5 ways to unlock your throat chakra

“My throat chakra needs MORE COWBELL!”

It was the subject line of an email I received from a perspective voice coaching client this past year.

As a veteran voice coach and trained yoga teacher, I take these requests very seriously. (even though I also giggle a bit, because… well… #morecowbell!)

There are two sides to throat chakra blockage:

1. Energetic: yes, energy can create tension and we are all affected by our own and others’ energies. There are energetic practices we can do to keep our energies aligned.

2. Functional: when our muscles in and around the larynx (voice box where our vocal cords are housed) are tight or tense, they can dampen the vibration of our voices. There are functional voice training exercises that can help build strength in theses areas.

As singers and truth speakers, we all experience moments where our throats feel constricted and sound doesn’t flow freely. This can be frustrating and super scary, especially if it happens right before a performance or in the moment of truth, during a challenging conversation. There’s never a good time for the throat feels tense or disembodied.

Here’s the truth about our singing voices:

They are part of a larger picture. Yes, our instrument is our entire body and when one part is locked up, it can also mean another part may be playing a role.

So, when your throat centre feels tight, or you chronically lose your voice ~ it’s a good idea to explore full body embodiment and mindset practices to allow the sound to flow through our vocal cords freely.

Here are some signs your throat chakra might be blocked:

(aka: signs of low cowbell levels in your throat chakra!)

• You have a lump in your throat when you try to use your voice.

• You have difficulty communicating.

• You have fear of singing or speaking out.

• You feel tension in your throat area.

• You have chronic laryngitis or other vocal problems. (please note, all vocal issues that include pain or voice loss should be attended to by a Laryngologist to rule out pathology).

• You’re not feeling creative.

Here are 5 ways you can unblock your throat chakra:

(aka: top up your throat chakra cowbell levels!)

1. Hum and sing, daily: Moving sound and breath through your vocal mechanism will encourage release of that tension AND bonus, helps you become way more confident in your own voice use.

2. Gentle neck and throat stretching: gently tending to your fascial tissues and muscles through easy stretches and breath work can help make the tissues more mailable and receptive to the physical experience of singing and truth speaking. BONUS: it also calms the nervous system.

3. Vibrator Therapy: YES, I mean “THAT kind of vibrator” Using a vibrator around the throat tissues and jaw/neck muscles is a great way to loosen tensions. As well, we know sound is vibration, so humming while you place a vibrator on your throat allows the sound to vibe even higher by exploring tension release and resonance.

4. Boundary work: truth speaking 101, baby! When we learn to set and maintain healthy boundaries, we’re also speaking our truth. When we speak our truth, we’re allowing energy to flow through the throat chakra. This builds confidence in our voices.

5. Massage and gentle body work: much like the stretching mentioned above, massage and body work can be very helpful to release tensions around the vocal mechanism. NOTE: throat and laryngeal massage or bodywork should only be practiced by a trained and licensed massage therapist or vocal therapist to avoid injuring this area.

So go on… GET THAT COWBELL!

Aka, happy singing.

You’ve got this!

“Sing”cerely, Elise

Check out the post to help you Over Come Your Fear of Being Seen and Heard HERE

Ready to book your voice coaching sessions? Reach out to chat with Elise HERE