Heart Chakra- anahata
Self Love and Compassion
The fourth chakra is the color of lush green grass. It’s the easiest chakra to connect to, the one you can feel most easily. It’s all about loving yourself just the way you are. The fourth chakra is where you come home to your heart, the center of the chakra system. The main function of the first three chakras is to connect you to the world, while the fourth chakras duty is to form the link or bridge between the three physical chakras and the spiritual chakras above it. Bridging the lower and upper worlds, body and spirit into balance. The governing principle of this chakra is equilibrium. It’s all about balance— coming into balance within yourself as well as with your relationship and whatever is happening in your environment. The heart chakra is associated with the element of air. When your fourth chakra is open you have more clarity and breathing room and are aware of the needs of yourself and others. Being more conscious helps you connect with your inner self. That’s why self-care is so important in this chakra; it helps you reach this state of inner balance.
When you’re connected with your inner self, you begin to love yourself more, which helps you reach out to others. You have to love yourself before you can love anyone else. The heart chakra develops between four and seven years of age, when you are establishing relationships with your peers and family, and creating the persona of who you are.
Biggest Obstacle
Your emotions power your chakras, literally. When you’re in a state of love, your heart will be open and tapping into the energy of the environment. The fourth chakras biggest obstacle is heartbreak. Also certain life situations such as physical neglect and abuse, chronic depression, co-dependency, betrayal, etc. Any of these can cause you to live with fear in your heart chakra.
Healthy Chakra
Giving and receiving love is the central function of the heart chakra. When your fourth chakra is healthy, you can fully love and accept yourself and others as they are. You feel worthy to receive love. You take responsibility for keeping your heart open, for forgiving others and yourself.
Archetypes
Negative: The performer, these are people who hide their dark side while playing at love. Performers make it look like everything is fine but cannot accept the responsibility that comes with real intimacy. When someone starts getting too close, performers protect themselves by damaging the relationship in some way.
Positive: The lover, who loves all of themselves and humanity and all life forms on this planet. They understand the importance of forgiving themselves and others. They feel worthy of receiving love and they allow it to flow through their open heart chakra and expand in all directions.
Spiritual Aspects
The heart chakra is associated with the higher self. The mantra for the heart chakra is Yam. The seed sound that vibrates the spiritual heart and releases blockages in the area. Ishana Rudra Shiva is the Hindu deity presiding over the heart chakra. He allows the hole Ganges Rives, the divine stream of knowledge of the self, to flow through his fair so the force of its mighty waters will be softened as the river alls heaven to earth. Astrologically, the planet Venus is associated with the heart chakra. How you approach love and relationships can be influenced by where Venus is on your astrological chart.
Chakra Blockage:
Often, what happens when you’ve been emotionally shattered is that you build a wall around your heart and lock your pain inside. There are ways to remove the wall and express this pain, you can take about your grief, write about your feelings in a journal, sweat out your feelings with exercise, or do anything you can to move negative energy out of your body. When your heart chakra is closed you feel helpless, trying to protect yourself. Ask yourself honestly:
- Is love scary to you?
- Do you give and receive love easily?
- Do you feel betrayed or rejected?
- Are you unable to forgive yourself and others for past mistakes?
- Are you overly critical or judgemental of others?
- Do you need to develop the higher attributes, such as altruism, compassion, forgiveness, hope, trust and harmony?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with heart-related problems?
- Do your hands or arms ache?
If you answered yes to three or more of these questions, give your heart chakra a tune up!
Clearing Blockages:
When you’re in the clutches of grief or resentment, it’s hard to open your heart and feel the pain. But that’s what an energy healer can help you do. Open up. Face your fears. Cry a thousands tears if you have to, but don’t close your heart. One way to get through grief is breath work, in which you use the key element of air to reconnect you to your heart, thus allowing your positive energy to flow again. Once you have removed the blockage, you can put the hurt you’ve experienced to work by becoming more compassionate to the suffering of others. Wounded healers have worked through their wounds, without hiding or burying them, and are uniquely prepared to help others. Set an intention to love and take care of yourself. When your energy is flowing freely through your heart chakra—connecting mind and body, inner and outer self— you’ll feel a profound sense of peace and fulfillment that will prepare you for your higher chakras.