What is the Heart Chakra?
The Heart Chakra, or Anahata, is the fourth chakra. Located in the center of the chest, it is the core of love, compassion, and emotional balance. Its element is air, representing openness and freedom. This chakra governs our ability to give and receive love, forgiveness, and empathy. It is physically connected to the heart, lungs, and circulatory system. When Anahata is balanced, we feel connected to others and can give and receive love freely.
Characteristics of the Heart Chakra
- Element: Air
- Color: Green
- Location: Center of the chest, heart area
- Qualities: Governs love, compassion, forgiveness, and connection. It is the bridge between the lower and upper chakras, allowing you to give and receive love freely.
- Physical Connection: Heart, lungs, circulatory system, and thymus gland.
Signs of Balance vs. Imbalance
- Balanced: You can give and receive love freely. You feel compassion for yourself and others and can form strong, healthy relationships.
- Imbalanced: You may experience loneliness, isolation, or jealousy. This can make it difficult to trust others, and you might hold onto grudges or experience physical symptoms like chest tightness.
Yoga for the Heart Chakra
To expand the chest and release emotional blockages, practice heart-opening poses.
- Camel Pose (Ustrasana): A deep heart opener that promotes vulnerability.
- Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Lifts and expands the chest and lungs.
- Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana): Opens the chest and energizes the heart space.
- Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana): Expands the heart and lungs, promoting openness.
- Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana): Expands the ribs and heart space.
Breathwork & Meditation
Practice these techniques to open your heart, balancing emotions and promoting compassion.
- Anulom Vilom (Alternate Nostril Breathing): Balances energy flow throughout the body and calms emotional turbulence.
- Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama): This breathwork creates space in the chest and lungs, allowing for emotional expansion.
- Compassion Meditation: Inhale feelings of love, and as you exhale, send feelings of compassion to yourself and others. This practice can be done with a simple visualization of light flowing from your heart.
The Connection between the Heart Chakra and Daily Life
The Heart Chakra is what allows you to genuinely connect with the world around you. It helps you form bonds of friendship, show empathy to those in need, and give love unconditionally to your family and partners. This energy is a direct force that encourages acts of kindness and promotes harmony in all your interactions.
Affirmation & Mantra
- Affirmations:
“I am love. I am open to giving and receiving love. Compassion flows freely from my heart.”
- Mantra: YAM (pronounced Yahm). This is the seed sound (bija mantra) of the Heart Chakra.
Curious about your energy alignment?
At YogaSutra Studio, you can check your Heart Chakra balance with a Bio-Well Chakra Scan. This advanced technology reveals your energy state, showing whether your emotional center is open or blocked. It’s a powerful way to gain insight into your energetic health.
อนาหตะ หรือ จักระหัวใจ คือศูนย์รวมพลังงานที่อยู่กลางอก เป็นเหมือนสะพานที่เชื่อมโยงพลังงานของร่างกายเข้ากับจิตวิญญาณ เป็นตัวแทนของความรักและการให้อภัย
เมื่อจักระนี้สมดุล เราจะสามารถให้และรับความรักได้อย่างเต็มที่ มีความสัมพันธ์ที่ดีกับคนรอบข้าง แต่ถ้าขาดสมดุล เราอาจจะรู้สึกโดดเดี่ยว หรือไม่กล้าเปิดใจให้ใครเลย
ลองฝึกโยคะท่าที่ช่วยเปิดหน้าอก อย่าง Camel Pose หรือ Bridge Pose แล้วก็ลองฝึกหายใจแบบ Anulom Vilom เพื่อสงบอารมณ์ในใจ ให้พูด Affirmation ว่า “ฉันคือความรัก” พร้อมกับเปล่งเสียง Mantra คือ YAM เพื่อเปิดพื้นที่ในใจของเราให้พร้อมสำหรับความรัก