We spent the Christmas holiday on Orcas Island at Doe Bay with our days filled with hot water, hot air, no internet, and nature. My favorite spot is in the sauna with a view of a cedar tree that sits on the other side of the spring that rushes to Otter Cove. I can sit there for long stretches of time meditating on that tree, feeling its roots plunging deep into the earth as my ears open to the warmth that surrounds. This becomes especially evident on cold overcast days.

During this inward existence, the Universe began to speak of the connection of the major chakra positioned at the throat not only being of speaking one’s truth but also of hearing one’s truth and the truth of those around us.

The throat chakra is the fifth major chakra that runs along the axis from the top of the head (crown or 7^th chakra) to the bottom of the spine (root or 1^st chakra) with seven in total. There are also a couple thousand minor chakras or energy centers within the body but that we will save for another time.

Many clients come to me with throat chakra blocks. And since life is always in a state of flux, many of us will have a throat chakra block from time to time whether it be the ability to hear one’s truth or speak one’s truth rather than caving to the would-s, should-s, or could-s otherwise known as our expectations or the expectations we think others have of us.

Throat chakra blocks can manifest physically in jaw pain, grinding teeth, sore throats, swollen glands, thyroid issues, and, I am coming to realize, ear infections.

For me, the hearing part of the throat chakra has taken on a winning of contests theme in the last couple of months. I have literally heard “if you enter this contest, you will win” four times since November and have won three times so far. The first contest involved filling out a survey with probing questions that felt like a gift in itself as I learned much from my answers. The real gift, however, culminated in a daylong writing retreat with Pearl Klein to kick-start my blog writing block. Next up was a veggie box from Full Circle who were promoting their service at work. And just yesterday, I won four months of one-on-one coaching with Liz DiAlto… seriously, the perfect way to start the year.

In celebration of this abundance that listening has provided and the new year, I am running a contest to kickstart speaking and hearing one’s truth. Prizes include a Sweetness Herbal gift set of High Desert Sage Smudge Spray, Forest Smudge Spray, and Cedar salve; a 1-hour energy intuition session (in-person or via Skype); and a series of three 1-hour energy intuition sessions (in-person or via Skype). Energy intuition sessions which can be used by the winner(s) or gifted are to be used by April 30, 2013.

To enter, please include your name in the comments below by Sunday, January 13, at 11:59pm PDT. Three names will be drawn randomly on Monday, January 14, 2013.

And now to release those blocks in your throat chakra, a meditation for flooding it with light…

Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor. Imagine energetic roots growing out of the bottoms of your feet and traveling through the Earth’s crust down through the Earth’s layers to its core… once there, suck the Earth’s energy through your roots up into your body. Feel the Earth’s energy enter and migrate throughout your body. Inhale deeply. Exhale. Repeat.

Now, imagine a beam of light entering through the top of your head traveling through your skull. You notice the light behind your eyes, in your brain, your ears, your throat. Luxuriate in this moment. Inhale deeply; exhale. If a tone wishes to emanate, let it do so.

“I speak my truth. I hear my truth. I hear your truth.”

 Stay in this space as long as you wish.

 Wishing you the happiest of new years! xoxo, s