Have you ever known someone with an ironclad ability to show love and positivity no matter what life throws their way?
They’re a fountain of great ideas and their smile never dims, even when everyone else in the office has a bad case of the Mondays. Or they show up with flowers and mimosas and let you vent to your heart’s content when you beg off brunch because you’re in a bad mood. Or maybe they’ve gone through a breakup that would lay you low for weeks, but they’re still pals with their ex because, you know, it wasn’t all bad.
And they actually mean that.
READ MORE: Getting to the root of Reiki
Odds are good that happy someone is well in touch with their fourth chakra, also called Anahata or the heart chakra. Anahata means “unhurt,” “unblocked,” and “unbeaten” (ten second pause for you to howl “I WISH!”) and its associated chakra is all about finding — and feeding — our capacity for unconditional love, compassion, empathy, forgiveness and joy.
Sound good? Read on.
Fourth chakra symbol
WHAT DOES THE HEART CHAKRA SYMBOL MEAN?
The heart chakra symbol features a grass-green circle, inside of which are two triangles, one pointed upward and the other downward, forming the shape of a six-point star. It represents the combination of masculine and feminine energy. The circle is ringed with 12 petals, each bearing a Sanskrit symbol. Most represent common roadblocks to true happiness, such as anxiety, discrimination, indecision and defiance.
WHERE IS THE HEART CHAKRA FOUND?
As advertised, the fourth chakra is located close to our heart in the center of our chest. It is the bridge between the lower chakras, which ground us and give us a solid foundation in the world, and the upper chakras, which allow us to create, compose, communicate, and imagine what is possible — and to have the intelligence to make it so.
Think of chakras as critical intersections between your mind and body. If the intersections are blocked, so are your mind and body.
READ MORE: Get to know your chakras: Root Chakra | Sacral Chakra | Solar Plexus Chakra | Throat Chakra | Third Eye Chakra
WHAT DOES THE HEART CHAKRA DO?
When this chakra is balanced, we can give ourselves permission to experience love in its purest form – that is, without attachment or expectation. In other words, we can release past insults, transgressions, grudges and other “sticky” negative emotions for good (or at least as best we can). When that happens, we can see the good in ourselves and others, forgive more freely, and resolve conflicts quickly and easily, before grudges have the chance of forming and weighing down our hearts and minds. Our relationships with ourselves and others become sources of joy over conflict or competition, and life just naturally takes on deeper meaning.
HOW DOES THE HEART CHAKRA RELATE TO THE BODY?
The heart chakra is closely connected with the heart, lungs, and the thymus gland, which makes special infection fighting white blood cells called T-cells.
HOW CAN I TELL WHEN MY HEART CHAKRA IS BLOCKED?
Because of its location, signs that your heart chakra is struggling include ailments of the heart, circulation and lungs. You may experience a change in your blood pressure, poor circulation or lung issues such as bronchitis or asthma flareups.
Emotionally, a blocked heart chakra can cause you to put too much weight on the negative aspects of your relationships. Minor disagreements seem like major offenses. Where you were once inclined to celebrate friends’ and loved ones’ accomplishments, you may now feel gnawing jealousy. Decision-making suddenly seems impossible — or you might be more inclined to challenge the decisions of others.
All of this can turn you into an isolated, indecisive, unhappy and unwell person for reasons that might not make sense to you or your loved ones.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR HEART CHAKRA IS BLOCKED
- Think green – literally. Because the heart chakra is tied to the leafy color, take a walk among the trees, wear green clothes, and eat nutritious green foods such as avocadoes, leafy greens, green grapes, green beans and peas, kiwis, pears, green apples and honeydew melon.
- Air yourself out. Because the heart chakra is associated with the element of air, learning to breathe properly – not just during exercise, meditation or yoga – is critical to keeping your heart chakra, and the rest of your body, happy.
- Learn to love without limitations. Keep a gratitude journal and write down three things each day that you feel grateful for. Try to default to forgiveness and understanding before anger can even begin to bubble up. When you feel irritated with a situation or a loved one, ask yourself how much getting upset can realistically change the situation. After all, the guy in front of you in the traffic jam is just as stuck as you are. And consider how much an affront measures up to the amount of love or respect you have for the person involved.
- Learn to love yourself, too. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has bad days or loses their cool. Everyone, at one point or another, wishes they liked what they see in the mirror more than they do. So if you’ve lost count of how many times you’ve changed your hair color or style, your shade of lipstick, your wardrobe or your diet plan, consider saving the money you would have spent on those things and take yourself on that trip you’ve always dreamed of. You’re almost guaranteed to get to know yourself and how you see the world in a more enlightened, positive way.
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- Invest in rose quartz crystals or other stones that open the heart chakra such as emerald, green aventurine, green jade, malachite, green tourmaline, moss agate and peridot.
- Breathe in blood-pumping essential oils such as rose, neroli, lemon, eucalyptus or jasmine.
Less than half of Americans report being happy with their personal life. If you’re among those who aren’t, get to know your heart chakra and how to take good care it. The difference could be positively transformative.
Come back next Thursday to learn more about the fifth chakra, also known as the throat chakra or Vishuddha in Sanskrit. The energetic qualities of this chakra govern your ability to speak, listen and express yourself and your personal truth.
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Ready to begin your Reiki journey now? St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care offers 60-minute sessions at competitive prices for community members, clients and staff at both the Stein and Bucyrus campuses.
Find out more on our website. To schedule your appointment, or for further questions, please contact MaryBeth Johnson via email or at 414-977-5077.