Chakras | Heart Chakra
The Heart Chakra and its meaning for the human body
The Heart Chakra, sometimes referred to as the Green Chakra, comprises the fourth primary chakra of the human body and is located directly behind the sternum at the front of the body. The rear heart chakra is located between the shoulder blades, directly opposite the front heart chakra. It is exactly the middle of the seven major chakras and represents a bridge from the lower to the higher chakras; the earthly to the spiritual realms of our existence. The heart chakra is the centre of love, devotion, altruism and healing.
In Sanskrit the heart chakra is called Anahata Chakra, which can be translated as unbeaten, unstruck, intact and unwounded, which is a reference to its transcendental nature. The heart chakra opens the path to a love independent from joy or pain as it vibrates unconditional love towards everything there is. It is so strong that no darkness or sorrow can wound or beat it.
On a physical level the green chakra governs the region of the upper back and chest, including heart and lungs, as well as the blood and blood circulation. It is further related to he thymus gland which is essential for the lymphatic system and endocrine system as it regulates the production of important white blood cells that are necessary to fight viruses and infections. Considering the green chakra is related to the lungs, it seems natural that it is also associated with the element air. The heart chakra is also connected to the skin which explains why it is related to the sense of touch and actions with arms and hands.
An open heart chakra is of high sensitivity. Here our souls can be deeply touched and we become able to overcome duality and to feel all beings in their real essence. Its relation to the sense of touch shows some important aspects of the green chakra like physical feeling, sensing, touching but also giving and receiving. This chakra is about relationships with true love. While the sacral chakra is dealing with more simple relationships, through an open heart chakra the whole complexity of human love will be recognized. By overcoming duality we are not needy anymore for outside love as we discover the infinite source of love within us. By opening the heart chakra we will get in touch with this never dwindling light of love which our soul strikes to reflect back to other beings.
Heart Chakra blockage
Any experience of loss, grief, rejection, betrayal, lovesickness or separation that makes us feel disconnected from love may lead to a traumatic disturbance or a blockage of the heart chakra. These feelings usually result out of dependency, the need to be loved and the fear to be broken up with or to be betrayed and may result in actual heart chakra pain (heart-ache).
Many heart chakra blockages originate in teenage times as this is the period we usually start seeking out for our first emotional and sexual partnerships. Many of these first partnerships don’t last a lifetime and result in negative experiences and heart-ache which need to be dealt with in order to not block the energy flow in the heart chakra.
With a blocked heart chakra people likely will feel lonely, be frigid or resentful and show general difficulties to accept love or having relationships.
On a physical level a blockage of the heart chakra may manifest in serious heart diseases like angina pectoris, too high or too low blood pressure, high cholesterol, circulatory disorder, asthma, rheum in the arms, skin diseases and a susceptibility for infections.
Heart Chakra healing
As the heart chakra plays a central role in our ability to give and receive love, it is of major importance to learn to love and to forgive yourself and others in order to heal it. Finding the lesson in a painful experience and releasing the stored negative emotions connected with it, has enormous healing effects for the heart chakra. Cherishing the unique gifts we are bringing into the world while forgiving our shortcomings is one way to develop crucial self-love and self-respect. Only if we learn to love ourselves we will be able to share true, unconditional and independent love and to heal our heart chakra.
