Heart Chakra: Anahata

Unconditional love, compassion and humility

About Heart Chakra

Heart Chakra is the 4th, and middle Chakra, located at your chest center. This is your center of unconditional love and compassion. Other qualities associated with the Heart Chakra include self love, empathy for others and humility.

Also known as Anahata, this translates to ‘unhurt’ or ‘unbeaten,’ it places kindness, love and peace above all else. This Chakra is at your center, offering a bridge between the upper three spiritual Chakra’s and lower three earthly Chakra’s. A healthy Heart Chakra is essential for giving and receiving love from yourself and others.

Sanskirt: Anahata

Location: Chest Center

Color: Green

Element: Air

Crystals: Rose Quartz, Unakite, Amazonite, Malachite.

Essential Oils: Ylang-Ylang, Lavender, Jasmine

Food: Green Tea, cucumber, kiwi, asparagus and other green foods

When Heart Chakra is Blocked

Chakra’s are evolving energy sources within the subtle body. As such, they can be deficient (closed/blocked) or excessive (open). When a Chakra is deficient, not enough energy is flowing. This could express itself as feeling tired, sluggish, or listless. When too much energy is flowing, you might feel aggression, agitation and even project these feelings onto others. Here are some things to look for when Crown Chakra is out of balance.

Feeling disconnected from, or avoid, those closest to you (blocked). On the flip side, when Heart Chakra is too open you are needy and co-dependent on others.

Overly critical of yourself and have difficulties loving who you are and what you’re all about.

Have a hard time accepting love, gratitude and complements from others. You prefer to maintain a hard outer shell so you don’t have to open yourself up emotionally to others.

Struggle to overcome past hurt causing you to re-live past traumas and have trust issues.

Tend to hold grudges and have difficulty forgiving people. You may also struggle with jealousy, bitterness and anger.

Social anxiety and shyness (blocked) or controlling and possessive (open).

General feelings/actions that indicate a lack of empathy, care for yourself and a martyr attitude.

Activities to Unblock Heart Chakra

When Heart Chakra is in a good place, you’ll feel balanced and in harmony with the world and everyone in it. Energy will flow allowing love and gratitude to move freely between yourself and others. These activities will help balance & activate your Heart Chakra.

Incorporate self care habits into your daily routine. More than just relaxing bubble baths, self care encompasses habits to take of your mind and spirit too. Eating good food, stretching your body to connect more deeply with yourself, or time alone to read or meditate.

Commit random acts of kindness (and not paying for the coffee behind you – tip the barista instead). Smile at people you pass by, give people a hand, and help lift others to better places. Do this with no conditions, no one on social media needs to know 😉

Meditate on the Heart Chakra focusing on a green sphere of energy pulsing from your chest center. Visualize this energy flowing freely within your body then radiating outwards touching everyone around you with light.

Express love to the people you care about. This could be small thoughtful acts of kindness, a date night out, physical affection or kind words. Don’t assume others know how you feel, practice using your words and putting thoughts into action.

Practice intentional gratitude to help you become more aware of your blessings. This will not raise your frequency, but shift your mindset to one of abundance (instead of lack).

Use healing crystals like Rose Quartz, Amazonite or Green Aventurine. Carry them in your pocket or place these stones around your home.

Start a journal using meaningful prompts. This can be a productive way to work through emotional issues surrounding trust, forgiveness, love and much, much more.