THE HEART (4th) CHAKRA

February 2, 2022

Get out of your head and get into your heart. Think less, feel more.

~Osho

The 4^th, or HEART Chakra is not just an ancient symbol, it plays an important role in our everyday life. In our modern world this Chakra manifests as the intention for COMPASSION - “The love you share unconditionally with the world”.

The 4^th CHAKRA is the middle chakra in a system of seven and is located in the center of the chest. It carries the energy of integration and transformation – it integrates the upper and lower chakras and unifies body and spirit.

Our 4^th CHAKRA Overview covers everything you need to know about its traditional words, symbols, sounds, and representations in nature.

Sanskrit Name ANAHATA

English Name HEART

Modern ŌM Intention COMPASSION

It Governs On the physical level - the chest, shoulders, lungs, heart. On the emotional, it relates to healing, self-acceptance, relationships and love.

Location THE CENTER OF THE CHEST, AT HEART LEVEL

Color GREEN

Green is the color of growth and life, a color of grass and trees. The 4^th CHAKRA helps us to feel connected to nature.

Element AIR

Sound YAM

By chanting YAM when you feel heart-broken, depressed or lonely, you create a vibration that resonates with this Chakra and puts it in balance and alignment with the whole body.

Gemstones AMAZONITE, MOSS AGATE, EMERALD, ROSE QUARTZ

Crystals have well-established frequencies and vibrate in support of one or several Chakras. They are age-old tools for intention setting.

Animal ANTELOPE

Chakras are often associated with animals that are attributed specific chakra qualities. The 4^th CHAKRA is symbolically represented by gentle Antelope because it inspires tenderness and vulnerability as it gracefully leaps over obstacles.

Scent ROSE, BERGAMOT, JASMINE

When we start living in the HEART CHAKRA, survival, sex, money and power are no longer enough. Moving beyond our ego and the separate self, we begin to focus on compassion, gratitude, and unconditional love of others and self.

Partially open in early childhood, HEART CHAKRA becomes prominent in our lives between 28 and 35. During this time, deep and lasting friendships develop, we have children and are ready to experience real and mature love.

BALANCED 4^th CHAKRA

An open HEART CHAKRA allows us to be “light-hearted”, nonjudgmental, have a sense of peace and generally live with an “easy” and “open” heart, because when balanced, the 4^th CHAKRA radiates love, joy, emotional warmth and generosity.

HEART CHAKRA also helps us to feel connected to nature - many people with healthy 4^th CHAKRA love to spend time outdoors, and they love animals.

UNBALANCED 4^th CHAKRA

An under-performing 4^th CHAKRA makes us needy, demanding attention and even love, while being unable to accept or give love and to forgive others. Our relationships suffer when we “love too much” or “give too much”, or becomes clingy and possessive.

When blocked, HEART CHAKRA manifests in feelings of intense loneliness and a lack of emotional fulfillment, being insensitive and “cold-hearted”. Despair, hate, condemnation, “heartlessness” and envy are all negative expressions of a dysfunctional HEART CHAKRA.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR 4^th CHAKRA IN SHAPE

Some of the most beneficial activities to keep your HEART CHAKRA healthy is spending time outdoors and visiting places “sacred to you”. Perform “random acts of kindness”, and express gratitude before going to sleep. It is helpful eating green foods, such as leafy greens, green apples and avocados, drinking green tea.

When you are working on the HEART CHAKRA, it is helpful to ask yourself questions to better understand how yours is doing:

How often do I spend time in nature?
How easy is it for me to forgive?
Do I have compassion for myself and others?
Am I lonely?

To heal and balance Chakras, it helps to use affirmations, or mantras. You might want to use them during meditation, or just repeat throughout your day.

By understanding your energy body, of which Chakras are a major part, you can find out a lot about yourself, and successfully navigate your life understanding others as well.

Thanks for reading!