The Forth Chakra, often referred to as the Heart Chakra or the Anahata Chakra is physically positioned at the heart region. Traditionally, this chakra is represented as a green flower with twelve petals which match the vrittis of lust, fraud, indecision, repentance, hope, anxiety, longing, impartiality, arrogance, incompetence, discrimination and defiance.
Anahata is associated with the ability to make decisions outside of the realm of karma. In Manipura and below, man is bound by the laws of karma, and the fate he has in store for him. In Anahata, one is making decisions, ‘following your heart’, based upon one’s higher self, and not from the unfulfilled emotions and desires of lower nature. The wish-fulfilling tree, kalpa taru, resides here, symbolizing the ability to manifest whatever you wish to happen in the world.
It is also associated with love and compassion, charity to others, and forms of psychic healing.
Anahata is the seat of the Jivatman, and Para Shakti.
It is associated with the following:
- Deities: Vayu (Hindu lord of the wind), Isha and Kakini
- Element: Air
- Color: Green
- Animal: Antelope
- Body Parts: Heart, Skin, Lungs, Thymus, Blood, Lymph, Immune System
- Planet: Venus
About
In kundalini yoga, anahata is awoken and balanced through practices including asanas, pranayamas, and the practice of ajapa japa (repetition of a sacred mantra). It is purified through the process of bhakti (devotion).
In the endocrine system, Anahata is associated with the thymus gland, located in the chest. This gland produces white blood cells, that combat disease, and bring equilibrium to the body.
Many Western occultists associate this central chakra with the central sephirah, Tiphereth, in the kabbalistic tree of life. Christian kabbalists in particular associate this sephirah with love, healing and Jesus Christ as God the Son.
Problem Symptoms
When energy is not flowing freely from this chakra there is a disruption of love, balance, harmony, peace, brotherhood, hope, growth and healing. When the chakra is blocked there is an inability to express any deep emotions including joy, fear, sadness and serenity. Diseases associated with this chakra imbalance include tuberculosis, arrhythmias, hypertension, coronary heart disease, asthma, high cholesterol, breast (cancer and fibromas), shoulder and esophagus problems, selfishness, and envy. Excessive yang leads to insensitivity. Excessive yin leads to hypersensitivity or the feeling of emptiness. This is the master control center for regulating the emotions.
Balance
This chakra is fed by finding your passion and following your heart. Have faith, find ways to express yourself and practice appreciation, balancing giving and receiving ,and forgiveness of yourself.
Sadly, we have ALL experienced the pain of being hurt, trashed, and beaten-up. One of my favorite sayings is by Gandhi: “The person who has experienced great pain and sorrow, is able to have more compassion for those who are suffering”. A closed heart chakra is from too much self-absorption, self-focus, and self-pity. Get beyond yourself! Get involved with others. Volunteer at your church, or within a social organization that needs help. At this chakra level you need to become aware of the “vibrations, magnetism, or resonance” that you feel when you are around others. Spirit will begin to provide you with “synchronicities” that will attract or direct you to people or events that are beneficial for your evolution as a soul.
Crystals and Gems
Crystals and/or gem elixirs which may help balance out the forth chakra: Adamite, Agate, Adventurine (Green), Alexandrite, Apophyllite, Beryl (Pink), Bloodstone (Green), Calcite (Lime Green), Carnelian, Celestite, Charoite, Chrysocolla, Chrysoprase, Cobalt-Calcite, Coral (Pink), Danburite (all chakras), Diamonds (all chakras), Dioptase, Emerald, Garnet (Green), Gold, Kunzite (Pink Spodumene), Lepidolite, Malachite, Moldavite, Moonstone, Opal, Peridot (Olivine), Pyrite, Quartz-Clear (all chakras), Quartz (Rose), Quartz (Rutilated), Topaz (Blue), Tourmaline (Watermelon, Green and Rubilite), Rhodonite, Ruby, Variscite, Zircon (all chakras).
Planet
This chakra is ruled by Venus; it corresponds to the “heart”. Your ability to love (both loving to others, and being able to receive expressions of love from others) acts as a “FULCRUM” between the lower 3 chakras of self-awareness, and the upper 3 chakras of your awareness of yourself in response to others. This chakra of “balance” is the first place where we are able to recognize that there is more to life than meets the eye, and we are able to perceive higher, spiritual realms. In yogic texts, this chakra is noted as the “sound of one hand clapping”. Think about it, when you express acts of love, you do so without the thought of reward. The “reward” is that your action made yourself and others feel good.
People who have suffered emotional hurts and wounding tend to block their Forth Chakras. They are afraid to make themselves “vulnerable”. This is a deliberate act of creating an “emotional wall” as a method of self-protection.