Resonance, Rhythm, Creative Self-Expression: Fifth Chakra Balance

Last week's meeting of our meditation series, Sacred Silence:  Connecting to Your Inner Compass, introduced the group to fifth chakra dynamics.  The fifth is located in the throat, so common ailments like a sore throat or a stiff neck may indicate some balance is in order.

We begin by transitioning from our everyday world of cares and duties -- into our space of rest and renewal -- with a breathing exercise and simple invocation.  We are learning  the calming benefits of a few minutes of conscious deep breathing.

Then we go around the circle for a  brief update from each.  Our circle consists of busy professional women juggling lots of work responsibilities as well as some who are home with children.  Every one of us needs time apart for reflection.  Our meditation practice is a centering tool in a chaotic world.

My energy awareness tip this week is to show the women how to see energy.  It's easy!  Are you practicing ladies?

Then we review the issues of the 5th chakra by watching the power point presentation I created. (Can you tell how happy I am with my technical prowess?!  Would not have happened without my IT person, my daughter Meredith.)  We learn that in the fifth chakra we have our creative identity, where self-expression is vital.  Here we have the right to speak and hear the truth, but how many of us were raised to keep family secrets?  When we are taught to lie, or asked to believe a lie -- our throat chakra suffers.

When the throat constricts, we may have a fear of speaking, be extremely shy, have a weak voice and a poor sense of timing (why did I just say that?).  We may have difficulty putting our thoughts into words.  On the power point we have  the stuttering king from the movie The King's Speech as an example.

Someone with an excessive fifth chakra, on the other hand, can't stop talking!  The powerpoint shows a cartoon woman with her mouth wide open. The words spilling out:  "Blablablabla...." You can't get a word in edgewise!  This person is a poor listener, interrupts often, dominates with a loud voice and enjoys gossip. 

Balance in the fifth?  Martin Luther King.  He exemplifies the resonant voice and a masterful sense of timing and rhythm.  We are drawn him; we want to hear what he has to say.  People with balance in the fifth live creatively, expressing themselves in any number of ways -- dancing, cooking, writing, singing, painting, photography.  The options for creative self-expression are as varied as we are as individuals.  What activity do you get lost in that 'gives voice' to who you are?

We also discuss healing practices for fifth chakra imbalance -- neck rolls, chanting/toning, journaling, practicing silence.  To speak our truth with love reflects vitality flowing through your throat chakra.

For our meditation, we had the Dali Lama himself chanting OM (On CD.  If he was in Wethersfield you would have heard about it.)  His voice echoes and reverberates through the silence.  The sound vibration is soothing --gentle, strong and loving.  I invite everyone to hum or tone along with him.  After the meditation we practice OM breathing (thanks, Mary), activating our fifth chakras.  After this, we feel clearer.

In closing we enjoy the group energy we generated together over the course of the evening.  We sense it flowing around our circle as we hold hands -- recieving it with our left hand and giving with our right, picking up a little heart energy along the way.  We are grateful for this little community we are creating together; we take the group energy with us back out into the busy world.

Someone mentions getting home in time for the presidential debate and we laugh and groan.  Maybe, in our newly-recovered sanity, we'll record it and watch it later?  We want to enjoy, for the rest of the evening, the stress-free zone we have created for ourselves.

Because of hurricane Sandy there will be no meeting tonight but we will meet for the next two Mondays, November 6 and 13, to cover the remaining two chakras.  All are welcome to join us.  Please call 860-563-5682 so I can set a place for you in the circle.  The fee is $10 for an evening of peace and quiet.