Heart Chakra

Chakra Overview

I LOVE

Gratitude. Forgiveness. Self-Acceptance.

Anahata, meaning “un-struck,” is the pulsating core of unconditional love, compassion, and profound empathy.

The Heart Chakra is a celestial reservoir of love and compassion that lays nestled next to your physical heart, nestled in the middle of your chest along your spine. It is the sanctuary that governs emotions of love, compassion, and a sense of belonging. More than just emotional well-being, it physiologically nurtures your heart, lungs, shoulders, arms, hands, and your upper torso.

The Heart Chakra symbol of 12 petals manifests the 12 virtuous traits of love, peace, kindness, patience, joy, harmony, clarity, compassion, purity, understanding, forgiveness, and bliss. An upward triangle epitomizing yang energy, masculine and Shiva, intersects with a downward triangle embodying yin energy, feminine, and Shakti. The result is the Merkaba, a double tetrahedron star at the heart chakra’s center, embodying the yin-yang balance and the ascension from the lower to upper chakras.

heart chakra symbol

Characteristics of the

Heart Chakra

When the Heart Chakra is open and balanced, an individual feels love, compassion, and connection to others. They are empathetic and can easily give and receive love. Conversely, when it’s blocked or imbalanced, one might feel isolated, unloved, or harbor resentment and jealousy.

Characteristics of a balanced

Heart Chakra

:

Embodying Kindness
Radiating Compassion
Harmony within
Achieving equilibrium between giving and receiving love
Exercising Patience
Practicing Forgiveness
Self-Acceptance and Acceptance of Others
Empathetic Understanding of Others
Expressing Gratitude
Feeling Unity with all Existence
Demonstrating a Generous Spirit
Being an Effective Healer

Color:

Green

Note:

Glands:

Thymus

Mudras:

Padma

Element:

Air

Obstacle:

Grief

Sense:

Touch

Characteristics of an Imbalanced

Heart Chakra

:

For the Heart Chakra, physical imbalances include heart issues and respiratory problems. Mentally, it may cause indecisiveness, and emotionally, it can lead to feelings of isolation. Spiritually, there might be difficulty feeling or receiving love.

Physical Symptoms:

Heart palpitations or chest pain
Circulatory or blood pressure issues
Respiratory problems like asthma or shallow breathing
Poor immune system function
Upper back and shoulder pain
Tension between the shoulder blades

Emotional Symptoms:

Feelings of jealousy or bitterness
Inability to forgive or holding onto grudges
Fear of intimacy or fear of being alone
Emotional instability or being overly defensive
Lack of empathy or difficulty trusting others

Mental Symptoms:

Difficulty processing or expressing emotions
Overthinking matters of love and relationships
Feeling unloved or undervalued
Pessimism, especially regarding love and relationships

Spiritual Symptoms:

Feeling disconnected or distant from others
Lack of compassion or unconditional love for oneself and others
Inability to sense the interconnectedness of all beings
Difficulty receiving or transmitting love and positive energy
Feeling unworthy of divine love or spiritual connection.

Remember, the chakras interrelate with each other, so imbalances in one can sometimes affect or be affected by another It’s important to look holistically when trying to identify and address imbalances

Associated With:

The Heart Chakra is associated with your ability to be compassionate, empathic, forgiving, loving, open, and vulnerable, and your capacity for self-love and acceptance. This chakra is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras.

Chakra Development:

The developmental stages of the Heart Chakra primarily range from 4 to 7 years, but its health can be influenced at any life stage.

When Balanced:

When the Heart Chakra is in balance: The Heart Chakra resonates with love, self-compassion, empathy, altruism, inner peace, forgiveness, acceptance, warmth, and overall good health, particularly a robust immune system.

When Underactive:

When the Heart Chakra is underactive or deficient: The Heart Chakra can manifest antisocial tendencies, a withdrawn demeanor, cold-heartedness, overly critical or judgmental attitudes, self-intolerance, feelings of loneliness or isolation, depression, fear of closeness or relationships, unforgiving tendencies, empathy deficit, and narcissistic behavior.

When Overactive:

When the Heart Chakra is overactive or excessive: The Heart Chakra can lead to codependency, inability to establish clear personal boundaries, demanding attitudes, clinginess, jealousy, and a tendency to over-sacrifice.

Causes of Blocks:

Fears of commitment, following one’s heart, loneliness, and ability to protect oneself. Also, when we are jealous, hold anger, hate, or betrayed.

Chakra Traumas:

Heart Chakra traumas encompass experiences of loss, unprocessed grief, abandonment, persistent criticism, abuses related to the lower chakras, divorce, death, sexual and physical abuse, and betrayal.

To learn more about open, closed, and blocked Chakra states, check out our Chakra Overview post: Understanding the Chakra System: A Comprehensive Overview.

Heart Chakra

Healing Strategies:

Curate your altar: Include elements that represent air (like a feather), items in shades of green or pink, objects that resonate with your heart, and heart chakra-related crystals or essential oils.
Practice Deep Breathing: Deep, conscious breathing can help to align and balance your chakras.
Color Therapy: Wear attire in shades of green or pink to help balance your heart chakra.
Empathetic Practice: Cultivate compassion by empathetically recognizing the needs of others, without assuming them as your own responsibility.
Self-Compassion and Acceptance: Foster self-compassion and acceptance, essential to nourishing the heart chakra.
Express Gratitude: Make a point to express your appreciation for someone else.
Gratitude Journaling: Documenting things you are grateful for can foster a positive perspective and contribute to healing the heart chakra.
Practice Forgiveness: Consider using the Ho’oponopono mantra as a guide for your forgiveness practice.
- Ho’oponopono Mantra: “I’m sorry, Please forgive me, I love you, Thank you.” The Ho’oponopono mantra operates as an effective tool, facilitating the cleansing and purification of our mental and emotional states. It helps us to release the impact of past experiences and memories that trigger adverse reactions towards individuals and situations.

Chakra Healing Affirmations

“I love”
“I am love”
“I forgive”
“I am worthy of love”
“I forgive myself and others”
“I follow my heart”
“I am exactly where I am meant to be”
“I am grateful”

Chakra Healing Crystals/Stones:

Rose Quartz, Green Quartz, Pink/green/watermelon Tourmaline, Aventurine, Unakite, Rhodonite, Rhodochrosite, Green Jade, Malachite

Chakra Healing Essential Oils:

Rose, Jasmine, Lavender, Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Mandarin, Sweet Marjoram, Melissa, Sandalwood, Neroli

Heart Chakra

I LOVE

Gratitude. Forgiveness. Self-Acceptance.

Characteristics of the