Do you ever get that feeling of being tongue-tied when you talk to people? The feeling that you just don’t know what to say, like you literally have something stuck in your throat that prevents you from forming the words in your mind. If this sounds like you, you might have a blocked throat chakra. The throat chakra, or the fifth chakra, is located at the center of your neck in your throat, and balances the energy between the lower parts of the body and the brain. This chakra blends the functions of expression and communication, but a blocked throat chakra can make you feel suppressed and frustrated.

Below, let’s talk a bit more about the throat chakra, and what you can do to get it unblocked.

If You Have A Hard Time Speaking Up For Yourself, This May Be Why

The Sanskrit name for the Throat chakra is “Vishudda”, which means “pure” or “purification”.Obviously, this chakra relates to sound, as your thoughts form into words, which create a sound from your throat. The throat chakra is represented by a blue color most commonly.

speaking up

Characteristics of the throat chakra:

  • Verbal expression – speaking up for yourself
  • Communication, both verbal and non-verbal
  • Connection with spirit and intuitive abilities
  • Creation, ideas, and creativity
  • Understanding your purpose in life
  • Punctuality

Ultimately, the throat chakra symbolizes your ability to communicate your authentic truth to the world. The throat chakra is also closely connected to the sacral chakra, which also governs creativity and emotions.  You want to use your throat chakra to communicate your ideas and deepest expression with the world.

A second function of the throat chakra deals with connecting to spirit, nature, Oneness, God, or whatever you’d like to call it. The throat chakra helps to align the purposes and intent of the lower and upper chakras, and acts as a balance between them. However, oftentimes, the energy of the lower chakras can get stuck in our throats, making it difficult to communicate our ideas.  Opening the throat chakra can help you to bring your ideas to reality, and also may alleviate tightness in your chest, associated with your heart chakra.

Signs of a blocked throat chakra:

A blocked throat chakra can make you feel insecure, timid, and shy. However, an overactive throat chakra can lead to too much talking, in the form of gossip, rudeness, and harshness. It can seem as though you have no filter, and this will affect your relationships.

The following are symptoms of an imbalanced throat chakra:

  • Losing control of one’s ability to filter words and emotions; speaking too much
  • Inability to listen effectively to others
  • Anxiety about speaking
  • Quiet, almost inaudible voice
  • Inability to keep secrets
  • Spreading lies and gossip
  • Overwhelming shyness and isolation
  • No purpose in life

A blocked throat chakra can affect your ability to communicate ideas easily and effectively. A throat chakra blockage can also make it difficult to realize your truth in the world. Upon opening this chakra, you will find it easy to speak up for yourself, and will feel able to approach any social situation with confidence.

Some common physical symptoms of blockage include:

  • frequent sore throat
  • frequent headaches
  • dental problems
  • ulcers in the mouth
  • hoarseness
  • thyroid problems
  • laryngitis
  • Temporomandibular disorders of the jaw (commonly known as TMJ)
  • neck pain

Emotional Signs of Throat Chakra Blockage

  • fear of speaking
  • difficulty expressing oneself
  • shyness
  • contradictions in words and actions
  • social anxiety
  • inhibited creativity
  • stubbornness
  • detachment

An imbalanced throat chakra can lead to isolation and severe self-esteem issues. You might feel as though you have no worth, and no one will listen to you because you have nothing important to say. If you feel that you have a blocked throat chakra, read on to find out how to clear this blockage so you can speak with confidence and ease.

speaking up

What To Do About A Blocked Throat Chakra

Clearing the throat chakra involves a lot of inner work, including quieting your ego and learning to tap into your higher self.

A few beginner steps to clear the throat chakra include:

  • Becoming honest with yourself about your emotions. If you need to cry, then let the tears fall. The top reason for a blocked throat chakra is suppressed emotions, so you need to make sure you check in with your emotions often and release any negative ones in order to clear the blockage.
  • Practice talking honestly with people you feel close to. Don’t hold back, and express yourself confidently and clearly. Speak up, and don’t allow others to talk over you or make you feel insignificant. Exercises on self-confidence can really help here.
  • Incorporate blue colors into your life to help boost this chakra’s energy. Wear blue clothing, eat more blue foods, and put blue items around your home.