Everything You Need to Know About Blue Chakras

• The blue chakra is located in the throat, and it is associated with communication, self-expression, and creativity.
• Your blue chakra helps you to clearly and confidently articulate thoughts, ideas, and feelings, and it aids in creative pursuits, especially writing.
• To promote a healthy, balanced throat chakra, meditate regularly, practice yoga and neck stretches, and engage your voice by singing, chanting, or shouting.

Blue Chakra Meaning

The blue chakra (or throat chakra) is associated with communication. There are 7 chakras in the body, each associated with a different color and function. The blue chakra governs the thyroid gland and is connected to self-expression and creativity. The blue chakra is represented by the element air, emphasizing this chakra’s association with communication and creative expression: air traditionally symbolizes intellect, movement, and abstract thinking and feeling. The color blue carries special significance in different cultures: In Hinduism, the blue chakra is known as “Vishuddha”—Sanskrit for “purification”—and symbolizes nature, bravery, determination, and stability. In the Middle East, the color blue is associated with safety and protection. In Latin American cultures, it symbolizes hope and health. In Ireland, blue stands for sadness and purification. In Judaism, it represents holiness and divinity.

What is the blue chakra’s purpose?

The blue chakra helps you express yourself. The blue chakra deals with both verbal and nonverbal communication. It helps you clearly and bravely articulate thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. The blue chakra aids in creativity, especially writing and speech. This chakra also helps maintain a balance between your head (intellect) and your heart (feelings): when the blue chakra is out of balance, you may lean overly rational and logical or overly emotional and reckless.

Signs Your Blue Chakra Is Open

You can communicate your thoughts and feelings confidently. When your blue chakra is balanced and healthy, you have little to no problem saying what you mean. Even in instances where it’s easier to stay silent or to hide how you feel, when your blue chakra is open, you find it difficult to not speak the truth and be fully, unapologetically yourself.

You listen well to others. Communication isn’t just about expressing yourself—it’s also about being able to actively listen to others. When your blue chakra is open, you can listen to others speak without being distracted or rushing to interrupt. You may even become more aware of the body language of people around you. For instance, if a friend is having a bad day, you may be more likely to notice their nonverbal cues when your blue chakra is balanced. A blocked throat chakra may cause some people to become shy and stay silent—but it makes others a nervous chatterbox! So if you find you’re speaking less than before, it doesn’t necessarily mean your chakra is out of balance.

You’re in touch with your creative side. Everyone is creative. But while you might not think of yourself as an artist ordinarily, when your blue chakra is open, you’re more in tune with your self-expressive side. You might channel your creativity through writing, art, or music, or your confidence and curiosity may allow you to approach problems more innovatively and open-mindedly.

Signs Your Blue Chakra Is Blocked

Physical Symptoms If your blue chakra is blocked or out of balance, it may present as a physical symptom, such as: Thyroid issues A sore throat An ear infections Neck or shoulder pain

Mental and Emotional Symptoms An unbalanced blue chakra may also present as emotional or mental symptoms, including: Difficulty expressing yourself Fear of loss of control Anxiety and self-doubt

How to Balance Your Blue Chakra

Use your voice. Often, the blue chakra becomes blocked because you are holding back saying what needs to be said, or you’re not living in accordance with your core nature. To unblock this chakra, practice expressing yourself verbally: Hum, sing, pray, or chant. Laugh, shout, or simply talk to yourself.

Recite positive affirmations. Chanting or reciting positive mantras aloud to yourself is another way to engage your voice while also instilling more confidence in yourself and undoing negative thinking patterns you might be stuck in. “Self-talk is the one of the things that you have the most control over,” says Kari Samuels. “Every time you have a negative thought about yourself, you can replace that with something affirmative like, ‘I know I can make these changes. I know that I am capable. I know…that I can do this.’” Try reciting, “I speak the truth,” “The truth liberates me,” or “I am not afraid to be myself.” Or come up with your own mantra!

Practice hearing and sound therapy. You can bring balance to your blue chakra by listening to or practicing healing, meditative instruments like: Drums Tuning forks Didgeridoos Gongs Windchimes Any other instrument you feel moved by

Meditate. Regular meditation is a great way to bring your blue chakra back into balance. Even just a few minutes a day of meditation can help you feel more calm, focused, and confident. For a beginner-friendly meditation, try focused breathing: take a deep breath and close your eyes, then focus on your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Do this for a few minutes. For a more structured meditation, try a body scan meditation. Lie on your back with arms and legs at your sides. Focus your attention on each part of your body, in order, from head to toe. Be aware of any thoughts, feelings, or sensations that come to you as you focus on the different parts of your body. Do your best not to let your mind wander, but if it does, simply redirect your focus back to your body: “It's not like you get rid of the thoughts,” Samuels says, “but you let them go. You're not attaching to them and you're focusing on being present instead.” If instilling a daily meditation practice sounds overwhelming, Samuels points out, “[Meditation] is a practice that you can do throughout the day…. You can do it while you're…waiting in the grocery line. You can do it all day every day without even a formal meditation practice.”

Do yoga. Heal your chakra by practicing yoga moves to stretch your neck, shoulders, and back, as well as to help you relax. Try: Cat-cow: Kneel on the floor with your hands in front of you and your knees directly below your hips. Inhale while curving your back down and raising your head, to look like a "cow"; then, exhale while bringing your abdomen in, arching your spine, and lowering your head, to look like a "cat." Cobra pose: Lie on your belly, feet hip-distance apart, hands beside your ribs. Extend your toes and press your toenails against the floor. Press down lightly with your hands as you lift your head and chest, keeping a slight bend in your arms, to give your shoulders a nice stretch. Keep your neck long, but aim to lift your sternum, rather than your chin. Savasana (or corpse pose): For a relaxing, meditative pose, lie on the floor on your back, arms relaxed at your sides. Close your eyes, breathe in and out slowly, and let your whole body relax. Stay in this position for 5 to 10 minutes.

Do neck exercises. Since the blue chakra is located in your throat, neck exercises may help bring it into balance—especially if you’re experiencing neck pain due to your chakra being blocked. Be safe performing these exercises if you’re already experiencing neck pain, and stop immediately if these exercises cause your pain to worsen. If your pain is severe, see a doctor. Neck stretches: Bend your head forward and to the right. Using your right hand, gently pull your head downward (to the right). Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat with the left side. Neck retraction: Face straight ahead and let your body relax. Slowly move your head backward as far as it can go without feeling any pain. Continue looking straight ahead, trying not to tilt or tuck your chin as you move your head. Hold it in this position for 3 to 5 seconds before returning to the starting post. Do this 10 times.

Acquire healing gemstones. Certain blue gemstones may help bring your chakra back into balance. Decorate your home with gems such as: Turquoise Agate Chrysocolla Aquamarine Aqua aura quartz