The Throat Chakra (Vishudhi Chakra)

The Location Point:
The Throat chakra is situated in the cervix plexus which is directly behind the throat pit. The physiological counterparts of Vishudhi chakra are pharyngeal and laryngeal nerve plexi.

When the Vishudhi chakra opens, you will experience a state of openness in which you will discarding all the unpleasant aspects of life and will only the pleasant side.

This chakra is generally regarded as insignificant in the scheme of kundalini yoga, and people pay more attention to Root, Sacral, Heart and Third eye chakra. This is a great mistake because this chakra also has the same importance as others.

SYMBOL:
Throat chakra is represented by a sixteen petalled lotus which is said to be purple in colour. On each petal, one the sanskrit vowels is inscribed: am, aam, im, eem, um, oom, rim, reem, lrim, lreem, em, aim, om, aum, am, ah.

Within the lotus, there is a pure white circle which represents the element of ether or Akasha. This element region is the gateway to liberation for one whose senses are purified.

Within this moon like circle, the beeja mantra of the Vishudhi chakra is written which is ham.

When you meditate on this chakra, you will become free from all tensions and will enjoy uninterrupted peace of mind. You will become free from all diseases and sorrow. You will feel blissed all the time.

MEANING:
The sanskrit word 'Vishudhi' is derived from another sanskrit word Shuddhi which means 'to purify' and in this chakra, purification of all opposite samskaras takes place.

In the tantric scriptures, there is a reference for a 'bindu' which is situated at the back of head and during the process of kundalini awakening, this bindu secrets a vital fluid known as nectar.

Bindu may be defined as the center or passage or the way through which one go to sahasrara or the Crown chakra.

This divine fluid is known by different names in different religious contexts like in English, it is known as "ambrosia" i.e. the nectar of Gods. Sometimes it is called as "amrit"- the nectar of immortality. In Vedas, it is referred to as "Soma".

Between bindu and the Throat chakta, there is another center known as lalana chakra and it is very closely related to Vishudhi chakra.

When the nectar is produced in bindu, it flows down and get stored in the lalana chakra.

This divine fluid has dual nature, it can act as both nectar as well as poison. Upto lalana chakra, it remain undifferentiated, neither poison nor nectar.

As long as the throat chakra is inactive, this fluid flows down from lalana chakra to be consumed on the fire of Solar plexus chakra, resulting in the processes of decay, degeneration and finally death of the body's tissues.

However, by certain practices such as 'Khechari Mudra', the ambrosia is made to pass through Vishudhi chakra which is a purifying center. When your Vishudhi chakra is awakened, the nectar and poison gets separated and the poison is discarded whereas the nectar is retained.

With the awakening of the throat chakra, not only the internal poisons are nullified but also the external poisons can be neutralized and rendered ineffective. This is a siddhi or power associated with this chakra.

Many yogis in India possesed this power. It depends on the awakening of the throat chakra and the bindu in the brain.

When the Vishudhi chakra opens, you will become able to receive the thought vibrations from other people's mind. This actually happens through another center in the body which is closely related to Vishudhi chakra. It actually behaves like a transistor radio which is tuned by the yogi enabling him to receive the thoughts and feelings of the persons both nearby and far away.

There is a nerve associated with the throat chakra which in sanskrit known as kurma nadi i.e. the 'tortoise nadi'. When this nadi starts functioning, you will become able to completely control your desire of food and drink. This capability has been demonstrated by many yogis in India in the past.

Generally, when humans reach their second or third decade of life, the rate of degeneration of cells surpasses the rate of generation and from this point, the decay, old age, disease and death come to the fore in man's experience.

When the throat chakra is awakened, a process of rejuvenation starts which balances this ongoing aging process.

The hearing sense becomes very sharp with the awakening of Vishudhi chakra.

The others powers gained through awakening of Throat chakra are imperishability, complete knowledge of scriptures and the whole knowledge of present, past and future.