by Francie La Flow

 ✨ Your voice is your medicine. Let it heal you. 🎶

When we activate the vagus nerve through breath, voice, and sound, we awaken our body’s natural ability to heal, connect, and return to our true nature — joy, presence, and flow.

This guide will introduce you to powerful practices that support vagus nerve activation and help you shift from stress to sanctuary — using the most ancient instrument you have: your voice.

It’s the main communication pathway of your parasympathetic nervous system — the one responsible for rest, digestion, connection, and healing.

This means it affects:

• Your breathing and heartbeat 
• Your digestion and inflammation 
• Your mood, expression, and emotional regulation 

Your ability to feel safe, connected, and at peace

Signs of low vagal tone:

• Anxiety or emotional overwhelm 
• Digestive problems (IBS, bloating, slow digestion) 
• Chronic fatigue or brain fog 
• Feeling disconnected, numb, or unsafe 
• Shallow breathing and tight throat 
• Difficulty expressing yourself or being heard 

Poor sleep and stress sensitivity

If a tight throat or a voice that goes quiet under pressure feels familiar, I wrote a whole guide to why your voice shuts down and how to help it feel safe again.

Signs of high vagal tone:

• Calm, steady breath and heart rhythm 
• Clear mind and strong digestion 
• Emotional flexibility and resilience 
• Deep sleep and natural rest 
• Creative flow and vocal confidence 
• Empathy and authentic connection 
• Feeling safe in your body and relationships 

🌬️ The higher your vagal tone, the easier it is to access peace, presence, and self-healing.

How to:

• Place one hand on your chest, the other on your belly. 
• Inhale deeply into your belly. 
• Exhale slowly through your mouth. 
• Repeat for 2–3 minutes. 

Why it works:

• Activates your parasympathetic system via the vagus nerve. 
• Lowers stress, calms the mind, and centers the breath. 

2. The Extended Exhale (Sighing Out Stress)

How to:

• Inhale for 4 counts. 
• Exhale slowly for 6–8 counts, optionally with a soft sigh. 
• Repeat for 3–5 rounds. 

Why it works:

• Signals safety to the brain. 
• Helps slow down the stress response and restore balance. 

3. Humming & Toning (Vibrational Healing)

How to:

• Inhale deeply. 
• Exhale with a gentle hum: “Mmmmmm…” 
• Feel the vibration in your throat and heart. 
• Continue for 1–3 minutes. 

Why it works:

• Vibration stimulates the vagus nerve and induces calm. 
• Deepens your connection to voice and body. 

4. Singing for Healing 🎶

How to:

• Choose a mantra, melody, or medicine song. 
• Sing slowly, with long exhalations and sustained notes. 
• Allow your voice to rise from your belly, heart, or womb. 

Why it works:

• Boosts heart rate variability (HRV) 
• Supports emotional expression and self-regulation 
• Reawakens joy and confidence in your voice

• Splash your face with cold water. 
• Take a 30-second cold shower rinse. 
• Breathe calmly while exposing your neck or chest. 

Why it works:

• Cold exposure activates the vagus nerve and resets your state. 

Self-Massage for Vagal Activation

• Neck massage: gently stroke the sides of the neck. 
• Ear massage: massage behind ears and tug earlobes. 

Jaw release: massage the jawline and temples to soften stored tension.

• Listen to 432Hz or 528Hz music to support vagal tone. 
• Create your own toning ritual using vowel sounds: 
  • “Ahhh” – for heart opening 
  • “Ohhh” – for grounding 
  • “Mmm” – for clarity and self-holding 
• Let your voice be medicine, not performance.

When we breathe, hum, sing, and listen inward…
we begin to rewire our system for safety,
reclaim our capacity for compassion,
and remember that healing isn’t about fixing —
it’s about feeling.

True healing and spiritual maturation happen in the body —
in the spaces where breath slows,
where sound rises,
and where presence becomes the practice.

This isn’t a quick fix.
It’s a sacred path of repatterning, remembrance, and resonance —
and you are not meant to walk it alone.

Apply now to begin your private path of transformation.

💙 With love & vibration,
Francie La Flow
#VoiceIsMedicine #3VConnection #NervousSystemHealing #VagusNerve #RisingResonance #EmbodyResonance

by Francie La Flow

Embodied resonance is a phrase I use a lot, in singing circles, on retreat and in my 1:1 work. It is also something so many people feel long before they can explain it. So let’s slow it down.

What is embodied resonance?

Before we dive into how to cultivate embodied resonance, let’s look at what these two words mean.

• Embodied: To be embodied is to fully inhabit your body, physically, emotionally and energetically. It means being present, attuned to your sensations, and connected to yourself in the here and now. Embodiment invites us out of our heads and into direct experience, where wisdom arises from feeling and intuition as well as from thought.
• Resonance: Resonance is a state of harmony where frequencies align, vibrate together and amplify one another. It is a physical phenomenon (think of how a tuning fork or a singing bowl vibrates) and an energetic one too. When we are in resonance, we feel in sync with ourselves, with others and with the world around us.

Together, embodied resonance is the practice of being present in our bodies while attuning to the vibrations and frequencies within and around us. It’s about living in alignment with our true essence, feeling connected, and allowing our presence to ripple outward in a way that uplifts and harmonizes.

What is embodied presence?

Embodied presence is what embodied resonance feels like to the people around you. When you are here in your body, breathing, feeling your feet, soft in your jaw, people can sense it. Your attention is in the room, and your voice sounds like you.

A calm face is easy to put on. A relaxed throat is much harder to fake, which is why your voice is such an honest readout of how present you really are.

Energetic resonance and your voice

Resonance is something your body literally does. When you hum, sound vibrates through your chest, your throat and your skull. Put one hand on your breastbone and one on the top of your head, hum, and you can feel both.

Your voice also carries your nervous system state. The nerves that move your vocal folds branch from the vagus nerve, which plays a big part in how your body moves between feeling on guard and feeling settled. When you feel unsafe, your breath goes shallow and your throat braces. When you feel safe, your voice drops into your body and resonates. I wrote more about this in Trauma and the voice, and about the throat itself in how to balance your throat chakra.

So one of the most direct ways into embodied resonance is through sound.

Why embodied resonance matters

In a world that often pulls us into mental overdrive, digital distraction and stress, cultivating embodied resonance helps us:

• Feel more grounded and alive: we wake up from autopilot and into the richness of life.
• Experience deeper presence and clarity: embodiment helps us move from reaction to response, tuning in to our intuition and wisdom.
• Support the nervous system: through sound, movement and breath, we can shift out of survival mode toward openness and relaxation.
• Deepen our relationships: when we are in resonance with ourselves, we naturally create more authentic and meaningful connections.
• Live in a “high vibe” state: and here is what that means in a practical way.

What “high vibration” means, practically

The phrase “high vibe” gets used a lot in spiritual communities. Practically, I mean an energetic state that feels expansive, alive and in alignment with your deepest truth, with room for every emotion you have.

You might recognize a high vibrational state as:

• A sense of ease, clarity and alignment
• A feeling of openness, joy and connection
• A deep sense of purpose and authenticity

“High vibe” means being in harmonious resonance with life, embracing the full spectrum of human emotion without clinging to it or pushing it away.

How to cultivate embodied resonance: 5 practices

So, how do we move toward embodied resonance in a practical, grounded way?

1. Meditation and somatic awareness: listening to the body

Embodiment starts with presence. Practices like breath awareness, body scanning and mindfulness help us tune in to sensations, emotions and subtle energies. We feel our experiences directly, and that allows for deeper connection and healing.

Try this: Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Take a deep breath. Notice what arises without judgment, and stay present to any sensations, emotions or messages from your body.

2. Yoga and movement: opening the channels

Yoga and free-form movement help release tension and cultivate flow. When we move with awareness, we invite more space, openness and resonance into our system.

Try this: Start your morning with gentle stretching, intuitive movement or shaking, to help your nervous system reset.

3. Sound and singing: vibrating into alignment

Sound is one of the most powerful tools for creating resonance. Through mantra, humming, singing or sound healing, we can use vibration to soften tension, settle the nervous system and feel more alive.

Try this: Hum or tone a single note and feel the vibration in your body. Let your voice express whatever wants to move through, without judgment. Humming counts!

If you would like a guided place to start, my free Somatic Voice Starter Kit has a Permission to Sing meditation, a vocal care ritual and a playlist to practice with.

4. Healing practices: releasing blocks and trauma

Embodied resonance also asks us to clear what keeps us from our natural state of flow. Somatic therapy, breathwork and Compassionate Inquiry can help us gently look at limiting beliefs, old trauma and emotional blocks, so we can return to alignment. For many of us, one of those blocks is the old feeling of being not enough, and I wrote about that in healing the worthiness wound.

Try this: Notice where you feel tension or resistance in your body. What is your body trying to tell you? Approach it with curiosity and compassion.

5. Community and co-regulation: harmonizing with others

We resonate together. Singing circles, conscious gatherings and shared practices help us attune to a collective vibration, deepening our sense of connection and belonging. Being with calm, attuned people helps our own nervous system settle, and that is what co-regulation means.

Try this: Sing with others, practice eye-gazing, or simply sit in the presence of a like-hearted community. Notice how your energy shifts.

If singing with others is where you feel this most, I also wrote about carrying songs with care and integrity.

Becoming a living resonance

Cultivating embodied resonance is an ongoing practice of attuning to ourselves and the world in an authentic, grounded way.

When we commit to embodiment, sound, movement and deep inner listening, we naturally become vessels of resonance, living in harmony with ourselves, each other and the greater field of life.

What practices help you feel most in resonance with yourself?

About Francie

Francie La Flow is a voice healer, somatic guide, bhakti musician and retreat leader based in Ubud, Bali, with more than 15 years of experience. She holds an E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance and a BA in Psychology and Philosophy from McGill University, and is trained in Compassionate Inquiry. She works with people all over the world through 1:1 sessions, online programs and retreats in Bali and Thailand.

by Francie La Flow

Have you ever heard a song that resonated so deeply with your soul that it felt like it chose you?

Like a friend, the song stays with you, dances through your days, and becomes a companion you get to meet over and over again every time you share it.

I’ve been having an amazing back-and-forth conversation with my dear friend Lulu about this—what it really means to be a songcarrier. What it means to not just sing a song, but to hold it, honour it, and carry it with intention and integrity.

This is an ongoing inquiry for me. I don’t have all the answers. But I want to ask the questions, sit with the nuances, and invite conversation about this path.

A songcarrier is not just someone who sings songs—they are someone who holds them with care.

They understand that songs are more than melodies and lyrics. Songs are living prayers, bodies of energy, codes that travel from the formless to the form. They carry stories, emotions, and transmissions that connect us to something greater.

Some of the most powerful songs we hear in heartsong circles, medicine music gatherings, and ceremonial spaces come from deeply rooted Indigenous traditions—like the Yawanawá people, the Red Road, and other medicine paths.

And so, when we receive a song, how do we hold it in a good way?

How do we honour the lineage it comes from, the person who channelled it, and the spirit of the song itself?

There’s a spectrum when it comes to carrying and sharing songs:

🎶 On one end → Singing any song freely, in any way, as a way to build confidence and find expression.

🎶 On the other end → Deep reverence, understanding the lineage, and asking: How can I get out of the way and allow myself to be a channel for this song?

And somewhere in between is the question: What is the most respectful, authentic, and appropriate way to share this song?

Songs are not just for us—they are for the collective. But that doesn’t mean we can share them however we want.

Some guiding questions I sit with:
✨ What is my intention in singing this song?
✨ Am I honouring the lineage or source it came from?
✨ Have I taken the time to learn the correct words, melody, and meaning?
✨ Have I received permission from the artist or tradition, if needed?
✨ Am I singing this with heart, purity, and integrity?

Singing a song from another tradition isn’t inherently disrespectful. But there’s a difference between carrying a song with care and merely performing it.

There’s a difference between honouring the roots and diluting the depth.

And we can feel the difference when someone is truly carrying a song, versus when they are just singing it.

One of the most beautiful things about this path is that we don’t have to navigate it alone.

We can go to the source—to the artists, to the elders, to the teachers, to the ones who received these songs as transmissions.

I am deeply grateful to be personally connected to many of the voices and carriers of these sacred songs. And I’ve learned that taking the time to receive a song in its full depth brings so much beauty, reverence, and understanding.

🎶 Learn the story behind the song—Who received it? What does it mean? How is it traditionally shared?
🎶 Receive permission when necessary—Some songs are meant to be passed down with care.
🎶 Accept guidance & correction—It can be humbling to be told we’re singing something slightly wrong, but it’s also a beautiful way to deepen our relationship with the song.
🎶 Honour the song’s spirit—Are you singing it with integrity, in the right setting, with the right heart?

And if you do share a song, consider honouring the original channel or artist. Recording an album can cost anywhere between $10,000–$35,000, and the direct financial return is often peanuts in comparison to the love and effort put into birthing these songs into the world.

If it’s available to you, offering a financial token of gratitude can be a meaningful way to give back and support the artists who dedicate their lives to sharing this medicine.

This isn’t about creating rigid rules around music—it’s about creating a culture of respect, reverence, and responsibility.

If you feel called to share songs with heart, depth, and authenticity, this is a path you can walk with intention.

✨ Step into your voice. It can be scary to share your voice—especially if you fear getting it “wrong.” But the more you sing, the more you will feel what’s aligned.

✨ Trust when a song is meant for you. Some songs arrive like gifts, whispering to you to carry them forward. Others may not be yours to hold. The more you listen, the more you will know.

✨ Commit to learning in a good way. Whether it’s deepening your understanding of a lineage, refining your pronunciation, or reaching out to a song’s source, small actions can make a big difference.

✨ Sing with confidence, humility, and devotion. Carry the song with the same love and care as the person who received it.

If this resonates with you, and you want to go deeper into finding your voice, unlocking your authentic expression, and stepping into your power as a songcarrier…

🎶 Enrolment is open for my 3-month program: Awaken Your Authentic Voice.

This is for you if you’re ready to:
💜 Build confidence in your voice & release self-doubt
💜 Sing with full-body presence, trust, and authenticity
💜 Honour and carry songs in a way that feels deeply aligned
💜 Tap into your voice as a spiritual, creative, and healing practice

🌿 Or check out The Yoga Song Soundbook—a collection of mantras & songs to help you unlock your voice and step into the beauty of shared music.

📩 DM me or click the link in my bio to start your journey.

This is an open conversation. I don’t have all the answers, but I’d love to hear from you.

💬 What are your thoughts on carrying songs with integrity? How do you navigate this path? Let’s start the conversation in the comments below.

💜✨ Sing freely, sing with care, and sing from the heart.

By Francie La Flow

Do you ever feel like you’re not enough?
Or maybe, on the flip side, like you’re too much?

If so, I see you. I feel you. I am you.

The worthiness wound has been one of my biggest teachers, and truthfully, it’s still an ongoing journey for me. Even after years of singing, teaching and sharing my voice with the world, I still catch myself in moments of comparison, self-judgment and questioning my place.

Some days, I hear the old whispers:
“Who am I to take up space?”
“What if my voice isn’t good enough?”
“What if people judge me?”

Other days, it swings the other way:
“Am I too much?”
“Am I taking up too much space?”
“Will people think I’m full of myself?”

This push and pull, feeling not enough AND too much, is the paradox of the worthiness wound.

Where the worthiness wound comes from

For so many of us, growing up with big emotions in families that didn’t have the tools to truly see or understand us, where the response was often to medicate, dismiss or ignore, led to deep self-suppression. We learned to shape-shift, to people-please, to stay small and to keep from disrupting the delicate balance of our family systems.

One of my biggest teachers, Gabor Maté, speaks about the tension between attachment and authenticity. As kids, our need to belong, to feel safe, to be loved, often trumped our ability to fully express who we truly are. That can leave us feeling lost as adults, when we start to feel the call to strip away the masks, the personas and the voices we’ve crafted to fit into the world.

So who are we really, underneath all that?
And how do we give ourselves the space and freedom to be who we are, whether or not we’re accepted for it?

I believe that, with few exceptions, our parents did the best they could with what they had. No one intentionally sets out to suppress their children’s voices. Healing, becoming who we truly are, is a journey of unlayering, of releasing the adaptive patterns that once kept us safe and no longer serve us.

And at the core of this process? We often find trauma, much of it rooted in our earliest relationships. Just as trauma is formed in relationships, it is also healed through them.

The worthiness wound and the throat chakra

The worthiness wound is mental, and it is also energetic, emotional and deeply somatic.

The throat chakra, Vishuddha, is the energy center of authentic expression, truth and self-worth. It governs how freely we communicate, sing and share our voices. (If you want to go deeper here, I wrote a guide on how to balance your throat chakra.)

When our worthiness is in question, the throat closes.
We hesitate. We hold back. We silence our truth.

And the worthiness wound can block the heart too.

So many of us struggle with feeling disconnected from love, joy and authentic self-expression because deep down, we don’t feel worthy of being seen and received fully.

We fear rejection.
We doubt ourselves.
We let the fear of being too much convince us to be less.

And this costs us so much.

When we make ourselves small, we rob the world of our gifts.
When we shrink our voice, we suppress our truth.
When we doubt our worth, we deny ourselves the joy of full expression.

No matter how powerful, successful or “together” someone may seem, this wound is universal. Worthiness is a shared human experience. It is our struggle, all of ours, and by acknowledging it and bringing it into the light, we can begin to heal.

How the worthiness wound shows up in your voice

In my work, I meet the worthiness wound most often in the body and in the voice. When early experiences taught you that expressing yourself led to dismissal or disappointment, your nervous system learned to protect you by shrinking your voice. It can sound like:

• Fading out at the end of your sentences
• Apologizing before you speak
• Upspeak, so a statement arrives sounding like a question
• Matching other people’s tone to avoid conflict
• Losing your voice, or going blank, under pressure
• Pushing and getting louder, to prove you deserve the space

These are the freeze, fawn and fight responses living in your throat. I map all four survival responses onto the voice in Trauma and the voice.

How to use your voice for self-healing: 5 ways to heal the worthiness wound

The insight lives in your head. The block lives in your body. So these five practices move from your thoughts into your body and your sound.

1. Recognize the inner critic and question the story

That voice of self-doubt, that feeling of “not enough”, is an old wound speaking.

Ask yourself:
“Is this belief really mine? Or was it given to me by culture, teachers, family, society?”

Then reframe it.
When you hear “I’m not good enough,” try saying “I am learning, growing, and already enough.”
When you hear “I have nothing valuable to share,” try saying “My voice is meaningful because it is real.”

2. Give yourself permission to take up space

You are allowed to take up space. You deserve to be seen and heard.

Try this:

• Feel your feet on the floor and soften your jaw.
• Stand tall, open your chest and take a deep, expansive breath.
• Imagine your voice filling the entire room.
• Say out loud: “I am worthy of being heard.”
• Sing a sound that feels full, open and embodied.

The more you practice owning your space, the more natural it becomes. If you would like a guide, the Permission to Sing meditation in my free Somatic Voice Starter Kit was made for exactly this.

3. Let go of sounding “good enough”

So much of the worthiness wound around the voice comes from the idea that we have to prove something, that our voice has to be “good enough” to deserve to be heard.

What your voice asks for is presence.

Sing because it feels good.
Express because you need to move energy.
Use your voice for the joy of it.

Ask yourself:
“What if I let go of being ‘good enough’ and focused on being fully present?”

4. Hum, tone and chant to open your throat

When the throat is blocked, the best way to clear it is to use it. You find your voice by using it.

• Humming (awakens resonance and flow)
• Toning (long, open sounds like AHHH, OHHH, EEEE)
• Mantra singing (repeating simple sounds to open the channel)
• Shouting or laughing (yes, really, make some noise!)

A 90-second way to start: soften your jaw and let your teeth come apart. Take three audible sighs. Hum once, on any note, and notice where you feel it, in your chest, throat, face or lips. Then hum once more, a little longer. Humming counts!

The more you use your voice, the more you tell your body:
“It is safe for me to express.”

5. Remember that worthiness is a choice

Worthiness is something we choose to believe in, again and again.

You are already worthy, before you do more, be more or achieve more.

Try this affirmation:
“I am worthy of love, joy and expression. My voice is valuable. I take up space with ease and grace.”

Your voice is ready to be heard

Healing the worthiness wound is ongoing work that asks for patience, and often for being in relationship, to peel back the most subtle layers. Be gentle with yourself on the days the old whispers come back. They come back for me too.

If you want to feel how worthiness lives in your whole body, read cultivating embodied resonance next.

You are worthy. Your voice matters.

Which of those old whispers do you hear most often?

About Francie

Francie La Flow is a voice healer, somatic guide, bhakti musician and retreat leader based in Ubud, Bali, with more than 15 years of experience. She holds an E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance and a BA in Psychology and Philosophy from McGill University, and is trained in Compassionate Inquiry. She works with people all over the world through 1:1 sessions, online programs and retreats in Bali and Thailand.

by Francie La Flow

Your voice and your womb are mirrors of each other. They’re two of the most powerful centers of expression in your body, the places where something moves from deep inside you out into the world.

I first shared this as the 3V Connection, in a live conversation and then a masterclass with Sofia Araújo, founder of Swara Yoga School, all about the voice, the vagus nerve and the womb. This is my guide to how your womb, your heart and your voice are linked in your body, what researchers have found about sound and pleasure, and a simple practice you can try tonight with your own two hands.

Your diaphragm and your pelvic floor breathe together

Your diaphragm is a dome of muscle under your lungs. Your pelvic floor is a hammock of muscle at the base of your pelvis, and it cradles your bladder, your bowel and your womb. The two of them work as a pair.

When you breathe in, your diaphragm drops and your pelvic floor lowers and softens with it. When you breathe out, both lift. In 2011, a team led by Helga Talasz watched this happen on MRI and saw the two moving in parallel, breath after breath.

So when your breath stays high and tight in your chest, your pelvic floor tends to stay held too. Let your breath drop low and soft into your belly, and the whole base of your body gets permission to let go.

Your voice feels the difference straight away. Sound sitting on a high, held breath tends to come out thin and pushed. Sound sitting on a low, soft breath has somewhere to land, so it comes out lower and fuller.

Your jaw and your womb soften together

Clench your teeth for a moment and notice what happens low in your pelvis. Now let your jaw hang loose, lips soft, and notice again.

Many midwives, doulas and bodyworkers see the jaw and the pelvic floor soften together, which is why a loose, open mouth and long, low sounds are so often encouraged in labour. It’s widely observed and only lightly researched, so hold it as something to feel for yourself.

For your voice, your jaw is the gate. Clamp it and the sound squeezes through. Soften it and the sound can pour out.

Your vagus nerve runs from your throat to your belly

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in your body. It runs from your brainstem down through your throat, your heart and your belly, and it plays a big part in how your body moves between feeling on guard and feeling settled.

The nerves that move your vocal folds are branches of your vagus nerve. So every hum, sigh and song you make happens right in its neighbourhood.

It may carry messages from even lower down. Barry Komisaruk and Beverly Whipple spent years studying women with complete spinal cord injuries, some of whom could still feel sensation from the cervix, at the neck of the womb. Their brain imaging study, published in 2004, suggests the vagus nerve can carry that sensation from the cervix to the brain, bypassing the spinal cord.

Your throat and your womb are on speaking terms!

Your heart follows your song

Your heart speeds up a little every time you breathe in and slows a little every time you breathe out. A long sung phrase is one long, slow out-breath, so singing shifts your heart rhythm while you sing.

Singing with other people adds something sweeter. In 2013, Björn Vickhoff and his team in Sweden measured the heart rates of choir singers and found them rising and falling together as they sang, shaped by the structure of the song.

Maybe that’s why a circle of women singing one simple song can feel like one body breathing.

Sound and pleasure: what the research shows

When I say pleasure, I mean aliveness: sensation, warmth low in your belly, a flush across your chest, the kind of joy that makes your hips want to sway. Your voice can take you there quickly, and researchers have been measuring some of why.

• Music you love releases dopamine. In 2011, Valorie Salimpoor and her colleagues at McGill, my old university, found dopamine released in the brain at the most moving moments of music people loved, and in the moments just before them.
• Singing together raises your pain threshold. In 2012, Robin Dunbar’s team at Oxford found that singing, dancing and drumming raised people’s pain thresholds, an effect they linked to endorphins. Passive listening didn’t have the same effect.
• A singing lesson can raise oxytocin. In 2003, Christina Grape and her colleagues in Sweden measured singers before and after a lesson and found their oxytocin rose, and the amateur singers said they came out of it feeling more joyful.
• Humming changes the air in your nose. In 2002, Eddie Weitzberg and Jon Lundberg found that humming raised nasal nitric oxide to about fifteen times the level of a quiet exhale.

A body that feels safe can feel pleasure

A body that feels safe can feel pleasure, and pleasure tells your nervous system it’s safe. Each one opens the door to the other, and sound is one of the fastest ways into both.

When you’re braced, your breath climbs, your jaw clamps, your pelvic floor tends to grip and your voice goes thin. When you soften, they tend to let go together. A low hum is often the easiest place to start, because any note at all will do, and how it sounds is nobody’s business but yours.

Sometimes the first sound that comes is a sigh you’ve been holding for years, or a few tears. Let those come too. Through the darkness is how we get to the light.

So relax into sound instead of reaching for it. Reaching is effort, and effort tells your body there’s still work to do. Relaxing into sound tells your body it can stay.

Your cycle and your voice

Understanding the four seasons of the menstrual cycle instantly changed my life. Living in rhythm with my own cycle helped me feel more aligned and more joyful.

In this yogic and energetic way of seeing, your bleed is your inner winter, the days after it are spring, ovulation is summer, and the days before your next bleed are autumn. Your voice can follow the seasons too. You might play with:

• Winter: soft humming and long sighs, with very little effort
• Spring: playful, curious sounds and new notes
• Summer: big, open, joyful singing
• Autumn: lower, slower tones and honest words

Hold this as an invitation to listen. If you don’t bleed, many women follow the phases of the moon instead.

A womb-to-heart practice

Give yourself five quiet minutes somewhere you feel comfortable making sound.

1. Place one hand low on your belly, over your womb, and the other on your heart. Let your teeth come apart and soften your jaw.
2. Breathe down into your womb and your pelvic floor. Feel your belly and the base of your pelvis widen as you breathe in, and lift as you breathe out. Take five or six slow breaths like this.
3. Hum a low “mmm”, as low as it wants to go, and feel for it under your lower hand. Let your hips sway if they want to.
4. Open your mouth into “ahh” and let the sound rise. Feel it move up into your chest, under your top hand, into your heart.
5. Follow what feels good. Slide between notes, sigh, laugh, go back to humming. Whatever it sounds like is right.

When you finish, keep your hands where they are for one more breath and notice what feels different.

These breath and sound practices work in every body, so men and anyone without a womb are so welcome to try them too. Rest your lower hand low on your belly and breathe into your pelvic floor.

One gentle note. If you have pelvic pain, pain during sex, or hoarseness that lasts more than a few weeks, please see a doctor or a pelvic health physiotherapist first. These practices sit alongside that care.

Keep going

If you’d like to be guided, my free Somatic Voice Starter Kit is a gentle place to begin. It has a Permission to Sing meditation, a vocal care ritual and a playlist to sing along with, and nobody hears you but you.

If your throat tends to tighten before the words come, read how to balance your throat chakra. If your voice goes quiet under stress, read trauma and the voice. And to feel how all of this lives in your whole body, read cultivating embodied resonance next.

Tell me, when you hum low with one hand on your womb, where do you feel it?

About Francie

Francie La Flow is a voice healer, somatic guide, bhakti musician and retreat leader based in Ubud, Bali, with more than 15 years of experience. She holds an E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance and a BA in Psychology and Philosophy from McGill University, and is trained in Compassionate Inquiry. She works with people all over the world through 1:1 sessions, online programs and retreats in Bali and Thailand.

by  Francie La Flow

The true essence of a sister singing circle lies in its ability to create a supportive environment where women come together to explore their voices and share their stories. These gatherings transcend mere singing; they become sanctuaries where vulnerability meets acceptance, and where every voice is valued. It’s about stepping into our fullest selves, supported by a community that celebrates healing, authenticity, and growth.

As we sing together, we return to something ancient and sacred—a way to feel more alive and connected, both to ourselves and to the women around us. In these circles, everyone’s voice is honored, and we all experience the magic of sound as a pathway to wholeness and joy.

Over the years, I’ve learned so much from leading these circles. Here are some of the most powerful lessons and insights I’ve gained:

1. Take Up Space One of the most profound lessons from sister singing circles is the importance of taking up space. This isn’t just about singing louder; it’s about embracing the physicality of sound and allowing ourselves to be fully present. By opening our mouths wide, dropping our jaws, and giving ourselves permission to be heard, we not only enhance our vocal expression but also carve out space for ourselves in the world. This practice aligns us with our spiritual essence, allowing our authentic selves to resonate a nd shine brightly.
2. Embrace Vulnerability Allowing ourselves to be seen is an act of profound vulnerability. Our emotions are intricately connected to our voices, and sharing them can be daunting. The fear of judgment, especially self-judgment, often holds us back. Yet, it is through this vulnerability that we find connection and healing. Singing in front of others becomes a journey of overcoming internal barriers and embracing our true selves, leading to deeper connections and profound healing.
3. Cultivate a Growth Mindset Singing, like any practice, requires persistence and a positive mindset. Recognizing that it’s okay to feel emotional during the process opens the door to growth. As we practice, we improve our vocal control, discover the joy of singing, and channel our creative energy more effectively. This journey of growth is transformational, helping us unlock our full potential and supporting our spiritual evolution.
4. Rise in Resonance The synergy that emerges when we gather in singing circles is powerful. Witnessing others step out of their comfort zones and embrace their own vulnerability inspires us to do the same. This shared experience fosters a sense of unity and collective growth, enhancing both our individual and group development. The resonance of our voices coming together creates a powerful, healing vibration that deepens our connections and amplifies our collective energy.
5. Let Your Heart Shine! Singing transcends the physical act of producing sound; it is about connecting with the energy of the heart. To sing beautifully and openly, we must engage our entire being—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. By connecting with our hearts through song, we tap into our inner truth and express our authentic selves more fully.
6. Give Yourself Permission One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is the need to give ourselves permission—permission to take up space, to be vulnerable, to grow, and to connect with our hearts. So often, we hold back because we don’t feel we’re allowed to fully express ourselves. In sister singing circles, we practice giving ourselves that permission, and in doing so, we unlock new levels of freedom and joy.

• 50-Hour Women’s Health & Yoga Teacher Training in Spain October 14-20, 2024 This integrative program is designed for women of all backgrounds and combines energetic practices and philosophical explorations to embrace your natural rhythm and feminine flow. Dive into Yoga, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taoism, Tantra, and Vocal Activation to explore women’s anatomy, hormonal health, Ayurvedic practices, holistic nutrition, and the transformative power of sacred sound.
• 50-Hour Embodied Resonance Retreat & Training in Bali December 8-14, 2024 Join us in breathtaking North Bali for a soul-stirring journey of self-discovery, rejuvenation, and empowerment. Immerse yourself in Bhakti Flow Yoga, Vocal Activation, and creative expression. Discover your flow, unlock your authentic voice, and ignite your creative potential through movement, mantra, music, ritual, and community.
• Weekly Classes & Workshops at The Yoga Barn, Bali Dive into the transformative power of vocal expression and community connection. Join me for regular classes and workshops that explore the depths of your voice and connect you with a global community of songbirds.

• 1:1 Mentorship Wanna go deeper and learn how to facilitate a singing circle like a pro? Join me for private mentorship. This YACEP-certified continuing education mentorship is designed to help you level up your space-holding, personal healing, and development while supporting your business with flow coaching.
• Vocal Flow Sanctuary – Virtual Community Want to sing with us? Join our vibrant community in the Vocal Flow Sanctuary and embark on a transformative journey that will elevate your voice, connect you with like-minded souls, and deepen your practice.

• Create a Welcoming Space: Choose a comfortable, quiet location where participants can gather and feel at ease. Ensure the space allows for both sitting and standing, as well as room for movement if needed.
• Set Clear Intentions: Define the purpose of your singing circle. Whether it’s for personal growth, community connection, or creative expression, having a clear intention helps guide the experience.
• Gather Your Community: Invite friends, family, or colleagues who are interested in exploring vocal expression. Emphasize that the circle is a space for everyone to be themselves without judgment.
• Prepare Your Practice: Plan a simple structure for your gathering, including warm-ups, singing exercises, and sharing time. Incorporate elements of spirituality, such as guided meditations or affirmations, to deepen the experience.
• Foster an Open Environment: Encourage participants to express themselves freely and authentically. Create a supportive atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable sharing their voices and stories.
• Embrace Flexibility: Allow the circle to evolve naturally. Each gathering may have its own rhythm and flow, and that’s part of the magic.

by Francie La Flow

That lump in your throat right before you say the thing. The words you swallow. The voice that goes small in one room and pushes too hard in the next…

By the end of this page you’ll know what your throat is protecting you from, and you’ll have a practice you can feel in about 90 seconds, so your throat softens and saying one true thing gets a little easier.

If you’ve done the chakra meditations, the affirmations, maybe years of therapy or yoga, and your throat still closes when it matters, nothing is wrong with you. In my experience the missing piece is usually the voice itself, used out loud, in a body that feels safe enough to use it.

I have spent more than 15 years working with voices, my own included. Here’s what a blocked throat chakra feels like, where it comes from, and how to open it through your breath, your body and your sound.

Signs of a blocked throat chakra

A blocked throat chakra is the yogic way of describing expression that gets held back, in your throat, your jaw, your breath and your words. Think of these signs as an energetic and somatic lens, a way of listening to your body. Only a doctor can diagnose a physical problem.

• A tight or lumpy feeling in your throat right before you speak
• Swallowing your words, or trailing off at the end of sentences
• A voice that goes quiet, thin or high when you feel nervous
• Going blank, or losing your voice, in conflict
• A clenched jaw, a stiff neck, or shoulders creeping up toward your ears
• Struggling to say what you need, what you want or where your boundary is
• Over-explaining, apologizing, or talking fast to get it over with
• Creative ideas that stay stuck inside you

Please note: if you have a sore throat that won’t go away, hoarseness that lasts more than two or three weeks, pain when you swallow, or a lump you can feel in your neck, see a doctor first. Everything on this page is for your energy, your nervous system and your expression, and it sits alongside medical care.

Which of these sounds like you?

Your throat protects you in its own particular way, and the way changes with the room you’re in. Pick the one that feels most familiar, then jump to the practice that helps it most.

• My words get stuck. You go blank, quiet or frozen, and later think of everything you wanted to say. That’s the freeze voice. Start with humming.
• My voice goes small, soft or high, and I over-explain. You smooth things over and keep everyone comfortable. That’s the fawn voice. Start with one small true thing.
• I talk fast and rush past what I actually mean. You fill the silence so nobody can interrupt. That’s the flight voice. Start with a longer exhale.
• My voice pushes, gets loud or sharp. You brace to make sure you get heard. That’s the fight voice. Start by softening your jaw.

I go through all four, with a practice for each, in trauma and the voice: how the nervous system speaks through the throat.

What is the throat chakra?

The throat chakra, Vishuddha in Sanskrit, is the fifth of the seven main chakras. It sits at the larynx, the first of the upper three chakras, and in the yogic tradition it is the center of physical and spiritual purification. Visha means impurity or poison, and shuddhi means purification.

It is often called the soul’s gate, because the throat is the bridge between the emotions of the heart and the thoughts of the head. This is where what you feel and what you think find their way out into the world.

Your throat chakra is your center of communication, creativity, will, self-expression and deep listening. It holds your ability to speak your truth, to speak up for yourself, and to say what matters to you.

When the throat chakra is balanced, prana, your life force energy, flows and you feel energized and bright. When it is stressed or out of balance, you can feel drained. It feels most open when your heart is relaxed and you are allowing yourself to just be. Every time you restrict, control or hold back a part of yourself, your throat feels it.

Underactive, overactive and balanced throat chakra

A throat chakra can fall out of balance in two directions. It can close down and go quiet, or it can run too hot and push. Most of us move between both, depending on the room we are in.

Signs of an underactive throat chakra

• A tight, lumpy or foggy feeling in your throat before you speak
• Swallowing your words, or trailing off at the end of sentences
• Speaking very quietly, or losing your voice during conflict
• Timidity, and apologizing before you say anything
• Struggling to express your needs, desires, opinions or boundaries
• Doubting that you deserve to be heard
• Creative ideas that stay stuck inside you

Signs of an overactive throat chakra

• Excessive talking
• A pushed, forceful or strained voice
• Arrogance and controlling behavior
• Gossip, or hurtful and mean words
• Habitual dishonesty or manipulation
• Harsh judgment of yourself and others

Signs of a balanced throat chakra

• A sense of feeling worthy
• Self-acceptance and authenticity
• Being able to express your truth
• Being able to listen to your inner voice
• Ideas, hopes and dreams that flow
• Saying what you need, what you want and what you think

Each sign of imbalance is a clue to where your body learned to protect you, and each one has its own way back.

The throat chakra in your body

In the body, the throat chakra is connected with your neck, jaw, mouth, shoulders and upper back. That is often where you feel it first: a clenched jaw, shoulders creeping up toward your ears, a stiff neck, a throat that tightens right before you say something that matters.

What blocks the throat chakra

When your chakras are balanced, you digest life’s experiences with ease and they help you grow. When experiences are left unprocessed, unexpressed or undigested, any chakra can become blocked, or swing into being overactive or underactive.

For the throat chakra, some of the most common causes are:

• Conflict and stress that never got resolved
• Trauma, and painful experiences you never had a safe place to express
• Beliefs about yourself that tell you to stay quiet
• Growing up in a family or community where speaking up felt risky
• Long habits of holding back, people-pleasing or keeping the peace

Some traditions also speak of karmic patterns carried in from before this life.

Underneath the causes there are often core wounds that live at the level of the throat:

• Struggling to trust in what you believe
• Doubting that you deserve to be heard
• Shutting down, so your needs go unmet
• A feeling of ongoing disappointment and dissatisfaction with life

That second one is the worthiness wound, and I wrote a whole piece about it: healing the worthiness wound and reclaiming your voice.

Throat chakra blockage, trauma and your nervous system

This is where my own work lives, so let me bring the chakra into the body.

The nerves that move your vocal folds are branches of the vagus nerve, which plays a big part in how your body shifts between feeling on guard and feeling settled. So your voice tends to change quickly with your state. When you feel safe, your breath drops, your throat softens and your voice flows. When part of you feels unsafe, your jaw, tongue, ribs and larynx brace to protect you.

That bracing often sounds like one of four very familiar voices: the pushed voice of fight, the rushed voice of flight, the stuck voice of freeze, and the pleasing voice of fawn. They are the four patterns in the self-check above.

I know this from the inside. In 2016 I lost my voice for a year and a half. It hurt to talk and it hurt to sing. Doctors put tubes down my throat and told me I needed more rest and more ginger tea. Then a friend gently asked me, “Has anything emotional happened to you recently?” That question changed my life, and it changed how I work with every voice I meet.

Why it keeps coming back

You can understand exactly why your throat closes, and it will still close. The insight lives in your head. The block lives in your body.

A throat opens when your body feels safe enough to let it, and your body learns that through experience: breath, sound and small moments of being heard. That’s why the practices below start with your jaw and your exhale, and why doing them out loud, often, does more than reading about them ever will.

How to open and balance your throat chakra: 7 gentle practices

You find your voice by using it. These seven practices start with your body and move toward your words, because a throat that feels safe opens much more easily.

1. Soften your jaw, neck and throat

Let your teeth come apart and let your tongue rest. Roll your head slowly from side to side and let your shoulders drop away from your ears. Consciously relaxing your jaw, neck and throat is the quickest way I know to tell your body it can stop bracing.

2. Lengthen your exhale

Breathe into your belly and your ribs, then let the out-breath be longer than the in-breath. Try three audible sighs, and let them be a little ugly! A long, slow exhale is one of the simplest ways to help your system settle, and it is the foundation your voice sits on.

3. Hum, sing and chant

When the throat is blocked, the best way to clear it is to use it. Start with one hum, on any note at all, and notice where you feel it: chest, throat, face or lips. Humming counts!

A hum makes your exhale longer and gently vibrates your throat, which is a big part of why it feels so settling. I wrote more about that in my guide to the vagus nerve and your voice.

The throat chakra mantra: HAM. Each chakra has a bija, a one-syllable seed sound, and for Vishuddha it is HAM, said like “hum”. Chant it slowly on the exhale and let the M hum on your lips before you breathe in again. Three minutes is plenty.

Other sounds for the throat. Some sound healers tone an open “eh” vowel, as in “bed”, for the throat. Try both, and keep whichever your throat likes better. Sighing on an “aah” is lovely too.

When you are ready for more, this 20-minute warm-up is a lovely place to begin:

Singing along for as little as five minutes a day can build vocal stamina and bring more joy and connection into your day. Here are some of my favourite heart and soul awakening songs to sing with:

4. Give yourself permission

To heal, we need to feel safe, and one of the most powerful ways to help yourself feel safe is to actively give yourself permission. Permission to sing, to be heard, to take up space, and to make a sound that is messy.

I recorded a Permission to Sing meditation for exactly this, and you can find it at the end of this page.

5. Say one small true thing out loud

Speak your truth in small doses. Share one feeling, one thought or one idea with someone safe, and let it land without softening it or apologizing for it. Then celebrate it. Small true sentences, said often, are how your throat learns that expression is safe.

6. Notice when you judge

Judgment of yourself and of others, gossip and self-censoring are all acts of control, and they close the throat. When you catch yourself in one, pause, breathe out and let it go. Journaling can help you see the pattern.

7. Rest, hydrate and live spaciously

Your voice is an instrument that lives in your body. Drink water, rest your voice when it is tired, sleep, and leave some space in your days. Self-care is throat chakra care.

Yoga poses for the throat chakra

• Head and neck rolls
• Fish pose
• Lion’s breath
• Plough pose
• Shoulder stand
• Headstand

Plough, shoulder stand and headstand put weight through your neck, so only include them if they are already part of your practice, ideally with a teacher.

Throat chakra affirmations

• My voice is valuable and worthy of being heard.
• I communicate with ease.
• I live and speak my truth.
• I freely use my voice to express myself.
• I am comfortable speaking my heart and mind.
• I listen with presence, and I express myself honestly with clear intent.
• I know when it is time to speak and when it is time to listen.
• I have clear boundaries and I stand up for what I believe in.

Blocked throat chakra: your questions

What does it mean when your throat chakra is blocked?

In yoga, a blocked throat chakra describes expression that gets held back. You might feel a lump or tightness in your throat before you speak, swallow your words, go quiet in conflict, or struggle to say what you need. It is an energetic and somatic way of listening to your body, and any physical symptom is a job for your doctor.

What are the symptoms of a blocked throat chakra?

Common signs are a tight or lumpy feeling in the throat before speaking, trailing off or swallowing your words, a voice that goes small or high when you are nervous, going blank in conflict, a clenched jaw or stiff neck, over-explaining, and creative ideas that stay stuck. Any lasting physical throat symptom, like hoarseness for more than two or three weeks or pain when swallowing, needs a doctor first.

What blocks the throat chakra?

Unresolved conflict and stress, painful experiences you never had a safe place to express, beliefs that tell you to stay quiet, growing up where speaking up felt risky, and long habits of people-pleasing or keeping the peace. Underneath there is often a feeling of not deserving to be heard.

How do I open or unblock my throat chakra?

Start with your body. Soften your jaw, lengthen your exhale, and hum or chant on the out-breath. Give yourself permission to make sound where nothing is riding on it. Then practice saying small true things out loud to someone safe. Doing this often, out loud, helps your body learn that expression is safe.

What is the mantra for the throat chakra?

The seed mantra, or bija, for the throat chakra is HAM, pronounced like “hum”. Chant it slowly on a long exhale and let the M vibrate on your lips. Some sound healers also tone an open “eh” vowel for the throat.

Can trauma block the throat chakra?

Many people find their voice changes after trauma or long stress. The nerves that move your vocal folds are branches of the vagus nerve, so your voice shifts with how safe you feel. When part of you feels unsafe, your jaw, breath and throat brace to protect you, and the voice can freeze, rush, push or go small.

Keep going

Your voice is how your inner world reaches the people around you. Opening your throat chakra is a practice, and it’s one of the most joyful ones I know.

If you want to feel how this lives in your whole body, read cultivating embodied resonance next.

Which of these signs did you recognize in yourself?