The Power of Unblocking Our Throat Chakra and Finding Our True Voice
- Brainz Magazine
- Oct 17
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 19
Erica Stanzione is a NYC-based yoga and meditation educator, retreat host, and teacher training leader. She was given a mission and has a deep passion for supporting and empowering her students as they elevate their lives spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and energetically.
The throat chakra, or Vishuddha in Sanskrit, is the fifth energy center in our body’s seven-chakra system. This energy center is associated with the color blue, is found at the base of the throat, and governs all types of communication, self-expression, and truth. When Vishuddha is out of balance or blocked, you may feel like you can’t find your voice or have difficulty speaking up. There may also be a fear of judgment, shyness, or generally feeling unheard. An overactive energy center can also show up as talking excessively, interrupting others, being hard or critical, and dominating conversations. When this chakra is open and stimulated, your voice moves through space to help you communicate your emotions in healthy ways. You also become better at listening to others and honoring their personal truths without judgment.
In my twenties, this chakra was majorly blocked for me, which is why I am incredibly passionate about provoking thought around this conversation and sharing these life-changing tools that allowed me to tap into dormant truths in my body that needed to be healed and released. Doing this inner work also gave me the freedom to speak honestly, confidently, and boldly as a public speaker both in my classrooms and candidly on social media. When we work to heal this chakra by removing blockages, opening, activating, and balancing it, we have the beautiful opportunity to reclaim our personal power, which allows us to feel secure in using our voices and sharing our messages.
Perhaps this topic allows you to first get curious professionally, in the places where we need to utilize the true extent of our self-expression in order to effectively project our voices and claim authority in a room as strong leaders. As a bit of a precursor to this angle of reflection, I first wanted to share a reference point that has been very helpful for me anytime in the past when I found myself navigating fears of being judged for being too assertive or starting conversations that pushed the envelope. I’ve always returned to the brilliant Brené Brown’s TED Talk, where she refers to Theodore Roosevelt’s speech “The Man in the Arena.” Mainly, the part where she shares her interpretation and says, “If you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.” I have endless love and respect for these words and how powerful that statement is. I believe that it serves as an important reminder to be hyper-aware and mindful of the sources of that possible criticism.
How many people do we know who have a lot to say “from the cheap seats,” as she calls it, with endless commentary about others and their work? Yet, those people will never have the courage to get in the ring with us and be seen. How many people do we know who love to judge and gossip about others, but they could never put themselves out there and be visible? If your energetic blockages revolve around fears of being judged when you speak up, I hope this note serves as a loving nudge to always be conscious of where the criticism is coming from. If those people who have so much to say about how we choose to show up in the world would never do what we do, why would we even give it an ounce of our energy?
When we're living authentically and truly using our voice in big ways, upsetting or triggering others is inevitable. The real truth is that the person who is always agreeable, quiet, afraid to ruffle feathers, and dying to be liked by everyone, unfortunately, isn’t free and isn’t operating from a place of internal power. However, we all have the amazing ability to heal those people-pleasing tendencies with these tools. Wouldn’t we rather stand in our power and voice our opinions on topics that matter and that we’re passionate about?
Isn’t the alternative to sadly walk through life as a watered-down version of ourselves in order to make everyone like us? The other aspect that I've always returned to is remembering that the people who get upset with us for speaking our truth are usually the ones who are living a lie. But when we serve as mirrors or triggers for others, we become a compass and a wonderful opportunity to direct them to discover where they are disempowered. If they make the conscious choice to stay open-minded and put in the work, that information can then serve as a major blessing that begins the healing process.
The next angle for exploration is observing how open or potentially blocked our throat chakra is when we inventory how much or how little we’re speaking our truth in our personal lives. Does this bring up a nagging thought or a tug at your heart regarding an intimate conversation with a partner, friend, or colleague that is long overdue? Is there a scenario that you’ve been avoiding where you need to express how you feel, hurt, disappointed, or possibly feelings of dissatisfaction and unfulfillment? For me, the intense feelings of guilt were quite palpable before ending several relationships. But in the end, I knew that my bravery to speak up would be best long-term for all parties involved.
Aren’t we doing our partners a disservice in contexts that they may be completely unaware of or asleep to? Don’t we owe our loved ones that transparent conversation that holds the potential to be a catalyst for them to change, heal, and grow, whether or not that includes us? On the other side of the spectrum, expressing your truth could also facilitate something amazing that completely changes the trajectory of your life, like confessing your love to someone. Maybe your true voice involves finally telling someone what you’ve been thinking and how you feel about them.
Whether this hits the heart at home or in your professional life, if you’re bravely ready to say YES to:
Building authentic connections rather than surface conversations and relationships
Speaking honestly to build a deeper sense of trust and intimacy in your relationships
Clarifying what we will and will not allow
Feeling truly empowered
Sharing your deepest truths that will strengthen your confidence and help you show up fully in the world
Then these are my favorite tools and practices to shake things up and get that energy moving in your body so we can open, heal, and further activate this chakra.
Yoga postures:
Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
Halasana (Plow Pose)
Matsyasana (Fish Pose)
Breath practices:
Simha Pranayama (Lion’s Breath)
Mantras:
“I speak my truth with clarity and confidence.”
“My voice matters.”
“I have the words that I need.”
“I express myself freely and authentically.”
Crystals:
Aquamarine, Blue Lace Agate, and Lapis Lazuli (to be worn around the neck)
Essential oils:
Rubbing oils like eucalyptus, chamomile, and peppermint directly on the throat.
Journaling prompts:
Writing freely and uncensored in a consistent journaling practice blesses us with the opportunity to release stuck or unexpressed emotions like anger, grief, or even shame, which can really jam up the throat. Putting our raw and honest thoughts on paper also turns vague feelings into clear statements that we can examine, refine, and safely integrate, which builds confidence in expressing them out loud. The subsequent clarity that follows becomes extremely valuable because it invites us to explain our own experience clearly to ourselves first, which we can then explain to others with ease.
Without overthinking or censoring your emotions, allow your heart to organically flow through your pen.
“List three truths I’ve been avoiding and why.”
“What do I wish I could say right now if I knew I’d be heard and safe?”
“What would my boldest, kindest self say in this situation?”
Other strong practices to unlock energy and heal our voices include, but are not limited to, singing, chanting the Sanskrit bija seed mantra HAM (which is associated with the throat), working with a Reiki practitioner, hydrating well, and eating blue foods like blueberries and blackberries.
I wholeheartedly believe that expressing our truth can be one of the most powerful and freeing acts of self-liberation that there is in life because it goes beyond just using words. It’s about aligning our voice with our inner values and real emotions. It’s about using our voice to express what we truly feel, not just what we think we “should” say. When we’re able to effectively communicate and unlock those truths within us, we honor ourselves and affirm that our experiences, needs, and feelings are valid. At times, speaking our truth may feel extremely uncomfortable because it risks rejection, misunderstanding, or conflict. But if we choose to stay quiet, doesn’t that cost us more in the end? If we choose to silence the truth in our body, doesn’t that come at a price? Perhaps it’s our peace, our integrity, and even our sense of self. As self-aware and body-conscious yogis or mindfulness practitioners, we’re also very cognizant of the fact that emotional and energetic discomforts can unfortunately manifest physically in the body if we aren’t careful. Underlying emotional and unhealed “stuff” has the ability to rear its head in the physical body in painful ways like ailments, injuries, or, God forbid, disease. So why not eradicate congestion and stagnation long before that’s even a possibility?
There will, of course, be days when your voice might shake or only come out as a soft mutter. In those sensitive moments, may we remember that getting those truths out of our bodies doesn’t just allow us to live more authentically and freely, but there is also someone somewhere who needs to hear your testimony. Whether we’re riddled with guilt when telling a partner that we aren’t happy in the relationship or using our voice on a platform, there is always someone who needs to hear your truth, insight, and intelligence. Someone who may feel like they are only existing and going through the motions of life but desperately yearning to live life fully and awake. Outside of the home, our stories, life experiences, hard-earned lessons, and emotional intelligence become not only an expression of who we are but also an offering to the world. How can we stand firmly in our power and translate our perceived “messes” into our “messages,” where we transmute those mistakes into priceless wisdom that can be positive and productive for others?
After serving the public for almost thirteen years in the yoga and wellness industries, I’ve learned the invaluable power of leadership when I choose to be vulnerable with my words and how instrumental that is in creating a loving and safe space. After that trust is built and others feel secure, seen, protected, and genuinely guided, the armor and ego naturally begin to melt away. We breathe deeper, we soften, and we become receptive to that love, where we can then accept the invitation to get curious. Ultimately, when we desire to live life awake rather than sleepwalk through our days, that invitation becomes an opportunity to evaluate potential sources of energetic blockages, unhappiness, or dissatisfaction. Once we identify those pain points, we learn where we aren’t free, where we need to be honest with ourselves, and how crucial speaking up is for the overall quality and success of our relationships and our lives.
In closing, I have one more thought that I hope leaves you feeling optimistic, eager, and maybe even a bit excited. When we choose to do this work to heal and activate our throat chakra, the fearlessness and conviction that follow in our messages and conversations not only fuel the elevation of our work and connections but also have the ability to inspire others to release the shackles that could be keeping them stuck. With that strength and confidence in our words, we can lead by example and show others what real internal freedom feels like once they walk out of the prison that they might be living in.
Read more from Erica Stanzione
Erica Stanzione, Yoga and Meditation Educator
Erica is an industry leader in guiding the life-changing practices of breathwork, vinyasa yoga, and meditation. She leads by example both on and off of the mat, and teaches others about the profound effects of our mindfulness practices that far exceed the external benefits. The intention behind her classes, workshops, retreats, and trainings are to serve as a sacred container where her students feel safe to step further into their power, confidence, emotional intelligence, spiritual connection, and continuous evolution.
