Heart Chakra Anahata 4th Green Chakra 1280x960

Heart Chakra (Anihata Chakra):
Healing, Meditation, Meaning, Stones & Crystals

  • Motto: I Love
  • Mantra: YAM
  • Color: Green
  • Element: Air
  • Zodiac Signs: Aquarius, Gemini and Libra

Loooove, baby, love that’s the Fourth Chakra in a heart-shaped nutshell. It’s at the center of our chest, the center of our Chakra System, and the center of life, if you think about it. Called Anahata (Unstruck), it’s the clubhouse of love, benevolence, forgiveness, will power, self-empowerment and self-love which is not a dirty word; it’s vital. Make sure it’s in there.

Heart Chakra Table of Contents

Heart Chakra (Anihata Chakra) Symbolism & Meaning

If the Heart chakra had a motto, it would be, “All you need is love.” It’s no surprise the Heart chakra sets cozily in the middle of our entire Chakra system. It is our passion, tenderness, forgiveness, benevolence, and willpower. From here, unconditional compassion and love erupt, flowing outward and touching everything around you. By the way, all that love applies to self-love, too.

Anahata is a Sanskrit word meaning unbeaten and unhurt. Those two words shine throughout the overall theme of the Heart chakra. Who of us doesn’t want to remain unhurt? Who of us doesn’t want an unbeaten spirit? This energy center has the kind of love you cannot adequately quantify with mere words. When you have a profound moment of awareness, it originates in the Anahata chakra.

The importance of the Heart chakra cannot be overstated. It is the bridge between your lower and upper energy centers. Through your heart, you can follow the line of chakras to the one you most need at any given moment.

What is the Heart Chakra

Contrary to the base chakra, which aligns with the Earth Element, the Heart chakra is associated with Air. This element is somewhat elusive, even as our full understanding of how to love any person completely. The first chakra keeps you grounded, the second inspires, and the third provides motivation and action. So when you draw all those things up into your heart, it results in Air-powered positivity and confidence.

Each chakra has a color. The color of the Anahata chakra is green. The vibration of green implies vibrancy and renewal. Working with your Heart chakra makes you feel more connected to life, and fresh beginnings come naturally. Here lies your joy. Here lies your ability to see the beauty in even the smallest of things.

One of the greatest blessings from a healthy Heart chakra is your sense of self and place. You develop the ability to love yourself just as you are what the world perceives as imperfections are natural parts of ourselves. It’s part of what makes each person unique.

Where is the Heart Chakra?

As the name implies, the Heart Chakra is located in the subtle body in the center of your chest. It’s in close proximity to your physical heart.

What is the Heart Chakra Responsible For

Ayurveda teaches us about Prana, which is the life force moving through the entire world. The Air element carries it within your body. Physically, the Heart chakra governs the thymus, lungs, and (of course) the heart.

Think for a moment about what it’s like to take a breath of fresh air after being somewhere stuffy. That is refreshing your Air element, brightening your energy. Simply breathing in a healthy location turns your inner gas tank from empty to nearly full. Once you’re replenished, you will have greater emotional balance. Ever try to be wholly reasonable when you’re tired?

Outside a medical context, when people talk about the “heart of the matter,” it’s all about feelings. If the Heart chakra is closed, even part-way, it’s hard to convey feelings in a manner that others understand. It’s nearly like trying to speak in a language foreign to you. The lack of solid communication leads to a sense of disconnection and unhealthy attachments.

I won’t couch it. You cannot study the Heart chakra without allowing for vulnerability, which includes being wholly honest with yourself. Buckle up. This isn’t always a smooth ride. There’s much people don’t know about true feelings. They are deep and intense. Forgiveness resides here, including forgiving yourself. Show yourself grace.
Heart Chakra Meaning & Symbolism

The Heart chakra is a passageway. Through it, you can better understand and manage matters of the physical realm. This isn’t a cold, calculated process but one born out of compassion. Your intuitive nature grows, and you begin trusting in it.

As a balance, the Heart Chakra also has a door to the higher dimensions, those of spirit and our internal dialogue. How often have we been told to keep our hearts and heads connected? Yep, that’s this energy center.

Besides how it affects your well-being, the Heart chakra has much to do with other people in your life. It represents the idea of “I am you; you are me.” From this vantage point, empathy grows. Anahata affords charity, kindness, and tenderness with no thought of reward. It is, as the saying goes, “good for good’s sake.”

In relationships, the Heart chakra’s meaning becomes very intimate-an energy shared between two people. Don’t think of this connection as only romantic love. It is far more than that. The Heart chakra symbolizes the love between friends, family members, and our beloved animals.

Being that it is the fourth chakra, the symbolism and meaning of the Heart Chakra has ties to what the number four represents. Four is whole and universal. It speaks to us of building strong foundations. From there, we have the capacity to send out positive energy to the Cosmos, which, in turn, brings the Law of Attraction into play.

Since the Heart chakra embodies the element of air, we can also consider the four winds. North winds bring satisfaction. South winds offer challenges. The east wind carries nourishment, and the west wind is full of might. So, too, our hearts will face struggles. They will find spiritual sustenance. We find our power and internalize harmony.

How to Heal The Heart Chakra Naturally

There is nothing quite so sad as a shattered heart. It leaves you wandering in a lonely place, unhappy, and often confused. There may be anger, and the idea of forgiveness is a mere flicker, quickly dismissed. The green-eyed monster (the color of this chakra) may also rear its ugly head.

The Heart chakra doesn’t only break from fractured relationships. It also develops when you begin believing everything other people say. They dispense grand proclamations about your worth, about what they want from you, and remind you of your failures in order to puff themselves up. At the end of the day, you are left with self-doubts and a terrible case of heartburn.

How can you “love” your own love center back to health? You’re already in a funk, so don’t put yourself in places or around people that will further that negativity. Instead, hug your pet… or hug a tree (they don’t mind.)

You can try a little activity where you release all the “ick.” Write down everything you want to get rid of emotionally – old grudges, bad memories, times you beat yourself for not being “enough.” And after each one, write “I forgive you.” Now BURN that sucker, outside or in the fireplace, and let the smoke blow away, taking all that nasty gunge that blocks you.

Focusing on the Heart Chakra’s color of green, it’s time to eat green food. You are what you eat! There is a whole world of green edibles from which to choose. Here are some examples:

Vegetables: Spinach, lettuce, broccoli, bok choy, cucumbers, green beans, asparagus, peas, and green peppers.
Fruit options: Kiwi, avocado, gooseberry, green apples, honeydew melon, green grapes, star fruit, lime, and pears.

Light some green candles, toss on a green t-shirt, and give yourself an aromatherapy treatment. Some of the scents for healing the Heart Chakra include bergamot, neroli, pine, jasmine, rose, and sandalwood.

TRY THESE MANTRAS:

  • I give and receive love easily.
  • I release old emotions, healing old wounds.
  • shine, and my heart shines with me.
  • Life is beautiful, and I embrace life fully.

How to Unblock the Heart Chakra

Purposefully or subconsciously, most people have some sort of heart blockage at one time in their life or another. The biggest bad guy in the game is trauma, with wounds that run deeper than we often recognize. As a result, you may isolate yourself, become overly defensive, and run head-on into the hills when anyone wants intimacy.

It’s not surprising that unblocking your Heart chakra and healing it has similar modalities. But you can change things up a bit. For example, rather than wearing green, how about sprucing up your space with green? Think plants!

Remain an active participant in unblocking that energy center. Affirmations often help. You not only think it but hear it (engaging more than one sense). Or, go one step further and write down your affirmations, leaving them everywhere they’ll catch your eye (a third sense!).

Here are some examples you can try (or, better still, personalize them):

  • I remove the stone from my heart and accept love
  • I forgive and accept myself
  • I remain grateful
  • Love is all around me
  • I am worthy of love
  • I am ready to give and receive love
  • I am valuable
  • I remain aligned with my soul’s contract
  • I choose compassion

In the last affirmation here, choose is a powerful word. You must CHOOSE openness. You must CHOOSE health. You must CHOOSE to love and be loved. No one can do this for you.

How to Balance the Heart Chakra

Once we’ve got the Heart Chakra healed, how do we keep our ticker ticking?
Visualize your heart. What color is it? Healthy pink? A little murky? Surround it with a cool green mist, soft, fragrant, and nurturing.

Think of the green as fertilizer for your Fourth Chakra. Keep loving that little Pitter-Pat Machine until it glows like a full-blown sun in splendor in your spiritual garden.

Continue the green them. Look to emerald or warm pine colors for vitality. Nonetheless, find a green that you adore and that makes YOU bloom, even if it’s neon.

Find a way to do small, kind things for yourself. Be gentle. Boy, do we beat up on ourselves these days, almost like we want to do it before the world gets in its licks! But when you feel your heart racing (in a not-so-good way) remember that you deserve kindness. Slow it down. Stop with the should-haves, could-haves. They are not here. There is only now. Don’t turn around. Just keep going forward!

Living a life filled with gratitude also keeps the Heart chakra happy and healthy. Thankfulness is powerful. Watch how your appreciation of one person’s efforts changes the look on their face. Acknowledge the little things by making a journal of what you feel grateful for at the end of the day. Go back and read this periodically. It’s good soul food.

How to Heal the Heart Chakra Naturally

For the purpose of this writing, “naturally” means nothing artificial or synthetic. Natural health, specifically, integrates natural approaches for restoring wellness in body, mind, and spirit. When your fourth chakra hurts, everything seems to hurt.

Healing the Heart chakra begins with you. Show compassion to others (and yourself). Engage in activities that express loving energies. Meditate on what “love” means to you in all its forms.
Some people find Tibetan bowls balance and realign the Anahata energy center.

Also called singing bowls, the sound these instruments make encourages relaxation, inner harmony, and a natural (there’s that word again) meditative state. They offer centering. And where is your Heart chakra again? Oh, yes… in the center!

How to Activate the Heart Chakra

Having an inactive Heart chakra is terrible. You are living in a world of gray numbness. Nothing seems to move you. By comparison, when your fourth chakra is open, you savor life’s beauty. You want to be active and engaged. No matter the question, Love’s the Answer.

Many spiritual seekers find journaling as a great asset to personal growth and awareness. Before you begin, light some incense associated with the fourth chakra. Options include chamomile, lavender, Ylang Ylang, and lemon. The lemon does double duty for clarity.

Try to write in it daily, especially if you notice something that makes you smile. Ask yourself, “For what am I thankful today?” Write that down, too. Now, this isn’t an epic novel! Go for meaningful, not fancy. Perhaps your way to work was free of construction. Now, that’s something that provides not only joy but also a sense of relief and gratitude.

You may find initially, you struggle a little bit for words. That’s natural. No one will see this but you, and there’s no quiz at the end. However, at the end of the week, I recommend reading what you wrote. Why?

You can see with your own eyes the changes in the way you look at the world
You are reminded again of little blessings (so much goes unnoticed when you’re not paying attention)
The activity supports opening your Heart chakra.

As with healing and unblocking, affirmations may help you as well:

  • I see myself standing in beauty
  • I choose to offer compassion and kindness
  • I welcome caring from others
  • It is safe to be loved and give love

Grounding The Heart Chakra

Any one of your chakras can run on overdrive. When your Heart chakra is burning the midnight oil, your personal boundaries go out the window. This is the friend that’s overly concerned to the point of annoyance. Codependency often develops or minimally clinginess. Those in abusive relationships stay there because, well, love will fix it!

Dialing down can be difficult. Begin by learning to say “no” again. It’s not a horrible word. You need to focus on self-care and giving yourself both compassion and forgiveness. Now, you can’t just do this for a day or two. It takes time to create the patterns that turn into an overactive Heart chakra, so it will take time to undo things, too.

Don’t go looking for love everywhere, in everyone. Rather, focus your attention on a few platonic relationships where you can practice balanced appreciation and responsiveness. This is a good testing ground. You can even ask your friend to “check” you from time to time to see if you’re going backward.

Recognize that while unconditional love is not earned, per se, it does require some kind of balance. For example, Sally always comes to you needing something and promising to return it. Once, twice, ten times later, you know that will never happen.

It’s time to cut Sally off (with a kind conversation). Does this mean you’ve stopped loving Sally? No! What it means is that you will not enable bad behavior, which is an act of kindness in itself.
Compassion works similarly. You want to care and show empathy. However, what happens when a person stays firmly in their rut? You can back away from direct assistance without barring yourself from feeling for them and without the hope that change will eventually come.

When you’re grounding the Heart chakra, respect is a fundamental part of the whole picture. You must respect yourself. You should show respect, too (manners matter). But do not let someone stomp all over your values. If they cannot respect your lines in the sand, you have some difficult decisions to make.

You will know you’ve done your work well when your emotions aren’t going 20 directions at once. Calm returns along with focus. You can make sense of things.

Heart Chakra Affirmations:

You’ve already seen a few Heart Chakra affirmations in this article. Here are a few more:

  • I know attachment is not love
  • My love is equitable
  • I strive for harmony within and without
  • Love is everywhere
  • I will live to the fullest
  • I reclaim the power of love
  • I am grateful for the love I receive
  • I choose to see the good in people
  • I attract loving relationships
  • I practice self-love
  • I will nourish my spirit
  • I choose to live in the now
  • I accept joy as part of my spirit
  • I will live a happy life
  • I open the path for lasting happiness
  • I know that joy is best shared
  • I am full of thankfulness
  • I trust in my purpose
  • I will appreciate blessings, great and small
  • I am free of the past negativity
  • I will set healthy boundaries

Heart Chakra Crystals & Stones

Nature has been abundant with Her gifts. An entire world of sacred crystals and stones can support a healthy Heart Chakra. Here are just a few.

  • Amazonite: A strength stone for when love gets bumpy. It helps improve your ability to communicate, too, so your relationship can heal.
  • Aquamarine: A stone of truth-telling to yourself. It supports releasing negative thought forms and patterns.
  • Chrysoprase: When your heart is weary, chrysoprase steps in with comfort and Divine wisdom.
  • Emerald: This gem reflects the Heart chakra’s wonder of the world. It teaches self-trust and sparks prophetic abilities.
  • Green Aventurine: Good vibes are everywhere. Your heart feels bliss. It is the energy of spring, growth, and opportunity.
  • Green Calcite: When you need to keep your cool, calcite is your friend. Don’t fight unnecessary battles. Keep your heart on an even keel.
  • Green Tourmaline: Just as the Heart chakra is a bridge, tourmaline connects you to the heavens and the earth. It helps clear this energy center.
  • Jade: Luck in love. Promotes abundance. As an amulet, it reminds you of what you truly deserve.
  • Kunzite: Pulsates with love, devotion, and tranquility.
  • Malachite: Carry black and green malachite for having clarity of voice and feeling.
  • Moldavite: As a child of the sky, moldavite raises your energy to higher levels, opens the Third Eye chakra, and helps you manifest the dreams held closely to your heart.
  • Moss Agate: Heals the Heart chakra. Establishes and restores emotional balance.
  • Peridot: Banishes the blues and replaces resentment with a lightness of spirit.
  • Rhodochrosite: Effective for cleansing the fourth chakra by eliminating emotional blocks (particularly to intimacy)
  • Rhodonite: Rescues the Heart chakra, returning it to its “unbeaten” vibrations. Seeing things as they truly are.
  • Rose Quartz: The quintessential stone of love, compassion, and comfort.

Heart Chakra Frequency

There are two frequencies associated with the Heart chakra. First is 341.3 Hz, which resonates with the Air element. The second is 528 Hz, called the “love” frequency.

Some songs fitting these parameters include

  • Beatles, Hey Jude
  • Bob Marley and the Wailers: Positive Vibration
  • Joe Crocker, Feelin’ Alright
  • Pink Floyd, Shine on You Crazy Diamond

You can also look to pieces where woodwinds have strong features

  • Abba, The Piper
  • Beatles, When I’m 64
  • Dvorak, Serenade for the winds
  • Gershwin, Rhapsody in Blue
  • Men At Work, Who Can it Be Now
  • Stravinsky, The Rite of Spring
  • Sting, They Dance Alone

Heart Chakra Meditation

Breathe deeply. Envision yourself surrounded by crystal-green light. It’s bright, hopeful, and loving. Let your eyes follow the light to its source—the Heart chakra. Use the mantra YAM, which vibrates with the energy of your fourth chakra. After each recital, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Heart Chakra Mudra

The Mudra for the Heart chakra is the Padma Mudra, also known as the Lotus Mudra. At the height of your heart, touch the base of both hands together. Move your fingers so they spread out and back as a flower might.

The lotus is sacred in Buddhist tradition, as it represents the purity of your soul. The lotus, while being beautiful, is strong. It rises out of mucky water, reminding us that beauty can develop from our challenges.

You can also use the Anjali Mudra, which is very well-known. Place your hands together in front of your heart. This is a symbol of gratitude, so important to a healthy Heart chakra.

How to open the Heart Chakra

A simple lift for your Heart chakra is aromatherapy. You can use the vibrational impact of scents to encourage various aspects of the Heart Chakra’s opening. For example, use rose for self-love and trusting others. Geranium boosts your sense of self-worth. Mint is for overall positivity, and lime decreases anxiety. Here are a few more you can consider based on personal need:

  • Bergamot: One of the best aromatics for the Heart chakra. Bergamot boosts energy and chases away the blues.
  • Chamomile: Natural calming properties; resonates with self-love
  • Frankincense: Rids you of unwanted thoughts so you can think clearly.
  • Jasmine: A scent that resonates with compassion.
  • Marjoram: Excellent for people struggling with anxiety and depression. It promotes balance and greater emotional control.
  • Neroli: Great for cleansing spiritual gunk and restoring balance, especially between people.
  • Pine: Has a warm, happy vibe because it cleans our space and auras.
  • Sandalwood: Combines your personal power with action.
  • Rosewood: Use this to help yourself remain open to love.

Gratitude is another “technique,” if you can call it that. As spiritual beings, thankfulness should be part of our DNA. The Heart chakra responds very well to those moments of appreciation for all of life’s blessings. You may think it’s hard to always be thankful. At first, it is. Walking in gratitude takes practice. Be patient with yourself, and remember that good things don’t have to be huge for you to appreciate them fully.

Tibetan bowls (singing bowls) can be used for healing meditations. The range of sounds created sends out the frequency of harmony and wellness. The person utilizing the bowl chooses one with the appropriate pitch for opening the fourth chakra.

Now, before you think the idea of healing with sound is a bit “out there,” did you know there are studies about it? Sound therapy can influence psychological states in positive ways. Think of the difference in how you feel at a crowded, noisy gathering where you can barely hear your voice versus the quiet of your personal space. It’s a totally different experience. Sound therapy builds on that simple human reaction.

Finally, it’s time to have a talk with yourself about expectations. Setting goals is all fine and good until they become too lofty. When you fail in a high exaction, it potentially sets up a negative thought form about not being “good enough.” That kind of thinking can easily spiral out of control. Nip it in the bud. Know your limits and work within them to reach the next step. Pace yourself; please yourself.

Heart Chakra Symbol

The portrait of the Heart chakra symbol has 12 petals. It’s green to represent how the heart brings “fire” from the lower energy centers and “sky” from those above. There are two triangles representing dualities in life that can dramatically influence a person’s choices. Where they meet, you will see a smokey spot. This is the Yin and Yang of the universe coming together.

Some say each of the twelve petals of the lotus has a specific keynote associated with the Anahata. They are hope, peace, love, harmony, understanding, purity, unity, empathy, compassion, clarity, forgiveness, and kindness. Aspiring for these keeps us on the path toward enlightenment.

Physical Symptoms of Heart Chakra Opening

The Heart chakra often manifests emotionally. On a physical level, however, when your fourth chakra opens, you have more energy, your body feels honed, and you feel comfortable in your skin. Physically, a Heart chakra opening may also result in improved circulation.

Mentally, as your Heart chakra opens, it’s natural to feel more at peace. Your relationships improve through words and deeds. You connect effortlessly. Even when life turns on its side, you remain at ease with yourself.

Additionally, an open Heart chakra awakens your sense of compassion and ability to forgive.