The heart chakra, or Anahata, is our fourth chakra. It governs the pure love that comes from within us, working our affective profile, being the channel through which our emotions and feelings move. In this article we will talk a little more about this one, which is the chakra associated with our generosity and compassion. Come with us on this journey of unconditional love!
What does Anahata mean?
The word “anahata”, from Sanskrit, means “unhurt; undefeated; intact". It is related to the Vedic concept of "untouched sound", "the sound of the heavenly realm". In time, “Vedic” refers to the Vedas, a collection of sacred texts of Hinduism. Anahata represents balance, calm and serenity.
The heart chakra has the appearance of a lotus flower with twelve petals, each with a Sanskrit syllable representing the modes of consciousness (or vrittis). Now we see the following vrittis: blessing, peace, harmony, love, understanding, empathy, clarity, purity, unity, compassion, kindness and forgiveness. Now the following are mentioned: lust, fraud, indecision, regret, hope, anxiety, longing, impartiality, arrogance, incompetence, discrimination and defiance.
In the center, there are two triangles, at the intersection of which there is a smoky area, with a symbol that represents the union of man and woman. The syllable that represents your bija mantra is YAM.
Bijas mantras are sacred sound vibrations that carry the power of a given energy. When pronounced, these sounds potentiate, unlock or activate the energy of the chakra with which they are associated.
Characteristics of the heart chakra
The heart chakra is located in the direction of the heart, more precisely at the height of the sternum, the bone that forms the rib cage and has the function of supporting the ribs and collarbone. One of the main functions of this chakra is to energize the blood and our physical body.
The gland that corresponds to it is the thymus, responsible for strengthening our immune system. The main organs governed by it are the lungs and heart.
Anahata accounts for our higher forms of emotion, where there is no room for selfishness. It is the gateway to feelings like selfless love and generosity. But it is also the place where we keep our hurts and resentments.
Heart chakra color, element and stone
Several factors associated with chakras help to establish balance or even potentiate their energies - the main ones are color, the element of nature and stone. Each chakra has its group.
The color of hope, vitality and nature
Green is the color that represents the heart chakra. This color is closely linked to energy and vitality. It conveys hope (a feeling that is even representative of one of its vrittas, as we saw above), confidence and health. It's the color of life.
There are countless ways to use color to promote chakra balance. For Anahata, two exercises are fundamental. The first consists of closing your eyes, taking breaths and imagining the color green in the region to which it is associated, repeating your mantra (YAM) three times. In the second, just imagine the circulatory and immune systems energized by green – the result is a cleansing of feelings such as trauma and afflictions.
breathing is necessary
Anahata is ruled by the element of air. This element represents expansion, fluidity and lightness. The air makes us more peaceful, serene and open to others. It is an element that governs the respiratory system.
Just like blood, which flows pumped through the heart, this chakra connects us with the fluidity of our feelings, especially unconditional love, which we need to extend to others, and empathy, which makes us able to transport ourselves to the other's place. with great ease (or fluidity).
Harmony through crystals
There are some crystals that represent the heart chakra, especially the green ones. The main ones are: green quartz, emerald, green tourmaline, malachite and amazonite. But there are stones of other colors that are also associated with Anahata, such as rose quartz and watermelon tourmaline.
The function of stones and crystals is to balance the chakras, as well as helping to regain self-healing. Their action takes place through electromagnetism, and the vibrations they emit have the gift of purifying, aligning and activating the energy of the chakras, helping to increase their strength.
One way to use stones to invigorate the chakras is to practice meditation using the stones exactly on the corresponding chakras, all aligned. Try to keep them in this position for approximately 30 minutes.
Always remember to clean your stone after use by washing it under running water. You can also recharge her energy by placing her in the sun for 1 hour or so. Clean and energize your stones whenever you feel the need.
Using your chakra stone in association with chromotherapy, you ensure the balance of your energies and also ward off bad vibrations in any aspect.
What happens when the heart chakra is out of balance?
We have already mentioned that there are several ways to keep our chakras balanced and strengthened. And this is vital for us to avoid adversities in relation to our health, which can throw us off our axis, cluttering our energy centers.
When the heart chakra is out of balance, the signs are very clear (both physically, spiritually and emotionally): cardiovascular disease, shortness of breath and other breathing problems, arrhythmias, female breast cancer, lung disorders and blood pressure problems. . Immunity can also suffer.
In the psychological and spiritual spheres, the damage is visible. We may experience feelings such as irritation, frustration, and a desire to isolate ourselves. There are also great chances of developing anxiety disorder, depression and material or affective dependence. We can lose our connection to people.
When he is very open, he can cause exacerbated suffering regarding the problems of others (excessive empathy that can harm our spirit, because it does not allow us to do something for others, it only keeps us suffering from their pain). When it is blocked, we can have great difficulty expressing our love and affection or even feeling compassion.
In this way, it is necessary to be in balance – neither too open nor blocked, so our health – physical, mental and spiritual – will be preserved.
balanced heart chakra
An aligned heart chakra allows us to live a more refreshed and energized life. Our heart works perfectly, there is an improvement in our immune capacity and our lungs are in full swing, which allows us to breathe efficiently.
This balanced chakra helps to energize others, bringing great harmony, especially in the spiritual realm, which is more touched. We are able to connect with others, feel love for life and genuine happiness. We are better able to make love flow smoothly and continuously, like the blood in our veins. We become more open to forgiveness and self-forgiveness.
A good option to help balance the chakras is aromatherapy. In this case, essential oils help to enhance the capacity for love and healing promoted by Anahata. The most suitable are citrus (lemon, orange and bergamot), as well as roses, sandalwood, geranium, marjoram, ylang-ylang, pine and petitgrain.
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In addition to what we have already mentioned in order to maintain the balance of the chakras, it should be noted that it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle, in search of good health in its entirety. Therefore, adopt a proper diet, practice physical activities, sleep well, do not exaggerate in alcoholic beverages and stay away from cigarettes. Practicing yoga is a great alternative, as it is an activity that has a close relationship with the energy of the chakras. Try to do meditation and breathing techniques, ideal practices for the heart chakra, as it deals with our lungs and the way we breathe.
Don't forget: your body is your most precious home. Wherever you go, he will go with you, so take good care of this abode, as it needs that affection throughout its journey in life. Love yourself, love others fully, forgive more, don't hold grudges. Above all, respect and take care of yourself!
Getting to know the chakras better
Chakras are energy centers connected along our spine, and their function is to receive and emit vital energy at specific points in our body. They work continuously, transferring these energies between our physical body and the material and spiritual planes. They are a form of food for our aura.
Although there are passages in the Vedas (holy books of Hinduism) that account for 32 chakras, and others even mention 88, the consensus is that there are seven main ones: basic, sacral, solar plexus, laryngeal, frontal and coronary.
Keeping the chakras in balance ensures not only a healthy body full of good vibes but also a full life, endowed with self-knowledge, self-esteem and self-love. Learn more about chakras in this article.
