By Meredith LeBlanc, Pondering Yogini
Do you ever notice how great you feel after you get something off of your chest? Or when you really are passionate about expressing yourself you add your arms and hands into the conversation? Or how about when you’re saying yes to something in words but your arms cross in front of you because you in reality you don’t want to do what is being asked of you?
If you could see me right now you’d see that I have my hand up agreeing to all of these points.
Our communication center is located in our throat in the Visshudha Chakra. It governs our speech, our ability to listen and truly hear as well as our ability to considerately occupy the space around us. Radiating out from the throat is the energy to the arms and hands and how they communicate what we are needing; sometimes what the arms and hands say are more truthful than the words that flow from our mouths.
In our yoga practice we use our arms to assist expressing the physical asana. We may spend some time chanting during class but the majority of the time it’s our arms doing the work. As a teacher I observe arms and shoulders a lot.
In the process of lowering from plank to the belly I see weak limbs wrestling with self confidence. In virabhadrasana I see limp arms and hands half willing to defend our truths. In arm balances I see fear of expression.
The truth is we all have strength whether are muscles are defined or aren’t. The ability to access that strength is in our willingness to express who we really are. As we clear the blockages in the Visshudha we will naturally feel stronger; the neck, shoulders, and arms will be more relaxed. When the tension through this region releases we hold our head higher and the heart and chest naturally lifts out of a defensive, hunched over stance.
I have always been considered by others to be physically strong as well as verbally expressive. You know the sayings, people tell me I have an athletic build and that I’m not afraid to say what’s on my mind. Well, those perceptions are half right.
I spent a lot of years being a yes woman and steam rolling ahead a little afraid of truly expressing myself. In other words, playing it safe. This actually sapped my strength. Instead of allowing my energy to be strong, I relied purely on muscle.
Fortunately life has handed me plenty of energetic barbells with which to work. I have learned how to occupy my space lovingly, listen compassionately, and speak with my true voice. Sometimes I drop one of those barbells on my toes and I do a little emotional rehab, but overall all I am stronger in spirit and in body than I ever have been.
Next time you’re on the mat, check out how you are communicating with yourself. Even if you struggle with lowering to your belly from plank, you don’t feel as though your arms will support you in bakasana, or your arms get tired in virabhadrasana, tell yourself you are strong and believe it. Physical strength starts with communication both with ourselves and with the world.
Meredith LeBlanc has been a yoga & meditation practioner since 1996. She expresses herself through The Pondering Yogini (http://www.ponderingyogini.org/) and The Scarlet Sutras (http://www.scarletssutras.org/). She works as yoga teacher and also in an office keeping things running smoothly. She shares her life with her husband Mike and her pug Scarlet. She enjoys reading, beading, and gardening. Recently Meredith started taking Kundalini yoga classes and is thoroughly enjoying being a student of something new.
Inspiring post, Meredith. I will be focusing on my throat chakra for all of today.
It's a good one to think about, I think sometimes it gets a little overlooked. Thank you again for posting this Yumi!
OM Namah Shivaya
Meredith – as always you inspire me! Thanks for this beautiful post.