The throat chakra, is associated with clear communication. This means not only your ability to speak up for yourself and use your voice in a powerful way, but also to listen critically and with compassion.
The following stretches focus on the neck and shoulders and the area physically associated with this fifth chakra.
- Ujjayi Breath – Start seated, lengthen the spine and roll shoulders down and away from the ears. Close your eyes. Think of fogging up a mirror, as you constrict the back of the throat. However, keep the mouth closed. Instead breathing in and out through the nose. As you take several rounds of breath here, visualize blue in the area of the throat. Turn your head to the right shoulder, leaning back slightly for a few rounds of the breath. Then repeat to the left. Maybe finish with some half circles with the head.
2. Cat/Cow – Come up to table top, with palms under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Emphasize the opening through the throat as you move your spine through a few rounds here. Inhale, drop the belly and curl the tailbone and gaze up. Exhale, to round and contract the spine.
3. Heel/Toe Sit with Bind – Push the hips back to sit on the heels, lifting the torso up. Interlace the hands behind the back, squeezing the shoulder blades behind you. Lift up through the heart and throat. Take a few breaths before moving on.
4. Downward Dog – Bring the hands down in front of you. Lift the hips up, tuck the toes. Curl and lift up. Feel the neck soften and let the head be heavy. Paddle the legs out. Take cleansing breaths, inhale through the nose, taking big sighs out the mouth.
5. Extended Side Angle – Step the right foot forward between the hands, spin the back toes out. Push into feet and lift up into Warrior 2. Bring the left hand behind the low back, rest the right forearm on the right thigh. Keep the hips low. Let the head hang heavy, playing with the angle of the chin.
6. Reverse Warrior – Bring the left hand onto the back leg, let the head relax. Reach the right arm forward (parallel to the right leg) to enhance sensation in the neck. Keep squeezing the right knee open.
7. Bridge Variation – Lower down to your back, bringing the soles of the feet to the mat hip width apart. Push into the heels to lift the hips up. Relax the arms at the sides, or bring the hands to support the hips to deepen the back bend. This pose brings the hips higher than the heart, and heart higher than the throat, sending blood to the throat area.
These 7 poses come from a quick yoga class for the throat chakra on my YouTube channel. It’s class number 5 in a 10 minute morning yoga series. Check the full class out below.
Kassandra
