Heart Chakra
The Heart Chakra is all about love. Love not in the physical sense, but a love that is whole, true, enduring and consistent regardless of what is happening externally.
The Heart Chakra is the central chakra in the sevenfold system. This is the point where the two words, physical and spiritual, meet. The chakra embodies compassion and forgiveness; unconditional love that challenges subjective notions in a quest to achieve self-acceptance.
The Heart Chakra in short
Sanskrit name: Anahata
Colour: Green
Element: Air
Location: Centre of chest
Main Issue: Love and Relationships
When balanced: Compassionate, loving, empathetic, self-loving, peaceful, balance
Unbalanced:
• Deficient: antisocial, withdrawn, cold, critical, judgmental, depression, fear of intimacy, fear of relationships
• Excess: co-dependency, poor boundaries, demanding, clinging, jealous, overly sacrificing
Physical manifestation: tension between shoulder blades, pain in chest, circulation problems
Yoga pose*: Ustrasana (camel pose)
Balancing the Heart Chakra
Listening to the heart in matters of love is vital in maintaining healthy, mutually respectful relationships. Below are a few things you can do to bring about balance of the Heart Chakra:
- Read books that talk about cultivating self-love;
- Have indoor plants;
- Place pictures of those that love you, friends and family, on your office desk; and
- Place rose quartz your bedside table.
Imbalance didn’t happen over night, so balance won’t either. Be patient with yourself and balance will come.
*Note: Practicing of this asana, in conjunction with others, encourages the balance of this chakra.
