How to Open Your Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra, which is also known as Anahata, is the fourth primary chakra according to Buddhist Tantric traditions. The Sanskrit term “anahata” can be translated to “unhurt, unstruck, and unbeaten”.  The name of this chakra signifies the feelings of freshness that we get when we approach life with an open mind.

Anahata is associated with the ability to make decisions outside the realm of karma. While obeying the yearnings of one’s heart is a top priority, this chakra is a spiritual place where nothing can hurt us, not even a terrible past experience.

Description:
Location
: Center of the chest over the heartHeart Chakra
Color Associations: Pink and Green
Shape: Crescent moon
Sephira: Tiphareth
Endocrine gland: Thymus
Physical association: Heart, lungs, circulatory system, arms, hands.
Psychological function: Love
Challenge: Grief
Herb: Yarrow, meadowsweet, oris root

Planets: Venus (lunar, feminine), Sun
Sense organ: Skin
Incense: Jasmin, lavender, rose
Tarot suit: Swords

Deities: Vaju, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Krishna
Animals: Antelope, deer, dove
Aspects of the Heart Chakra:

  • Unconditional Love
  • Kindness
  • Compassion
  • Forgiveness
  • Emotional security
  • Hope
  • Joy

Physical Representation:
This chakra is represented by a lotus flower that has twelve petals. In it is a smoky region at the intersection of two triangles, creating a shatkona (a symbol that represents the union of male and female).
The intersecting triangles represent the air element and function as a center of integration and connection. The twelve petals are often depicted with the color red.
The twelve petals are inscribed with the following Sanskrit syllables.
1. kam
2. kham
3. gam
4. gham
5. ngam
6. cham
7. chham
8. jam
9. jham
10. nyam
11. tam
12. Tham

Energy flows in and out of the petals, carried by the syllable sound, in twelve directions. These movements of energy are activated with each breath and correspond to twelve mental states: fraud, lust, indecision, hope, anxiety, repentance, possessiveness, incompetence, discrimination, impartiality, arrogance, and defiance. The list varies from one tradition to another.

Symptoms of a Blocked Heart Chakra
Have you ever wondered why there are many bitter people around you? Such persons could be dealing with a blocked heart chakra. When this chakra is blocked, love is suppressed, while hatred, anger, grief, and jealousy manifest. Some persons experienced blockage as a result of a bad experience during childhood. There are still other things that can cause blockage in this chakra, including stress, illness, and emotional conflict.


Other symptoms of a blocked heart chakra are:

  • Restlessness
  • Impatience and irritability
  • Difficulty trusting others
  • Lack of empathy
  • Increase in blood pressure
  • Insomnia
  • A decrease in immune system function

How To Open And Unblock Your Heart Chakra
There are several exercises that can be used to balance the heart chakra. These exercises will boost your emotional resources and make you understand your needs better. When the heart chakra is opened, you will experience harmony in your whole body. The following are approaches that you can try:

Healing the Heart Chakra with Gemstones
By simply wearing or holding some stones, an imbalanced heart chakra can be healed.
The following are traditional stones related to the heart chakra:
Jade:
This stone can be used when you are dealing with a loss and need emotional healing.

Green calcite: 
You can use this stone to absorb negativity. It also eases old limiting beliefs.

Emerald: encourages harmony, domestic bliss, and unity;
Malachite: promotes fidelity and loyalty and brings harmony.

Green aventurine:
This stone can be used to clear emotional roadblocks.

Rose quartz:
This pink stone can be used to regain mental stability.

Ruby:
Ruby is believed to promote loving, nurturing, health, knowledge, and wealth.

Amazonite: opens the heart; soothes emotional trauma and promotes loving communication.

Morganite: brings gentle and sweet love into your life..

Healing with Mantras
Bijas are chanted to align the chakras. They can be repeated vocally or sub-vocally while you meditate.
For the heart chakra, the mantra is “YAM”.
Chant this sound to heal both the physical and the spiritual heart center. After a successful session, your heart will be opened to unconditional love and compassion.

Balancing the Heart Chakra with Yoga Postures
The following are examples of yoga poses that you can use to activate the heart chakra.
1. Half Camel Pose with Heart Chakra Hand Placement
2. Wheel Pose
3. Bridge Pose
4. Upward Facing Dog Pose
5. Reverse Plank Pose
6. Bow Pose

Heart Chakra Meditation 

Steps:
• Sit in a comfortable position and relax your muscles.
• Close your eyes, breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose.
• Pull the breath into your body and imagine that you are drawing green energy through your body towards the heart.
• Start from the base of your spine and move upwards.
• Focus on the location of the heart chakra. Try to picture the green energy solidifying into a bright ball of energy and sitting on the heart chakra.
• As you breathe in and out, visualize the ball expanding and becoming brighter.
• Focus on your feelings of love, and as the green energy radiates through your body, enjoy the sensation.
• Spend about 3 to 5 minutes in this state and when you are satisfied, end the meditation and open your eyes slowly.

Sources:

https://www. thelawofattraction. com/heart-chakra-healing/
https://blog. mindvalley. com/heart-chakra/
https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Anahata

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