Heart Chakra
There are 7 of the most essential chakras, and if there are no less than 88,000 chakras, it is these 7 chakras that are the central points of your body and influence its vital parts. We consider that there are 3 lower and 3 upper chakras. The fourth and most important one, which is at the center of the 2 lower and upper triangles, is the heart chakra.
In order to find harmony and balance, it is necessary to understand the functioning of this chakra, to identify blockages and how to heal the heart chakra.
What is the heart chakra?
The heart chakra is the 4th chakra, that of love, at the center of everything, it is more particularly linked to the root chakra. Major chakra, it is considered the element of healing. In Sanskrit, its name is Anahata - breath not struck - which can also be translated as untouchable. Its compound name refers to the breath and its vital principle. Nice name, finally quite easy to pronounce unlike other Sanskrit names.
If this chakra does not seem to be very complex in its usefulness and functioning, we do not know it that well, or rather we do not know it very well. To begin with, it should not be confused with the heart, the organ and they do not have the same location in our body. So where is this essential chakra located? The organ is placed on the left side of your chest while the heart chakra is positioned in the center with a fairly wide radiation from the throat to the sternum.
It is thus located on the median line. It acts on parts of the body that have a vital role. The respiratory system, heart, blood circulation, thymus, nervous system, lungs and back are directly impacted by this chakra. You understand the primordial utility of this energy point.
Heart chakra: love and compassion
Its name is quite clear and explicit, it acts on all that relates to love, the affective therefore feelings and relationships with others. Its role is essential to live in full harmony and balance. It also represents the power that must be understood in the sense of wanting to do something.
It is a very strong point of energy that harmonizes all the other chakras. Emotions, love and everything related to feelings go through this point, which bears its name very well. It is the seat of bodily balance and its function is to connect the three lower psycho-emotional centers and the three higher mental-spiritual centers.
The two centers are represented in the form of triangles and the heart chakra is placed at the junction of the two. This central position shows its very important role. The individual soul inhabits this chakra, it allows you to perceive your inner knowledge, i.e. your deepest self.
Functioning of the heart chakra
The heart chakra works quite simply in appearance, because it is directly linked to emotions, qualities that affect the emotional feeling. In fact, we think that it is enough to love our neighbor, to have empathy, to listen to live in full harmony. Of course, it is through him that you will be able to show compassion, altruism, friendship, esteem and love. However, do not forget that the love you will give begins with you. Before you can give to others, it is essential that you be loving with yourself. You cannot be open and listening to others optimally with those around you if you are not in love with yourself. It is impossible to love others back if you do not love yourself. Like giving someone something you don't have?
Knowing how the chakras work requires an understanding that everything is a matter of balance. The fluids that circulate in your body through the energy points that are the chakras must be perfectly balanced. You can thus imagine independent vessels that communicate with each other. There is always as much content on one side as on the other. If this were not the case, the imbalance would be obvious. Since we are dealing with energies that are invisible to the naked eye, the imbalance will be less obvious. Knowing oneself and one's physical body allows some people to recognize its symptoms.
But not everyone has the ability to spot imbalances and especially to identify them in order to heal them. We treat what we know well. In order to begin a rebalancing of this fourth chakra, it is necessary to take time to take stock. Refocus on yourself, analyze your emotions and the manifestations that your body sends you.
How to determine a blockage in the heart chakra?
As we saw earlier, the chakras govern the balance of your body. The term chakra represents a wheel in Sanskrit, a beautiful image that perfectly illustrates that everything is linked and relates to cycles. If the universe is made of energy, so is your body. The vibratory energy that flows through the chakras rotates continuously, regularly, not too little, not too fast. It is evenly distributed to every part of your body and mind. This life force is called prana or breath. Thus, when one of your chakras is too open, it will rotate too fast, and conversely, if it is closed, it will rotate too slowly. Inevitably, blocked chakras will affect your health. Thus, the slightest imbalance will weaken the wheel that distributes energy in your body.
The heart chakra is no exception to the rule. It is a sensitive energy point and, if it is affected, it will have an impact on all your chakras. Imbalances will manifest themselves on your physical health, but also on your mental health.
An imbalance in the heart chakra is due to overactivity of this energy point or a blockage. To make it clear, you give too much - of love, of compassion - or you don't manage to love, to be open to others.
What are the symptoms of a blocked chakra?
The physical symptoms of a blocked heart chakra are mainly manifested by blood circulation disorders. This is not surprising for this chakra, which bears its name well and is directly connected to the entire cardio-respiratory system. You may also suffer from angina pectoris, infectious diseases of the lungs or even breathing difficulties. The ailments related to this blockage are quite varied and more or less serious. In this case, they are all uncomfortable enough for you to realize that something is wrong.
As for the symptoms related to feelings, psychological manifestations, expect completely antagonistic reactions. Feelings of love, compassion, benevolence will be "replaced" by negative emotions. Thus, if you suffer from loneliness, resentment, jealousy or shyness and social anxiety, it is very likely that your heart chakra is the cause. People with this blocked chakra often put themselves in the victim position of "no one loves me" and are very critical of others. Yes, when you don't have it in you, it is very difficult to express positive emotions to others. The counterpart of this rule is that if you still manage to give a lot of love, to do for others, you will accentuate this imbalance which leads to over-activity of the heart chakra.
Remember the metaphor of the communicating vase. We can take examples of people in our environment that we consider to be asocial or anti-social. Very often we hear the remark that they are heartless. This term is not chosen by chance. A person who is socially excluded, who refuses all contact certainly suffers from a disturbance of the heart chakra, which in its very adjective sums up the problem of the heart.
Take the time to listen to yourself
If you think you have a blockage in your heart chakra, take the time to listen to your body. Analyze your life, see where it's going wrong? Are you always available for others, do you give without counting? You never expect anything in return, because you are generous, certainly too much. Yet you have to learn to receive, which is normal when you give a lot. Conversely, you never feel loved, you are often alone. You may feel dependent on the love of others, you are possessive or even paranoid. Similarly, you find it hard to trust, whether in friendship or in love, and you have very easy criticism for the happy people around you. All these manifestations indicate that you are suffering from a blockage of the heart chakra.
Fortunately, once you have identified this blockage, you will be able to work to heal it and especially to prevent blocked heart chakra syndrome.
How to effectively unblock the heart chakra?
Anahanta in Sanskrit can also be interpreted as easing one's pain. At the intersection of all the chakras, at the center of the vibratory energies, it is absolutely necessary to take care of the heart chakra. It seems logical that if the central point that is charged to the right balance of all the other points is not going well, it will influence all the others. This chakra is directly linked to the sense of touch, both literally and figuratively. We speak thus of touching someone, that is to say, of moving them. It is also connected to the element air. This is why this chakra directly impacts the respiratory tract, the lungs, the rib cage, etc... By the way, remember one of its translations from Sanskrit, it is called "unbroken breath".
It largely influences divergent emotions such as joy/sorrow or love/rejection. Depending on whether your heart chakra is well balanced or not, you will experience negative or positive emotions. This is why it is essential to know how to open the heart chakra and why you need to work to energize it. If there are different methods to rebalance the chakras, the one that will work best for you will depend on your sensitivity. In fact, it is a matter of identifying which is your dominant sensory channel in order to proceed to a perfect alignment. There are different sensory channels:
• The view ;
• Touch;
• Hearing.
Depending on your most receptive sensory channel, you will turn to the healing method that best suits your sensitivity.
What is the color of the 4th chakra?
Like all the other chakras, the heart chakra is associated with one of the 7 colors of the rainbow. It is the green color which represents the abundant and generous nature. It is also the color most present in the natural environment. Plants, trees and many vegetables are green. Directly associated with the plant, therefore with nature, it provokes a feeling of appeasement, it also refreshes and invigorates. Isn't it also said that green is the color of hope?
We find this color in a strong symbol of love in the broadest sense, on the leaf worn by Venus, goddess of love. We can also place this symbolism on nature as the mother of everything, nourishing and protecting love unconditionally. The color green will be able to help you to open the heart chakra. Several solutions exist.
Stones to align the chakras
Lithotherapy, healing with stones, is very effective in harmonizing points of balance. In this case, you will have to wear green stones. There are different green stones available:
• The jade;
• Emerald;
• Amazonite;
• Peridot;
• Aventurine;
• Malachite.
These stones will be a great help to harmonize your heart chakra, they are a perfect answer for people who have the sense of sight as the dominant sensory channel. You can use the stones either by placing them on your body at the place corresponding to the heart chakra, in a moment of relaxation, breath and disconnected from everything. You will be able to feel that the stone diffuses heat under the effect of the circulation of energies. Moreover, at the end of the session, it is recommended to pass your stone under a net of clear water to cleanse it of all the negative energies which it took care to get rid of you. It will be ready for the next session. You can wear these stones on you as well. The stone in contact with your skin, will release all its energy and bring you relief.
For this purpose, there are necklaces or more commonly bracelets made of stones. You can put your talisman stone in your pocket, the fact of being able to touch it regularly will make it possible to discharge your negative emotions throughout the day.
How to open the heart chakra through yoga?
Yoga is a particularly recommended method to balance and harmonize the heart chakra. Moreover, this discipline participates in the balance of all the chakras. It helps in self-knowledge and in finding inner peace. Beyond a healthy physical activity for the body, the exercises and postures will help regain balance and regulate blood pressure among others.
Some yoga postures are particularly beneficial for healing a blocked heart chakra. There are four of them that will stimulate and help open the chakra.
Thus, the posture of the Cobra (Bhujangasana), that of the Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1), the Camel (Ustrasana) or a variant of the Camel will make it possible to act on the blockages. These postures encourage the opening of the chest, where the heart chakra is located.
How to meditate and act on the chakra of the blocked heart?
Meditation is an excellent way to be in tune with your body and your emotions. Refocused in a moment of disconnection, you are thus attentive to all your senses. And you will find, thanks to these exercises, that your body has a lot to tell you! By posing yourself, in a privileged moment, you will be able to let go. You will do good to your body, you will love it. It is then that you will be able to fill up with energy, good vibrations and allow your self to love and value itself and thus be able to love and accept others without judgment. Accompany these moments of meditation with breathing exercises, because remember that Anahata means breath and that the element connected to the heart chakra is air.
Symptoms of opening of the heart chakra will manifest themselves in a better self-esteem, a greater openness towards others. You will feel less lonely and less tired. The compassion you are capable of will be increased tenfold and you will be more able to give as much love as you are willing to receive.
Heart chakra: conclusions
Reading this article, you will know a little more about chakras and especially the heart chakra. You will be able to understand your interactions with the people around you, your relationship with others and why some people release negative emotions. You are aware of the importance of a well-balanced heart chakra, which will allow a good flow of energies towards the other chakras and ensure a life in harmony.
Have you ever felt these negative manifestations? These impressions of being misunderstood or even rejected? Or this feeling of always giving and not receiving in return?
