Fifth Chakra

The fifth chakra is located at the level of the throat and is associated with the neck and its various components such as the trachea, esophagus, cervical vertebrae, and throat; as well as the jaw, ears, mouth, teeth, gums, bronchial tubes and upper lungs. The gland, which the fifth chakra is paired with, is that of the thyroid. The thyroid dictates our ability to physically grow and this chakra parallels that by being about spiritual growth. Known as the Throat Chakra, this energy center vibrates in the color of pale blue and is represented by the 16 petalled lotus. The element it is associated with is Ether. The throat chakra is our Will center – both personal will and divine will. It is here that we make choices, each choice directing us on our spiritual journey.

The fifth chakra is a bridge from the sixth chakra of thought to the fourth chakra of feelings and desire. It links our ability to react mentally with our ability to respond emotionally, so that we are able to make our choices both with reason and sense. This chakra also enables us to represent ourselves vocally. It is the outward expression of our full potential of Self, in that, if all our lower chakras are open and energy is flowing freely, then anything that we express from the throat chakra would be pulled from a place of being grounded (1st chakra), supported with personal power (2nd chakra), full of innate wisdom (3rd chakra), and tempered by unconditional love of the heart (4th chakra). And as I said, the 5th chakra also links to the higher chakras so we would also pull down energy from a more mystical (6th chakra) and divine (7th chakra) aspect of self to round out the experience. We would manifest a true sense of Being by communicating with our complete energetic self.

When the fifth chakra is balanced and centered, we are able to speak with confidence and truth because we are grounded in a belief of Self. If our will chakra is open, then we no longer need to enforce our opinions on others. We can speak gently and lovingly, with compassion and truth of conviction, so that others will hear us from their hearts and not feel threatened by our beliefs. With a balanced 5th chakra, we can communicate without fear of being judged by others and we also can speak without a voice of judgment. Judgments come from fear, so when we are bridging the heart and the mind in an unprejudiced, objective way, then, we no longer need to make ourselves feel superior by proving the others inferior. We can all be equal and living our own truths. There is a Universal law that states that there is no one Truth - We all need to learn what are our own individual truths and then live by them, uninfluenced by others’ belief systems. When we are able to do that, we then can live from an open personal/divine will center of flowing energy.

The fifth chakra, as stated above, also is associated with the ears as well as the throat. In this chakra we are able to hear our own inner voice; the voice of wisdom, of compassion, of knowledge. We also can hear the Divine voice, the higher source of wisdom and truth that the upper chakras connect us to. When we combine the Divine voice with our own inner voice, and follow the path it leads us down, then we are truly living our Truth. We can attain an independence and freedom – freedom from fear, from judgment, from dysfunction. We can hear, follow and speak our inner and Divine Truth.

When imbalanced or dysfunctional, we can manifest a wide variety of disease states. So many colds, sore throats and vocal problems stem from our fear of speaking up for ourselves, for claiming and living our true authentic selves. Stuttering, speech impediments and laryngitis can be associated to a blocked throat chakra. TMJ dysfunction, teeth grinding, bleeding gums and tooth problems can also be affected when we have to bite back our words and swallow our beliefs. We find it difficult to express emotion, so we shut down inside, clamping our mouths shut, clamping our feelings shut, keeping out love and tenderness. Self-confidence, self-belief, self-love are all squashed down, held back and unable to be expressed when the fifth chakra is blocked. We lose sight of our Truth and begin to live by someone else’s version of it, causing us imbalance and pain. We are no longer able to say “no” to other’s voices because we are no longer able to hear our own inner voice.

So how can aromatherapy help unblock the throat chakra? Supporting our inner strength and fortitude with oils such as frankincense, rose, jasmine, rosewood, elemi, sandalwood, neroli and ylang ylang can help. These oils help us to feel more secure about ourselves, as well as more self-love, self-confidence and self-actualization. There are also oils that work physiologically on the affected throat area to open the vocal cords and reduce inflammation in the throat tissue. When the physical body is healthy and strong, it is easier to work on the energetic body. Some oils that reduce inflammation and soothe sore throats are tea tree, eucalyptus, cajuput, sandalwood, frankincense, clary sage, and lavender. These oils can be gargled with, inhaled, or rubbed (in a carrier oil) on the affected area.

Bleeding gums and aching teeth can be a symptom of an inability to speak up for oneself. Oils that assist in the care and healing of teeth and gums are clove, myrrh, lemon, sage, tea tree, peppermint and sage. These oils can be applied directly to a Q-Tip and swabbed around the mouth and gums for effective healing. Myrrh especially is non-toxic and incredibly soothing for any gum complaints.

Pain and disease is usually a wake up call to encourage us to pay attention to a situation or a problem that we are ignoring. When the Universe is trying to get our attention and we aren’t listening to our inner selves, then we can manifest earaches, tinnitis (ringing in the ears), or even partial deafness. Some oils that could help change the frequency of an ear condition are tea tree, rosemary, sandalwood, frankincense, lavender, neroli, petitgrain and hyssop. These oils can be added to a base oil and rubbed around the exterior of the ear and applied to a Q-tip and swabbed in the ear. Compresses are also a wonderful way of soothing earaches. Any of the above oils can be used with a compress and placed over the ear to pull out infection and pain.

The fifth chakra is our mediator between the spoken word and the divine word, the inner voice and the expressed voice, the lower personality and the god-self, the thought and its manifestation in action. We all need to be living our truths and speaking from the heart, especially in this day and age of instant manifestation from thought into experience. We need to consciously use our fifth chakra to be the spokesperson of positivity so we can avoid cosmic wake up calls.