Continuing where I left off in my closer look at each of the Chakras- today, we're up to number 4: the Heart Chakra, Anahata. To read more about the Chakras, check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
Anahata means
“unstruck”- meaning the sound that is made without any two things striking. It
is associated with air, the element that is neither solid nor liquid in nature.
The 4th Chakra is related to forgiveness and compassion; developing
unconditional love for others which leads to self-love and self-acceptance.
Anahata is associated with the color green. It is depicted by the image of a lotus flower with 12 petals; in the center, two intersecting triangles make up a 6-pointed star, representing the balance between the physical body and the spiritual body.
The Heart Chakra develops between ages 21-28, the time when
most people begin the quest to balance love for others with love of self. When we give too much of ourselves in a
relationship, we forget to love ourselves, which can lead to intense jealousy
and possessiveness. Loving relationships offer the potential to dig deep,
stripping away layers of the “outer shell” that is presented to the world and
really get in touch with our raw, exposed selves. In order to be able to truly love others
unconditionally, there must be a foundation of self-respect and self-love: love
that includes knowledge and acceptance of our own dark sides as well as the
strong qualities we present to the world.
Emotional dysfunctions associated with the Heart Chakra are;
co-dependency, conditional love, fear of commitment and/or betrayal, and
feeling unworthy of love.
Physical dysfunctions associated with Anahata are high blood
pressure, shallow breathing, heart disease, and cancer. This Chakra is
associated with the heart, chest, lungs, and circulation.
One of the best ways to heal this Chakra is simply by cultivating loving relationships with ourselves and others. Love is a powerful tool, and a healer of many wounds.
Two yoga poses associated with opening the Heart Chakra are Camel pose- Ustrasana and Fish pose- Matsyasana. Backbends such as these force us to let go of fear and literally open the chest & heart. The head dropping back lower than the heart creates a powerful sensation of "letting go."
Camel, Ustrasana
Fish, Matsyasana
Happy heart opening, yogis!
Rebecca
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