The Heart Chakra
The heart chakra is the middle-most energy center in the body – located right at the chest. It’s the chakra that serves as the bridge between the lower chakras (which are more “physical” in nature) and the upper chakras (which are more spiritual).
It is the energy center of love. This is where we feel unconditional as well as romantic love. The heart chakra is called “Anahata” in Sanskrit. Due to its location, it affects the physical heart, lungs, and thymus gland.
Location
This energy center sits in the middle of the chest, right in the center of the breastbone. The heart chakra is not your physical heart. Rather, it is the energy center located very near to the heart.
Balanced
A balanced heart center means you feel connected to everything around you. You have a sense of empathy and compassion for others. Others around you feel acceptance from you without reservation. You have a great capacity to appreciate beauty in the world. You love freely, with no strings attached. You truly love yourself.
Unbalanced
An unbalanced chakra can arise at any time. Traumatic events from past or present can also hinder this energy center in your body. Lack of caring for your body (through being sedentary, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, eating bad foods) can also contribute to a blocked heart chakra.
Physical issues
You may experience heart issues, problems relating to the lungs and high or low blood pressure. Poor blood circulation is often another symptom.
Emotional issues
If you’re feeling disconnected from others, misunderstood, have a lack of caring for others, or a lack of compassion, there is a good chance your heart chakra isn’t balanced. Still, you may avoid socializing with others. In fact, you might have social anxiety. Perhaps you hold grudges and tend to not trust others.
An overactive heart chakra is still unbalanced, and tends to exaggerate physical and emotional issues. An underactive heart chakra creates a “diminishing” effect. For example, physically, an underactive heart chakra might present as too-low blood pressure, and an overactive one might be high blood pressure. Emotionally, an overactive heart chakra might mean you become overly dependent on others in relationships but an underactive one could mean that you are emotionally withdrawn.
Balancing the Heart Chakra
Meditate.
As a meditation teacher, this is my number one tool to help balance all the energy centers of the body. I created a guided meditation (the video and script are below). You can also do a loving kindness meditation. (I will also create a guided loving kindness meditation after I complete this chakra meditation series.)
The color green.
Wear it. Envision it periodically throughout your day.
Get outside.
Get near trees or the forest. Make an effort to go where it is green.
Create connections.
Give hugs, hold someone’s hand. Give kisses to loved ones. These activities release oxytocin into your system. It’s also known as the “love hormone.”
Practice deep breathing.
Breathing into your belly helps slow you down and alkalizes the blood – a good thing!
Practice gratitude.
Write down things you are grateful for each day. Thank others regularly.
Practice non-judgment.
This can be a little harder to do, especially because we tend to be hardest and most critical of ourselves and even those closest to us. When you have a judgmental thought, take a breath and let it go. Just let yourself and others be. You get better at this through meditation.
Try yoga.
Do any pose that really opens the chest: cobra, cat/cow, camel pose, bow pose and sphynx pose are some good ones to try.
Use essential oils / stones / gems / foods.
Carry or wear jade, rose quartz, malachite, and emerald, among others. You can use rose essential oil, ylang, ylang, or geranium in a diffuser. Consume more green foods such as kiwi, spinach, avocado, broccoli, and peas, just to name a few.
Chant
The seed chant that helps to open the heart is “YAM.”
Heart Chakra Guided Meditation
I have created a guided meditation for you to also help with balancing your heart center. The script is below. Enjoy!
As you begin this practice, make sure you won’t be disturbed.
You may sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, or on a cushion – wherever you may be comfortable. Just be sure the position you find is one that you can maintain long enough for this meditation. Be kind to yourself. If you find that you need to shift, do so with mindfulness and calm.
When you meditate, it’s okay to have thoughts – they will come! Welcome them. Meditation shouldn’t be a strain. Don’t try too hard. Just bring your gentle, nonjudgmental attention back to this meditation when you find your thoughts have taken you somewhere else.
Let go of expectations. You have come to your chair or cushion. Let yourself settle into this practice to benefit from this time of calm and silence. Once you begin this meditation, stick with it until the end.
Breathe
Close your eyes, or cap them halfway, with a soft, unfocused gaze.
Bring your awareness to the breath. Notice the rise and fall of the chest, the natural rhythm of breathing. Sit with the breath for a few moments.
If you find your thoughts wandering, gently come back to this heart chakra meditation. Thoughts are okay. Let them come. Welcome them. Gently let them go by coming back to this meditation. Be kind to yourself.
Now, take two or three deep yawns. You can “fake yawn” until one comes on.
Bring your attention back to the breath. Notice the natural rhythm of your breathing.
Breathe in, deeply, first into your belly and then into your chest. Inhale as much as you can.
Slowly begin to release the air, starting with your chest, then your belly. Do this for two more breaths.
Visualize – Bringing Light to the Lower Chakras
Bring your attention to the root of your being, the base of the spine. A tiny ball of red energy spins there.
See this energy center as a red pin of light. Allow this light to grow and surround your body.
Move up a few inches, to just below the navel. Your creative center. An orange light spins there. It is the size of a pin.
As you inhale, allow this orange light to grow to the size of a marble, and then even bigger to surround your body.
Moving above the belly button, a tiny yellow light spins. It is the light of your own self-motivation and destiny. As you inhale, grow this yellow light to surround your chest, head, and entire body.
The Heart + Green Light
Now, bring your attention to the heart – the area in the center of your chest. A tiny green light spins there. This light is unconditional love.
On your next inhale, grow this light to the size of your heart. This green light fills your heart.
On your next exhale, breathe out this light into the space around you. This light grows to surround your whole body.
Inhale again, this light of love. It fills your heart and chest. It infuses your whole being with the light of compassion, empathy, & connection.
Continue to breathe, in and out, with this green light in and all around you, for several breaths.
Your self-love increases. Your love for others begins to increase. Your appreciation for all that is good infuses you with more loving energy.
Through this green light, you see the world as a beautiful place, and you see the beauty in yourself.
Chanting
As you breathe, bring the air into your belly to get ready to chant.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Now, inhale to chant.
Yammmmmmmmmmmm.
Inhale to chant.
Yammmmmmmmmmmm.
Inhale to chant.
Yammmmmmmmmmmm.
Yammmmmmmmmmmm.
Yammmmmmmmmmmm.
(Continues for 2 minutes)
Let your breathing return to normal.
The green light still surrounds you. All the areas in and around the heart are full with this beautiful light. Each breath you take is love. Repeat each of the following affirmations silently or aloud after it is spoken.
Affirmations
I am connected to others and to the earth.
I am love.
I give love and receive love.
My heart is open.
I feel grateful.
I love myself and others.
I see beauty in all people and all around me.
I am compassionate.
I feel profound joy in my life.
I accept myself just as I am.
I am surrounded by love.
Breathe
Spend a couple minutes in silence as you continue to keep this healing light energized. As you breathe, streams of this beautiful light weave in and around your heart, in the space around you, and grows to surround your dwelling, your neighborhood, your town or city, your state or province, your country.
Keep your eyes closed or capped as you near the end of this meditation.
It’s important to come out of meditation slowly.
Bring your awareness back to the breath. Allow yourself to feel the in and out rhythm of the rise and fall of the breath.
On your next inhale, allow the fingers and toes to wiggle if you wish. Gently shift your arms or legs as needed.
When you’re ready, open your eyes with a soft downward gaze. Keep your focus inward.
Open your eyes fully as you’re ready. You may return to your day.
I truly learned something new here today as I didn’t know much abou the Heart Chakra an about it being unbalanced or how to re-balance it. But can’t thank you enough for sahring more about it here or about how to indeed get balanced where it is concerned once again. Hugs and Happy Monday, as well as a wonderful weekend ahead now xoxo <3
Sweet Janine – SENDING YOU SO MUCH LOVE!! Can I tell you the bright light you are in my life? I’m so glad you came over, and remember: energy balancing is for all – no matter your path, your religion, your persuasions – we all have these energy centers and they can help us connect to our higher power.
Sending you big hugs, wishes for an incredible week, and continue to walk in the light, my friend. xoxo
It begins this week, Lil Sis….the farmers market season. I may miss a few of your blogs,and I apologize in advance. There’s only so much time, you know? But I’ll be thinking of ya when I’m absent, and sending hugs your way.
Whewee, Big Bro! I wish you a wonderful, successful, and beautiful farmers market season. Thank you for always coming by and supporting my work, dear friend. And thank you for the head’s up. I’ll be sure to harass you with extra comments on your blog. 😂😂 Hehe. Only kidding. Sending hugs your way and try to make time to “just be.” 🙂
My favorite chakra,by the way. 🙂
Indeed. There is no such thing as too much love. 🙂
Thank you for a beautiful list of affirmations! And I’m sharing straight to Twitter as you are sure to inspire many more people with this post – it deserves to be seen!!
Sweet Christy – thank you for coming by and for your lovely feedback. I so appreciate the shares. Here’s to spreading love – lots of love. Thank you for your bright light and all the wisdom and caring you also bring to the world. I wish you a wonderful week/weekend. xo
Dear Cynthia,
The new LOVE of my life, Miss Fannie, is my late excuse – I know I don’t need to explain / I always feel welcomed
to your ‘place of knowledge and love’.
This is my most balanced chakra to date – and GREEN has long been a favorite color of mine (just like my Mom).
Happy Monday – I will check out today’s post soon. Love and hugs, Maria
Sweet Mar,
Oh how lovely it is to see you. I LOVE that you have a sweet puppy! She’s ENTIRELY cute and full of life!! And you warmed my heart: “place of knowledge and love” – oh, I so hope that those who come here know that.
And it is not at all surprising that this is your most balanced chakra. You emanate LOVE and it is obvious to those who know you. You have one of the biggest hearts I know!!!
Thank you for your sweet remarks here. Sending you the biggest, squishiest hugs and so much love!💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
Our hearts are so important, not only as an essential organ of our bodies, but that we need to open them to Love and compassion.. They are beating in sync with our Earth Mother and we need to open our hearts and listen intently to its beat.
Your words of wisdom show us how trauma can upset the balance of our hearts, and within Quantum Science, it is now proving that our hearts hold memory.. Almost a mini brain..
And we feel with our hearts, and when our hearts gets broken it takes deep healing to mend.
So loved your paragraphs on Emotions..
Trees have been my own broken heart healers, Nature never fails us, she is always giving of her heart in everything, be it water we drink, air we breathe, food we eat.. She gives constantly from her heart..
So its very important to keep our hearts in balance. Which can be difficult for often our head rules our hearts.. As Ego as you mentioned rules in our judgements of others.
I have slept with a large piece of rose quartz by the side of my bed for years, ( obviously with regular cleansing ).. But it soothes, aids sleep and heals our hearts..
Again thank you for this incredible post..
Sending love your way Cynthia, Enjoy what May has to offer.. Where did April go??
LOVE and Blessings my dear friend so good to catch up again here.. I really must try to engage more.
But I have just been following my instincts.. Lol.. And going with the flow of my own thoughts, and they have made me just want to rest and take time out with my crafts..
Love and Hugs Sue 💜💖🙏💚💙
Sue – oh yes! The heart. I am working on this constantly. Well…as much as I can. There are times I’ll come out of meditation and just feel this complete LOVE and KINDNESS for the world. Which reminds me that I should make a Love and Kindness meditation. Complete with all the history, benefits and things. Perhaps for next week! 😀
Our hearts indeed, are a second brain. The magnetic field they carry is – get this – 5,000 times STRONGER than the brain. I was doing some research about this for a centering I did with the admin staff at school and really enjoyed doing the research behind the heart space.
That makes total sense that the trees – with their rootedness and connection to the earth, along with their green leaves would instill a sense of universal love. And the water. Oh yes….I was standing at the sink early this morning after I had drawn some water from the tap. I sent it some love before drinking. And then I thought of you who told me to do that. Hehe.
I’m the first to admit that sometimes I get so in my “head space” and my research on the chakras has led me to believe that my third eye might actually be overactive.
I carry little pieces of rose quartz around with me during the day (alternating with regular quartz, tiger’s eye and amethyst). But keeping a larger stone near my head…another wonderful idea! I’ve read about that before, but your gentle reminder makes me think about getting a larger stone sooner rather than later.
Sending you so much love. The beautiful, strong, universal kind. I’m so glad you came by. I so enjoy your insights – more than you know. Sending you hugs and have fun in the garden this week! 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
That made me smile about the water and putting love into it.. With each swallow of water I say I love you, 🙂
So loved your comments, in reply here and on my blog, I left you two longest replies over at my blog..
Our thoughts so similar.. our paths on par..
I just want to say I haven’t got the time to reply to your wonderful comments I left on your blog posts, they really spoke to my heart..
I go on vacation on Friday and wanted to catch up here as much as I can today Wed.. as tomorrow I am packing and preparing..
I am hoping to upload photos of our allotment and do a small post today if time.. But I have appointments this afternoon and this morning has been taken up with just replying to the many comments I have on my blog.. And still not done..
So I will speak when I return..
Sending much love for you own Birthday, mine was May Day.. 🙂 Enjoy your own private ME time my friend, turn off tune out and tune into Self.. and those you love..
These are special times to create memories by..
Much love and well wishes.. from my heart to yours.. <3 <3 <3
Sweet Sue –
Hehe, YES about the water. 🙂 And yes, I saw your beautiful comments and I need to respond to them. Thank you – always – for sharing your insights and wisdom. You are truly a peaceful warrior. I hope your vacation is/was going well and I completely understand about commenting and responding. You needn’t worry – we’re all here. Hehe. I can’t wait to see photos of your allotments! You are also a master gardener, if I do say so myself! And you have so many comments because you have such a beautiful message! I did tune off and tune out for a few days. It helped that my phone overheated at the beach and couldn’t use it. I ended up bringing my computer just for emergencies and used it twice to respond to birthday wishes, hehe. But other than that, I spend 95% of the time not on technology. It felt great and I always get insights when I do such a thing. 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful week, dear friend! Sending you big hugs! 🤗
I hope you had a wonderful Birthday Cynthia, and I bet you enjoyed your break from technology for a while.. Its amazing how insights come when we just BE and reconnect and often just observe.. I did a lot of observing 🙂 and had lots of thoughts to bring to new posts..
But upon my return home even blog-land didn’t seem important.. I got stuck in my home garden digging in three huge bags of compost into the boarders after pulling out spent Wallflowers. I have yet to plant my Summer garden, I am waiting for hubby to trim back a couple of conifers they are slow growing but need pruning back,
Thank you for your gardening compliments.. the pictures I took are now well out of date.. I need to take more.. This year Hubby takes ALL the credit.. I started with great enthusiasm in early Spring and overdid it which taught me I wasn’t as fit as I thought I was 🙂 and Hubby almost banned me lol.. As my muscles rebelled and for a time I thought my FMS had returned, I felt so tired.. and ached constantly.
But I rested, and this gave me time to do more knitting.. and I caught the bug again 🙂 I took up my meditation practice again which was all meant to be, as I began to feel connected again to my higher guides which I had for a time let slide..
We may think our quiet times are times when nothing is happening, but like my guides would tell me years ago, when they said they step back and allow life to be lived, this is the time we grow the most..
learning that which we need to learn ..
So embrace those Moments 🙂 I am and have learnt, that nothing is more important that self.. Nurturing Self.. Going deep within ourselves.. Our Hearts a great connection to our Earth Mother.. Did you know Heart and eartH are the same letters mixed up!!.. No coincidence.. I feel I may do a post on Earth/Heart.. sometimes soon.. And allow those in the unseen realms to guide my hands over the keys..
Even as I type now, I feel its right, and that inner glow of JUST KNOWING.. you know that feeling!!! 🙂 right.. lol.. Yes and these are what we need to keep following..
So love our chats Cynthia..
Love and Hugs your way my friend.. Enjoy your weekend and ease yourself back into the techno world gently <3
Much LOVE <3
I hope you also had a wonderful birthday, Sue! How special to be born on Beltane! I won’t soon forget that. And oh how the insights came and inspired this week’s post. I mentioned in my other comment that I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things. It’s been nice taking my time. Tomorrow I return to work for the first time since May 17. I’ve enjoyed taking the time to just be – it’s rejuvenating. As for you and your gardens: I am an admirer. You are a master! Just looking at your photos always leaves me in awe. Even if hubby takes the credit, I know you’ve created the space for each other to create landscape and garden masterpieces. It is a sight to behold – and I’ve only seen pictures! And I love the example you set: to strive to do what our bodies are telling us. If we need rest, then we can rest. If we need meditation, then we can meditate. All these things fuel the spirit and speed up healing.
Your wisdom about going within is spot-on, too. I used to despair when it came to thinking about all the happenings in the world. Knowing I could not control them, I have learned to go within. There I hope to awaken and change the world from within: from being a “being” of peace. Of being a “starseed” and setting an example – as Zingdad would say. I’m so glad you shared his site with me. I await his next Ascension Papers with great anticipation.
The heart stuff – YESS!!! Have you heart of the HeartMath Institute? The whole heart coherence thing is a well-documented phenomenon. I can totally see you getting into that and exploring more about it. 🙂 https://www.heartmath.org – They are a non-profit. We worked with their CEO a little bit when I was completing my meditation teacher training. Good stuff! Incidentally, sometimes I think I’d do better if I figured out how to teach meditation as a non-profit but then there’s the idea of having a “board of trustees” and all that and then I think, oof…all that sounds like too much. Haha. Ah well, I’m just going where the winds take me – with a set of intentions to guide my wind-ful path. 🙂
The inner glow of just knowing. You have a gift of seeing, my friend. Your third eye is open and you are attuned to the vibrations of the universe. I’m working on tuning in. I’m still dialing the station, but I’ll get there sooner or later. Hehe.
I hope you have a wonderful week, dear friend. Until one day when we can have a cup of tea…xo