This episode originally aired in 2025 and, as one of our most-loved conversations, we're sharing it again with you today.

"Before you speak, ask yourself: “Is it honest? Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it the right time? Does it improve the silence?” - Sathya Sai Baba

Today, Erin and Sasha explore the 5th Chakra of speech, poetically named Vishuddha, meaning “purification of poison.” Vishuddha Chakra represents the Ether element, and the ability to turn poison into nectar - the process of purification. It is located in the throat, and is the seat of the power of the word. It brings Prana to the respiratory system.

“The more silence behind your word, the greater the impact.” You may find, upon personal practice, that the simple elegance of Silence can be prescribed to most internal challenges. This chakra represents the quality of honest communication, turning ignorance into awareness, transmutation, choice, alchemy, infinity, receptivity, sensitivity, self-expression, “finding one’s voice,” the ability to speak from the heart, and the ability to listen from the heart. Used properly, Vishuddha makes our words nectar, not poison. All poison becomes nectar when Vishuddha is strong and stable, developed and activated.

Our words create reality, and since they originate from thought, our thoughts create our reality. Therefore, words are not only descriptive, but creative. When Vishuddha is activated, everywhere you go, becomes better as a result of you being there. If too much noise is there, too much talking or too much thinking, Vishuddha cannot be stabilized, because the element it represents is Ether (spaciousness, emptiness).

The bija mantra for Vishuddha is “Hum,” which means “I am.” Because on a micro-level, we are God: the creator, preserver, and destroyer. Which brings me to the story of Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean. Once upon a time, the devas (gods) and asuras (demons) were on a quest to retrieve Amrita, the sacred nectar of immortality. In doing so, they had to churn the ocean using Mount Mandara as the churning rod, and Vasuki (the serpent King) as their rope. As they churned in what appears to be the original tug of war, Divine gifts emerged, like Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and the celestial cow Kamadhenu. However, before the Amrita appeared, a deadly poison called Halahala surfaced, threatening to destroy all of existence. Terrified, the devas and asuras turned to Lord Shiva for help, and in an act of supreme selflessness, he took the poison to his mouth to prevent it from harming creation. But instead of swallowing it or spitting it out, he held it in his throat, where it turned his skin blue, earning him the name of Neelkantha (the Blue throated one).

This moment of holding and transforming toxicity without allowing it to spread, is the symbolic origin of the Vishuddha Chakra. Just as Lord Shiva purified the deadly poison without letting it harm him, Vishuddha governs the purification of thought, word, and energy. Shiva’s restraint symbolizes conscious speech, wisdom, and the power of truth.

The throat chakra teaches that life contains both poison (negativity, challenges) and nectar (divine wisdom). It is our ability to process, hold, and transmute energy that determines our spiritual growth. This chakra represents self-mastery, communication, and purification. Like Shiva, we must learn to hold challenges with grace, not letting toxicity consume us but instead transforming it into wisdom. When our Vishuddha Chakra is balanced, we speak with clarity, authenticity, and purpose, just as Shiva’s act saved creation.

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This episode originally aired in 2025 and, as one of our most-loved conversations, we're sharing it again with you today.

Today, Erin and Sasha continue our Chakra series with Anahata, meaning “eternal unstruck sound.” Anahata is the fourth chakra, located at the heart, which is the seat of love and compassion. It is also the location of Vishnu Granthi (the knot of Vishnu). Its element is air, color is green, planet is Venus, and Ishta Devata is Lakshmi. Having neurons and brain cells, the heart holds the highest level of electromagnetic energy, inspiration, devotion, timelessness, and joy without reason. When Anahata is in a knot, there is attachment, neediness, longing, co-dependency, and a “me and mine” mentality.

Vishnu Granthi converts once Anahata is developed and stable, and then there is an energy of immense clairvoyance, deep compassion, transcendence of fear, greater kundalini rising, experience of pleasure, and authentic connection. Lakshmi lives here, the goddess of Abundance and Prosperity. Abundance is a state, and in this state, all lack disappears. Anahata’s base value of Peace (Shanti) converts to Bliss (Ananda) and then into Compassion, which is really just pain held in love. The feeling of Grace, or knowing you are held in Love, only arises when Anahata is open and online. It is not only about having an abundance mindset of gratitude, but an abundant heart, and with the help of a strong spine; an open, ever softening heart.

So even when we experience personal pain, grief, sorrow, and despair, it makes us better people. When we go into deeper states within our heart, pain is not our enemy. It becomes maturity and compassion. Sensitivity is not weakness, it is our superpower. We must train it, not suppress it. Let the tears come, let them flow, and be grateful for them. This allows the heart to stay safe as it expands. And remember, where there is gratitude, there is Lakshmi, abundance and prosperity.

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This episode is brought to you by Ojas Oasis Ayurveda, Sasha's private clinical practice. Schedule a 30-minute strategy session here.

For 10% off Kerala Ayurveda, use code OjasOasis. For 20% off GarryNSun, code OJASOASIS20. For 10% off Ora Cacao, code OjasOasis10.

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To learn more about working with us, please visit www.OjasOasis.com
Connect with us @ojasoasis on Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube

This episode originally aired in 2025 and, as one of our most-loved conversations, we're sharing it again with you today.

Today Erin and Sasha continue the exploration of the chakras with Manipura - the third of the seven chakras - which translates as “the shining sacred jewel.” It is associated with the Fire element, the planet Mars, the color Yellow, and the “Ishta Devata” Hanuman. It is located just above the navel and below the sternum, at our solar plexus — also called the celiac plexus — which is a complex system of radiating nerves and ganglia. It is found in the pit of the stomach in front of the aorta. It is part of the sympathetic nervous system and plays an important role in the functioning of the stomach, kidneys, liver, and adrenal glands.

This chakra brings Prana to the digestive system, also known as our second brain. From a Western perspective, this is known and expressed as the gut-brain axis (or GBA) - the network of nerves and biochemical signals that connect the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It's a two-way communication system that helps maintain homeostasis. The vagus nerve is one of the main nerves that connects the brain and gut, sending signals in both directions.

From a clinical perspective, the GBA can impact disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), mood disorders, anxiety, depression, and memory loss. The GBA can also be linked to conditions like autism, obesity, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

The Manipura chakra is directly linked to our sense of self, self-esteem, sense of purpose, the seat of clear decisive action, vision, dynamic action, assertiveness, discipline, determination, passion, deepest willingness to go beyond, strong will power, courage, resilience, and vitality. When balanced, there is energy and insight, will power and and follow-through, self-reliance, vitality and health. It can only be as balanced as the first 2 chakras. When imbalanced, there is a state of self-doubt, fear, insecurity, wanting, anger, blame, victimhood, depression, and lethargy.

Positive affirmations, yoga postures that engage the core such as bow pose, cobra pose, or revolved triangle pose, and kapalabhati pranayama (or breath of fire) help strengthen Manipura when it is weak. We also get into ways of balancing an overactive Manipura, as Pitta-type individuals are prone to over exercising, overworking, and burnout. We hope today’s conversation illuminates the ways in which we can reclaim and maintain our personal power, and that it is not as much a process of creating it, as it is discovering that which has always been there and removing what blocks us from experiencing it.

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This episode is brought to you by Ojas Oasis Ayurveda, Sasha's private clinical practice. Schedule a 30-minute strategy session here.

For 10% off Kerala Ayurveda, use code OjasOasis. For 20% off GarryNSun, code OJASOASIS20. For 10% off Ora Cacao, code OjasOasis10.

Support the show

To learn more about working with us, please visit www.OjasOasis.com
Connect with us @ojasoasis on Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube