With all this cold weather, I have been staying inside more and finding warmth in comfort food that is delivered to my door. In winter, (especially the bitter end of winter) it is more supportive to be understanding of what your body is asking of you as opposed to constantly pushing yourself to fulfill social obligations and such. Seasonally, we are at the end of our time of reflection for what we want to come in the year ahead of us. To me, this signals that it's time for purification which is the meaning of the 5th chakra. We take our will from the 3rd, combine it with the breath of the 4th, and give energy to our thoughts and ideas to express ourselves in the world. Taking some quiet time to listen to yourself and others will help give clarity to your truth.
Chakra 5: Expressing
Take a breath and listen to the air rushing into your lungs. Let the breath out with a sound, touching your fingers to your throat. Feel the vibration in your fifth chakra. With this simple motion of moving air through your body, you express the consciousness inside and influence the reality around you. This is the essence of communication.
The fifth chakra is the bottleneck of the chakra system and combines the messages from the body and images of the mind into words. The seed sound is HAM and the color is bright blue. The element is sound and is connected to the neck, shoulders, mouth, and jaw. This chakra is about opening the voice, speaking your truth, and freeing your creativity.
Journal Questions:
Where in your life do you feel most creative?
Where do you resist developing or supporting your creative efforts?
Are there instances where you do not feel you have the right to speak up (such as in situations at work, or while speaking with your partner, friend, doctor, teacher, or community)?
Are there places or situations where you speak, but do not feel heard?
Are there times where you do not fully grant this right to others (such as speaking with children, co-workers, partners, etc.)?
Were you ever humiliated for saying something "stupid" or "silly"?
Did someone take the time to communicate with you about your feelings, especially regarding important events like losses, surgeries, sudden changes, or issues in the family?
Did you feel understood?
Were there lies in the family that you were told or that you had to uphold (like pretending everything was okay when it wasn't?
Did you have to lie to avoid punishment, humiliation, or in protection of others?
Excessive Characteristics:
Talking too much or inappropriately
Gossiping
Stuttering
Difficulty being silent
Excessive loudness
Inability to contain (keep confidences, etc.)
Deficient Characteristics:
Difficulty putting things in words
Fear of speaking
Speaking with small, weak voice
Secretiveness
Excessive shyness
Tone deafness
Balanced Characteristics:
Resonant, full voice
Clear communication with others
Good communication with self
Good listener
Good sense of timing and rhythm
Lives life creatively
Practices: focus on opening the neck and vocal chords. Since sound has a purifying effect on the energy body, chanting and toning are powerful practices for purification. Chanting the seed sound of the chakra you would like to bring energy to can be very powerful and will in turn quiet the chatter of the mind in the process.
Toning:
The best exercise for vibrationally toning the fifth chakra and opening the voice is to make sound - loud sounds, soft sounds, abstract sounds, focused sounds. Find a place where you won't feel self-conscious - outside, home along, or where you have permission to be noisy.
Begin standing, breathing deeply, and making noise as your breath comes out. Let the noise be expressive of whatever is inside you at this time. Move your body to the sound, especially moving your head, neck, and shoulders. Let the sound get really loud by using more breath, but do not strain to the point of hurting your vocal chords.
Writing:
Writing is a unique form of communication in that you can take your time, without interruption, crafting what you have to say. Writing can be beneficial even if your words are never read by another person, simply because it gives you a chance to express yourself fully, without having to rush or hold back. If you are angry, you can write anything you please without having to worry about its effect, and this can help dissipate your anger. If you have unfinished communication with someone who is no longer alive or unavailable for direct communication, you can at least write your own words and finish that part of the conversation. To open the channel through writing is to invite the deepest self-expression from your inner core. This stimulates your creativity.
Neck Rolls: The neck is the narrowest part of the body containing the seven major chakras. Much of the time it filters the abundant flow of energy between the mind and the body. This causes it to be subject to tension and stiffness. Loosening the neck is an essential beginning for any work on the fifth chakra.
Stretch your neck so that your head lifts up away from your shoulders. Keeping the neck lengthened, tip your head to the right side, bringing the right ear toward your right shoulder. With your right arm, reach over your crown to the left ear, and add to the stretch by gently pulling your head more deeply into the stretch. Use your left hand to massage any points that feel tense.
Repeat on the other side. Keeping your neck extended, allow your head to move to the right, then to the back, to the left, and then forward, so that you make a complete circle. Stop at any point that you feel tense or uncomfortable, and massage your neck with your fingers as necessary.