Sanskrit name: Anahata (unstruck)
Element: Air
Color: Green
Shape: Crescent moon
Petals of the lotus: Twelve
Rights: To love
Physical association: Heart, lungs, circulatory system, arms, hands
Psychological function: Love
Challenge: Grief
Plane: The plane of balance
Planets: Venus (lunar, feminine), Sun
Sense organ: Skin
Predominant sense: Touch
Incense: Jasmin, lavender, rose
Herb: Yarrow, meadowsweet, oris root
In Sanskrit Anahata means “sound produced without touching two parts” and at the same time “pure, clean” or “unstruck”. The name of this chakra signifies the state of freshness that appears when we are able to become detached and to look at the different and apparently contradictory experiences of life with a state of openness and expansion. Normally we are used that an effect is produced by the confrontation of the two opposite forces. At the level of Anahata chakra appears the possibility to integrate the two opposite forces and create an energy of cooperation and integration, which brings peace and a new perspective in the world.
The symbol for the Heart chakra is traditionally composed of a circle with twelve petals and a downward-pointing triangle interlaced with an upward-pointing triangle, forming a six-pointed star or hexagram. The twelve petals, often colored in red, match the disturbances of lust, fraud, indecision, repentance, hope, anxiety, longing, impartiality, arrogance, competence, discrimination and defiance, that can easily sneak in our heart and upset it. The intersecting triangles represent the air element and its all-encompassing quality. They also symbolize the union of seemingly opposite principles or types of energies, such as male and female, spirit and matter. The star that they form evokes the harmonious joining of forces and highlights the function of the heart chakra as a center of integration and connection.
The most commonly accepted location for the fourth chakra is at the center of the chest, between the breasts. It’s slightly to the left of the actual organ of the heart, from whom it takes its name. Because of its location, the heart chakra is associated to the cardiac system and the lungs, organs that are interdependent and rely on air and the “breathing of life” to function properly.
Anahata moves love through our life. It is the center of our deep bonds with other beings, our sense of caring and compassion, our feelings of self-love, altruism, generosity, kindness, and respect. The energy of Anahata allows us to recognize that we are part of something larger, that we are interconnected within an intricate web of relationships extending through life and the universe. This chakra allows us to recognize and get in touch with the sacred and fundamental truth that runs through all of life and connects everything together. It suggests us to live our life with loving kindness and compassion towards others, to keep our heart open and inspire kindness, to create a safe and supportive environment.
When Anahata is open and energy is flowing freely, you are not only loving to others, you are also loving to your self. You know when you need to say no and when you need care and self-nurturing. But when this chakra becomes imbalanced as a result of life experiences that have a strong emotional charge or significant changes in your environment, it may manifests as a blockage in the energy flow or, on the contrary, as a tendency to become overactive or have an excess of energy. You might feel overly defensive, closed down, jealous, relying on other’s approval and attention, trying to please at all cost, falling into victimization, antisocial and at the physical level, it can show up as respiratory ailments, such as lung infection, bronchitis or circulatory and heart-related issues.
But how can you open and rebalance your Anahata?
- The best way to receive love is to give it! So give hugs and kisses, smile at everyone you see daily, try to forgive and move on (life is too short to hold grudges), give friends, family and co-workers positive affirmations and feedback. Do not criticize anyone or anything, including yourself. Focus on receiving if you are naturally inclined to be a giver, and on giving if you’re more inclined to receive all the time.
- Express your gratitude, even if it’s in silence. You can be grateful for the presence of other people in your life or simply for good things that make your life happier. If you find easier, make a written or mental list in your mind before going to sleep.
- Learn “empathy”. It will open your mind and implement your kindness and compassion towards others. Walking in another person’s shoes is not easy to do, but can be helpful in growing a sense of empathy and compassion. Try to play a game called, “the what if scenarios.” When encountering a person who is being unpleasant or who has treated me poorly in the past, ask yourself “What if that person is just having a bad day?” etc. And as you create these stories, of which the possibilities are endless, you begin to empathize with the other person and his or her situation. This method also takes you away from yourself and self-pity.
- Cultivate your appreciation for beauty, whether it’s in nature, people or in the arts. Engage in activities that feed your heart.
- Any yoga pose that opens the area of the chest will help to balance the heart chakra. Some poses include camel, standing bow pose, and cow face pose.
- Work with the breath to balance your energy. Observe it, play with it with breathing exercises.
- Work on these believes you may have consciously or subconsciously in order to figure out where they come from and solve them:
Heart Chakra Affirmations
I am open to love.
All love resides within my heart.
I deeply and completely love and accept myself.
I nurture my inner child. I am wanted and loved.
I live in balance, in a state of gracefulness and gratitude.
I love the beauty of nature and the animal world. I forgive myself.
I am open to love and kindness.
I am grateful for all the challenges that helped me to transform and open up to love.
I am connected with other human beings.
I feel a sense of unity with nature and animals.
I accept things as they are.
I am peaceful.