LOCATION: Center of chest
ASSOCIATED COLOR: Green/Pink
SYMBOL: Two intersecting triangles forming a 6-pointed star in a circle with 12 petals
ELEMENT: Air
The Heart Chakra is the fourth chakra of the body. It connects the lower and upper chakras and acts as a center of integration of earthly matters and higher aspirations. The Heart chakra is all about connecting and relating. Love, giving and receiving, and how open we are in relationships are key. Love is the energy that helps transfigure emotions and experiences. It’s an essential element in any relationship, whether it’s with others or oneself. Love experienced through the fourth chakra is not just about romance, but about going beyond the limitations of the ego and personal preoccupations to open up more fully to compassion and acceptance of all at face value. The heart chakra is also how we experience beauty in life. Seeing the world through a balanced fourth chakra is being in a state of openness and acceptance that brings us in touch with our world and ourselves in profound and fulfilling ways.
An imbalance of the 4th chakra is related to:
Love obsessions
Neediness/clinginess
Codependency
Jealousy
Mistrust
Heart problems
Isolation
Relationship breakdowns
Sadness
Tiredness
Heart/circulatory issues
Respiratory ailments
Tips to begin balancing your Heart Chakra:
1. Cultivate your appreciation for beauty, whether it’s in nature, people or in the arts
2. Practice self-care and love your body up
3. Cultivate self-compassion and acceptance, especially with regards to your emotions and body
4. Focus on receiving if you are naturally inclined to be a giver; and on giving if you’re more inclined to receive all the time
5. Reflect on old wounds inherited from family relationships and come to terms with them compassionately
6. Practice forgiveness deep within your heart
7. Express your gratitude for the presence of other people in your life or simply for good things that make your life easier and happier