The heart chakra, or Anahata, is our fourth chakra. It governs the pure love that comes from within us, working on our affective profile, being the channel through which our emotions and feelings move. In this article we will talk a little more about this chakra, which is associated with our generosity and compassion. Come with us on this journey of unconditional love!

What does Anahata mean?

The word "anahata," originating from Sanskrit, means "unharmed; undefeated; intact." It is related to the Vedic concept of "untouched sound," "the sound of the celestial realm." In time, "Vedic" refers to the Vedas, Hinduism's collection of sacred texts. 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,nostalgia, impartiality, arrogance, incompetence, discrimination and defiance.

In the center, there are two triangles, at whose intersection is a smoky area with a symbol representing the union of man and woman. The syllable that represents his bija mantra is YAM.

Bijas mantras are sacred sound vibrations that carry the power of a given energy. When pronounced, these sounds potentiate, unblock, or activate the energy of the chakra with which they are associated.

Heart chakra characteristics

The heart chakra is located toward the heart, more precisely at the level of the sternum, the bone that forms the rib cage and supports 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 ruled by it are the lungs and the heart.

Anahata accounts for our higher forms of emotion, where there is no room for selfishness. It is the gateway to feelings such as selfless love and generosity. But it is also the place where we hold our hurts and resentments.

Heart Chakra Color, Element, and Stone

Several factors associated with the chakras help establish a balance or even boost their energies - the main ones being the color, the element of nature, and the stone. Each chakra has its own group.

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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 transmits hope (a feeling that represents one of its vrittas, as we saw above), confidence, and health. It is 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, breathing and imagining the color green in the region with which it is associated, repeating its mantra (YAM) three times.cleansing of feelings such as traumas and afflictions.

Breathing is necessary

Anahata is governed by the element of air. This element represents expansion, fluidity, and lightness. Air makes us more calm, serene, and open to others. It is an element that governs the respiratory system.

Just like blood, which flows pumped by the heart, this chakra connects us to 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 those of green color. 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.

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The function of stones and crystals is to balance the chakras, besides helping to recover self-healing. Their action is 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 the 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 about 30 minutes.

Remember to always clean your stone after use by rinsing it under running water. You can also recharge its energy by placing it under the sun for an hour or so. Clean and energize your stones whenever you find it necessary.

By 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 if we are to avoid adversities with regard to our health, which can throw us off track by disrupting our energy centers.

When the heart chakra is out of balance, the signs are very clear (both physically, spiritually, and emotionally): cardiovascular diseases, shortness of breath and other respiratory problems, arrhythmias, female breast cancer, lung disorders, and pressure problems. Immunity can also suffer.

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In the psychological and spiritual spheres, the damage is visible. We may experience feelings such as irritation, frustration, and the desire to isolate ourselves. There is also a great chance of developing anxiety disorders, depression, and material or emotional dependence. We may lose our connection with people.

When it is too open, it can cause exacerbated suffering about the problems of others (an excessive empathy that can do harm to our spirit, because it doesn't allow us to do anything for others, but only keeps us in pain for 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 too blocked, so that our health - physical, mental and spiritual - is preserved.

Balanced Heart Chakra

An aligned heart chakra allows us to live a more invigorated and energized life. Our heart works perfectly, there is an improvement in our immune capacity, and our lungs are at full capacity, allowing us to breathe efficiently.

This balanced chakra helps energize others, bringing great harmony, especially in the spiritual realm, which is more in evidence. We are able to connect with others, feel love for life, and genuine happiness. We are better able to make love flow in a light, continuous way, like blood in our veins. We open ourselves more 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 recommended ones are citrus (lemon, orange, and bergamot), as well as rose, sandalwood, geranium, marjoram, ylang-ylang, pine, and petitgrain.

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Besides what we have already mentioned to maintain the balance of the chakras, it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle, in search of good health in its entirety. Therefore, adopt an adequate diet, practice physical activities, sleep well, don't exaggerate on alcoholic drinks and stay away from cigarettes. Practicing yoga is a great alternative, since it is an activity that hasTry to do meditation and breathing techniques, ideal practices for the heart chakra, since it deals with our lungs and the way we breathe.

Don't forget: your body is your most precious home. Wherever you go, it will go with you, so take good care of this address, because it needs this care throughout your journey in life. Love yourself, love others fully, forgive more, don't hold grudges. Above all, respect yourself and take care of yourself!

Getting to know the chakras

The chakras are energy centers connected along our spine, and their function is to receive and emit vital energy at certain points in our body. They act continuously, transferring these energies between our physical body and the material and spiritual planes. They are a form of nourishment for our aura.

Although there are passages in the Vedas (Hinduism's sacred books) telling of 32 chakras, and others even mentioning 88 thousand, the consensus is that there are seven main ones: basic, sacral, solar plexus, laryngeal, frontal, and coronal.

Keeping the chakras in balance ensures not only a healthy body full of good vibrations, but also a full life with self-knowledge, self-esteem, and self-love. Learn more about the chakras in this article.

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