This week has been an interesting week as we have worked on the heart chakra.
During my own time working on this chakra i have had some moments of tears, the physical sensations have been something that i can only describe as a heavy feeling in my chest centre.
I find this chakra as well as some of the others to be quiet amazing. I guess being aware of my own body, energies and its balances and in balances i have certain chakras that i personally work on alone more than others.
The colour that respresents this beautiful heart chakra is green. It is also known as the Anahata Chakra and it is the 4th chakra, located in the centre of our chest (between the breasts), to be even more precises it is bewteen the 4th and 5th thoracic vertebrae. This chakra is the ruler of the heart, upper back, breasts, lungs, blood and circulation, skin, immune system, arms and hands.
At this chakra a transition takes place from the lower three chakras which are much more personal (our foundations) to a more interpersonal place. This chakra really allows us to take ourself away from the ego and move into a place of unconditional and divine love.
The diagram below shows the symbolic image of Anahata Chakra. The black point at the top of the triangle represents the energy moving up through the heart chakra into the next three chakras of a more evolved, transpersonal consciousness, if the energy rises we can feel devotion, pure , divine and love. The lower black point on the bottom traiangle represents the energy moving down, being unable to move through the heart chakra, if this accures we feel desire, jealousy, sadness and despire.
All of the petals running around the image show all the amazing qualities of Anahata Chakra :-)
When the chakra is balanced we feel:
- Compassionate
- Truthful
- Sensitive
- Receptive
- Unconditional Love
- Generous
- Radiating Warmth
When unbalanced in this chakra we feel:
- Needy
- Jealous
- Confused
- Abuse of love
- Abuse of drugs/alcohol
- Angry
- Hateful
- Uncaring
- Unfeeling
- Unforgiving
If this chakra is unbalanced physical problems can accumulate in the areas that the heart chakra is connected to; such as heart problems, circulation problems, lung issues and asthma and other breathing issues.
So hopefully you now have a good idea if you are more balanced or unbalanced, but what causes us to be unbalanced and what do you do to balance?
Many things can causes this chakra to become blocked and we are all different, events that have happened to you that caused sadness, somebody hurting you badly, a broken heart, your trust being destructed. This chakra registers the quality of love in our life and if our unconditional love is tampered with or taken for granted this can effect us deep inside this chakra. As we grow up we are small, Innocent, naive and it can be damaged during this time also, as all we thrive off is unconditional love, protection and to be free when being young. The heart centre holds deep emotions and the body tries its best to protect us how ever it sees fit and this can result in the heart chakra being unbalanced. It can also happen at any time during our life and it can also be seated in the heart centre for many years before we even register a problem here due to us not being in touch with our self and body.
How to start balancing Anahata chakra, well without a dought taking your yoga class is definitely advised. If you do your own home practice work with back bends to open the heart, back bending can feel overwhelming for those who are holding pain in this area from past events, be gentle with yourself and give your body time to open. Meditation on the heart chakra is also a very nurturing way to allow relief in this area, you may have build up contractions within this space from past memories and events and breathing into the heart can help enormously, i do suggest doing this with a teacher for guidance to begin with (i shall do a meditation for this to guide you through a meditation practice on the heart).
Gem stones can be used (keeping them close to you) The gem stones for this chakra are Rose quarts, emerald and jade among others may be used under your own intuition.
Foods that can compliments Anahata are sattvic foods that will calm and support the energy such as nuts, seeds, fruits and yogurt.
So i hope this post sheds some more light on The Heart Chakra we have been working on this week.
Reference: http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/898?page=5
http://www.yogaindailylife.org/esystem/yoga/en/180400/chakras/anahata-chakra/
The Bhagavad Gita, Eknath Easwaran, Nilgiri Press
Chakra Work, Mary Horsley, Octopus Publishing,
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