The power of silence & the throat chakra

"Let your beauty manifest itself without talking or calculation.
You are silent.
It says for you: I am.
And comes in meaning thousand fold,
comes at long last over everyone.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke
 
While the throat chakra is most often associated with sound, as our vehicle for communication, our ability to listen is also inherently connected into this energy center. We tend to be a culture of stimulus, we are constantly plugged in--to our TV, to our phones, to music and to our computers. Its hard to get away from stimulation and noise in our busy lives. I sometimes forget how much noise I have gotten use to experiencing. When my partner and I take a weekend away out of the city, I am always amazed at the sheer expansiveness of being in an environment without all the bustle of the city. Its amazing how it shifts my energy and my mood simply to find a quieter space in my life.

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The throat chakra needs this same nurturing. Its important we find times for quiet and solitude in our lives. Not only does this give us give the opportunity to recharge our overstimulated systems, but it also gives us the opportunity to listen. If we are plugged in to constant input of noise and stimulation its hard for our intuitive messages and guides to speak to us (or at the very least to be heard). I invite you to take some more quiet time in your yoga practice these next few weeks and see what bubbles up to the surface. You can also explore these other practices as a way to connect with the benefits silence has to offer:

• Select at least one evening a week to be an "unplugged night." Turn off your phone, computer and TV. You can take it a step further by enjoying the evening by candlelight.
• Take a walk and leave your phone or Ipod at home. Listen to the sounds of nature.
• Commit to a daily meditation practice of 10-15 minutes. I like to practice in the morning when the day is still quiet and its easier to drop into a quiet meditative state.
• Make a commitment to see to watch at least one sunrise a week.<
• Take a morning vow of silence. Awake, do your practice, shower and even have breakfast in silence. Notice how your day shifts as a result.
• Pause during your day and listen for your breath. Spend at least one minute with the eyes closed connecting with your inhale and exhale.