For over a year now, what started as a subtle vibration, turned into a stronger, clearly noticeable vibration in my throat. Now I have this constant vibration in the back of my throat area, spreading into my head, with both ears ringing. When focused upon, the vibration intensifies, backed with this euphoric, amazing feeling, but sometimes I also experience this deep, emotional pain in my throat. Although I don’t really mind it, I’m just curious about what this could be, and/or mean.
—Arbi , United States
Dear Arbi,
Do the vibration and subsequent throat pain only exist in meditation or also during daily activity? I cannot help but wonder if the pleasant experiences (euphoric etc.) are unrelated to the throat pain. The throat discomfort, especially if only during meditation, could be an issue of relaxing the throat. If you are practicing a pranayam technique (kriya, ujjayi, etc.) that might engage the use of the throat, there could be a building up of tension in the throat. I have had that happen myself.
If, however, the throat pain is constant and not just in meditation, you should seek a throat doctor. If it is only in meditation, then I suggest some simple attempts to relax the head, neck, face, and throat areas.
Do you know the Energization Exercises by Yogananda? Tense and relax repeatedly (a few seconds tense, then relax) the front of the neck (that is, the area in the center of and around the throat). Next: With the chest, carefully rotate the head in a circle, three times, against a mild degree of tension in the neck. Rotate back the other direction, three times. Do the same without tension. Next: Lower chin to chest, tense the neck muscles, slowly raise the head as you inhale (technically a “double-breath” if you know this), then “drop” the head back down as you exhale. Next: Open your mouth gently; inhale throough the mouth; exhale softly chanting AAAAAh-aaaaahhh. Do this several times.
At the beginning of meditation, roll your tongue over, backward towards the throat, and push the underside of the tongue up against the upper palate. Do for a few seconds; relax; repeat a few times. Open your mouth slightly, relax the tongue so that it hangs gently in the mouth (almost as if you are about to speak). Let it relax there. Relax your jaw at the same time. Your eyes should be open but soft; same with the mouth. Next, do a body scan. Do you know how to do this? (It is done mentally only beginning with your left foot, try to intuitively feel the entire foot; move to the right foot and go up the body in this manner. Feel space is entering each body section and dissolving it.) Now with this level of relaxation, begin your meditation as usual, closing your eyes, etc.
If throat tension/pain returns, stop and try some or all of the above exercises.
Generally, friend, the various “symptoms” that occur during meditation, including feelings of joy, peace, etc. or seeing or hearing subtle things of light or sound, are guideposts to help you focus upon during meditation and go further inward away from the body and into the subtle body. There is generally no significance to these; or, put another way, if there’s a “message” it will be conveyed intuitively. Their purpose is to help us deepen our inward and increasingly subtle awareness. There is no end to this process!
While it is possible that there could be subtle issues related to the throat chakra (vishuddha chakra), I would guess that the issue is likely more physical. Nonetheless: A helpful visualization related to this chakra is to feel vibrations of deep calmness issuing from the throat center outward in concentric circles out into space. Feel from this deep, deep calmness, confidence, and relaxation. “All space floats in my mental sky! I am one with all space and all creation.”
May the Christ-light of peace be yours this and every day!
Nayaswami Hriman
Seattle WA USA
www.Hrimananda.org
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Guided Meditation on the Chakras
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