The Fourth Chakra – Everything You Wanted to Know
This chakra is also known as the Heart or Anahata chakra
Ever felt the pain of a loss smack in the center of your chest? What about an experience of deep joy or exhilaration? In both cases, our hands often fly right to this center to give ourselves support (we don’t always understand that’s why we’re doing it).
Your fourth chakra is about the power of love and your connection to others. We feel people through this center. It’s the center of our awareness, our humanity center.
This chakra is about the deep sense of being connected. It’s about feeling moved. Being touched by life.
It’s a bridge between the lower three chakras which are more about the body and the upper three chakras which are more about the soul.
The mantra that awakens and opens this chakra: Lam
About the symbol for this chakra: A six-pointed star–two triangles sitting together–that represent harmony and balance. The symbol at the center means Anahata chakra (which means unstruck)
What kind of thought and feeling “stuff” is this chakra affected by?
This chakra is about being in balance with your life and emotions.
Relationships. Is there a sense of you being a separate individual with your own healthy needs and wants? Or, is there a merging where you feel concerned about what others are feeling? If someone around you is upset, are you able to tolerate it or do you get upset? What about when someone isn’t happy with you. Can you still relax?
Forgiveness. Forgiveness is about letting go. It’s not about saying what someone did is OK. So, can you let it go? If not, you will continue to carry it in your heart and feel the impact.
Think about what gets you pissed. What gets you upset quickly? Are you aware of someone you need to forgive? Is there something old that keeps surfacing? How long do you need to hang on? Can you let it go?
Emotional Baggage. What is still hard for you after all this time? Do you tend to get upset at other people’s upsets? Do you cry easily about other people’s stories (during movies too) and then find it’s hard to shake the feeling sometimes hours later?
Let’s face it, we all play the victim from time to time. Know that when you live from this place however, it is very very life deprecating. It limits you on so many levels! You are better than that! You are here to be free!
Appreciation. How well are you able to appreciate your life? What do you do when those sweet little things happen as if to remind you that life is really good? Do you blow past them, being too busy to notice? Are you too wounded or upset to make time to feel appreciation?
What can you do to support this chakra?
Breathe. When the mind is quiet, the breath is calm. When you feel startled, worried, anxious, afraid, or sad, your breath will be short and shallow. Practicing deep breathing will help you learn to “crave” oxygen–even in the stressful times. Just try counting ten slow in and out breaths while you silently say “peace.” This is very beneficial.
Take walks in nature. The heart chakra lights up in the presence of nature. Think of deep green grass, the sound of running water,the chirping of little birdies.
Yoga Poses that support this center: Cobra, the Fish. Also, arm circles are great openers.
What would you love? Start asking yourself what you’d enjoy doing with a special person, or on your own. Go with your heart on this, not your head! 🙂 (and can I just add–stop saying you’re too upset to have fun or too worried to have fun or too broke to have fun–words have power!)
Foods that are 4th chakra pleasing: Veggies! Remember learning about photosynthesis in school? Vegetables carry the vital nutrients from sunshine, wind, rain, and the earth’s minerals. Our bodies don’t do this process naturally on our own. We need veggies–especially the ones that grow above the soil.
What essential oils help this chakra? A few drops of a good quality essential oil right on your heart center is a very nice way to support yourself. Try rose, jasmine, lavender,
What healing exercises can you do to help this chakra?
Nothing opens the heart chakra better than thinking of someone you love (think two-legged or four-legged!).
Remember to practice breathing deeply.
I like to do an exercise to open up the energy here. I do this before most sessions with clients. Try standing with your legs hip width apart and let your arms hang at their sides. Begin to twist your torso, keeping your shoulders and head in alignment with the torso. Leave your arms free to swing and you will find that they gently slap the front and back of your body as you twist.
How can I help you?
If you had a few ah-ha! moments reading this and you’d like some help exploring further, get in touch with me. I’m here for you.
I’ve written an overview of the seven major chakras here, you might like to check it out for more helpful tips.
xo
