Today I am going to share with you my favorite type of meditation focus-The chakras. According to Liz Simpson, the author of ‘The […]
Meditation practice is on the rise these days, and everyone from seniors to children are giving it a go! This really comes as no surprise. Life isn’t always easy with the constant stress, deadlines, and traffic….not to mention the absolute absurdity that is thrown at us constantly from various media sources. We all deserve to distress, unwind, and to achieve a level of calm and serenity. Meditation is the key to achieving this goal. Meditation enhances physical and emotional well being. It’s a wonderful and free “mind-body complementary medicine” according the Mayo Clinic, and I have to say I agree. The best part of this medicine, is the positive side effects it brings! I know since I have started my meditation practice, it has changed my life for the better, and it can change yours too! Before I get into how it has changed me, lets take a look at what health benefits it can deliver….
Meditation can help with emotional well being, as well as illness. Some of the emotional well being benefits are:
Meditation a can also be great for those suffering from illnesses. They can enhance your health, and boost any treatments or protocols you are currently following. Some illnesses it can help with are:
There is no real wrong way to meditate, so if the thought of giving it a try stresses you out because you area afraid you might do it incorrectly…don’t worry! There are several ways to engage your mind in meditation. Some types of meditation include:
As you can see there are many types,(a description of each HERE) so there is something for everyone! Some are active, some you can sit, some you are laying down….you can even practice meditation while walking, running, or riding a bike!
The first thing I learned was acceptance of my current state. some people might get frustrated when they first start but that is ok! Don’t give up! Accept where you are in your journey. Meditation is all about letting go of what you no longer need, and this doesn’t happen all at once.
Meditation has definitely surprised me. I knew it would bring relaxation when I was feeling stressed, but I had no idea it would bring about a chain of events that has changed me for the better. I am not only more calm, but I don’t get upset as quickly as I used to. I am slowly learning to “let thoughts pass without judgement” and my heart feels lighter. My sleep has improved dramatically. I achieve deep sleep easily, and awaken with more energy. I also don’t wake up in the middle of the night like I used to.
Slowly but surely, I am beginning to be able to express my feelings better verbally. (before it was so hard to put into words exactly what I was feeling…INFJ problems! LOL) My intuition is getting even stronger, and I am beginning to look at the world in a different way….Everything seems to be becoming even more obvious, and “crystal clear” so to speak. I swear I feel like Sherlock when he goes into his “mind palace.”
before meditation, my mind palace would like the party scene from the movie Weird Science….
now it is something like this….
I make sure to meditate for at least 10 minutes in the morning, and in the evening when I get into bed, I meditate for at least 20 minutes. I actually look forward to this time each day.
While you do not need to use an app for meditation, I downloaded mine originally just for the timer it contained, but as it turns out, it is so much more!
The app I use is called Insight timer. I love it! There are so many cool features such as guided meditations, music, talks, and even a social aspect. You can add friends, and also message people, as well as hit a button to “thank” people for meditating with you.
When you open up the app, There is a map of the world, and it shows all of the people currently meditating with insight timer. I love knowing that so many people in the world are meditating at the same exact time. Very cool.
The timer itself has various sounds you can set for your opening, and closing bells, as well as various intervals during your meditation.
You have the option to choose silence, various nature sounds, or music to play the duration of your meditation. My favorite sound is “secret garden”. It sounds like a beautiful garden scene with birds chirping, a water fountain bubbling, and wind chimes. Very relaxing…
Some of my favorite guided meditations are for sleep, manifestation, chakras, and relaxation.
There are even groups you can join, where you can discuss a variety of subjects! It’s such a great app for community.
I highly recommend Insight timer. It makes me want to meditate all the time! You can find both Ciarra and I on the app. Join us! Download the app and give it a whirl!!
Until next time,
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