Space to see ourselves clearly ,a spiritual conscience, connecting with ourselves and with others. Ganesha, the white elephant, a symbol of wisdom, the beginnings of self realisation and growth.

We might begin in sitting in Sukhasana, holding space for ourselves with Shunya mudra, the thumb on top of the middle or ring finger, encouraging a balanced space, letting go any excess of Spring Vata Dosha, anxiety with busyness, distractions. Sitting in stillness lengthens and strengthens the trunk bringing space for the breath flowing through the subtle energy channels linking the Chakras,  adding the Mantra of So Hum, The Sound of the Self, inhaling So up the front body, exhaling Hum down the back body.

‘I speak’ – the sound of the breath. Beginning with a modified Bikrum pranayama, standing with the fingers interlocked under the chin, listening to our breath, hearing and feeling the vibration in the throat, our breath  like the hiss of the ocean, Vishuddhi, the colour of the ocean on a clear calm day and the sense of hearing. Sensing our body in space, adding movement to the neck and eventually the whole body, feeling into that wonderful sense of space and openness in the body.

Practising Sitali Cooling Breath, and throughout our asanas adding Ujjayi breath,  the ‘hiss of the ocean’. Sitting with our backs to the wall with our arms elevated and ear lobes blocked embracing Brahmari Humming Bee breath, and then our courage with Simhasana/ lion roar.

Vishuddhi, on a physical level encompasses the space in the throat between the jugular notch and the roof of the mouth, it is related of course to our chin lock / Jlandhara bundha, keeping the chin parallel to the ground. Poses involve the strength and alignment of the upper thoracic spine and neck, our posture.

We think of our upper ribs, shoulder girdle, broad across the clavicles, the muscles – overworked Upper Trapezius, Levator scapulae, and scaleni in the front of the neck, instead learning to engage Lower Trapezius, shoulder girdle muscles and the deeper stabilising neck muscles. We release our jaw! The  larynx and tongue muscles, attachments to the hyoid affecting the production of sound, connecting, communicating, on a broader level, having the courage to speak up and say what we think, yet in a caring compassionate way. We bring our awareness to the lungs again and most importantly our thyroid, almost our most important endocrine gland responsible for our overall metabolism – the balance between activity and rest, imbalance can give restless anxiety or lethargy. The parathyroid, smaller, regulating the production of Calcium in the body.

A Vishuddhi practice can be mystical, if you allow and explore, it is calming, yet powerful, lots of challenging asanas and flowing Salute to the Moon.

We added the Mantra, Hum with some poses and enjoyed the extra vibration at the throat and the longer exhale connecting with our core, ‘meditating on the vibration in the body’, releasing tension.

Pigeon, like many poses for Vishuddhi, creating space in our vulnerable front body, yet bringing our awareness to protecting the lower spine, adding the cue – ‘Lifting the pubic bone to the navel’

Opening to trust and space with Camatkarasana / wondrous pose, wild thing! and with more precise form – Chakrasana or urdva dhanurasana / wheel pose.

 

Pincha mayurasana/headless headstand / feathered peacock pose, lovely against the wall, and Matsyasana / fish pose to balance our thyroid

 

Halasana / plough also good with the soles of the feet against the wall, or a shoulder stand inversion too!

In Savasana we found a tranquil space and we listened to Vishuddhi as The Transformer -vibration at Vishuddhi intercepts past painful or negative experiences that we have often squashed down at a subconscious level. Awareness at Vishuddhi helps us with dealing and letting go at a conscious level, this can take years and we should be gentle with ourselves. With time and space we can let go with non attachment and unaffectedness, and  find a more tranquil harmonious space, allowing us to relax and so become more intuitive, more creative.