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Everything You Need to Know About the Heart Chakra

Everything You Need to Know About the Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra (Anahata Chakra) is one of the seven major chakras in the body. It is located in the center of the chest, just below the breastbone.

When this chakra is out of balance, we may feel closed off and disconnected from others. We may also have a difficult time giving or receiving love.

Let’s explore everything you need to know about the Heart Chakra, including its associated elements, colors, and meanings.


Heart Chakra Summary

  • Sanskrit name: Anahata
  • Location: Centre of the chest, in the heart area
  • Color: Green color (it’s sometimes known as the Green Chakra)
  • Chakra Element: Element of air
  • Symbol: Lotus flower with 12 petals
  • Zodiac: Taurus
  • Energy: Feminine & Masculine
  • Signs of a balanced Heart Chakra: Healthy relationships, an abundance of empathy, joy and happiness, compassion for yourself and others.
  • Signs of an imbalanced Heart Chakra: Loneliness, isolation, difficulty connecting with others, low self esteem, depression.

Read on to learn more about your Anahata!


What Are Chakras?

Chakras are powerful energy points in the human body which are closely aligned to our mental and physical wellbeing. The word chakra is derived from two Sanskrit words: “chai,” meaning “wheel or disc,” and “kara,” meaning “center or axis.” The word translates as “spiritual wheel.”

The 7 primary chakras work together to create an optimal life.

The primary chakras include:

Root Chakra

The Root Chakra is located at the base of the spine in the coccyx (tailbone). It is associated with our sense of physical grounding and connection to self.It corresponds to the color red, which symbolizes groundedness, calmness, and stability.

If a person’s Root Chakra is unbalanced it can cause feelings of heaviness, spinal issues, or headaches. On the other hand, if this chakra is balanced it can lead to positivity and physical health.

Sacral Chakra

The Sacral Chakra is in the lower abdomen, above the pubic bone, and below the navel. It is associated with the sexual organs and reproductive system. This chakra deals with our emotional expression and sense of personal power.

The color of this chakra is orange. Orange symbolizes energy, enthusiasm, joy, fun, and creativity. If a person’s Sacral Chakra is unbalanced, it can cause emotional issues such as self-criticism and low self-esteem. If a person’s Sacral Chakra is balanced, it can lead to enhanced creativity and happiness.

Solar Plexus Chakra

The Solar Plexus Chakra is located at the center of the chest in the abdomen. It is associated with the pituitary gland, abs, and lungs. This chakra deals with our sense of personal power, self-control, and courage.

It corresponds to the color yellow, which symbolizes passion, energy, and optimism. If a person’s Solar Plexus Chakra is unbalanced it can cause feelings of insecurity, frustration, anger, and fear.

Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra is located at the center of the chest and it is classed as one of the Upper Chakras. It is associated with our sense of love and affection.

It corresponds to the color green, which symbolizes love and compassion. As mentioned previously, if this chakra is unbalanced, it can block your energy flow and cause feelings of disconnection or aversion to emotions. On the other hand, if this chakra is balanced, it can manifest in feelings of love and affection.

Throat Chakra

The Throat Chakra is located in the throat. It is associated with the thyroid gland and ears. This chakra deals with truth, communication, and self-expression.

It corresponds to the color blue – the symbol of trust, wisdom, and truth. If your Throat Chakra is unbalanced it can cause uncertainty and a lack of self-expression. On the other hand, if it’s balanced it can lead to authentic self expression and personal freedom.

Third Eye Chakra

The Third Eye Chakra, also called the sixth chakra, is located between the eyes (on the forehead). This chakra deals with insight, intuition, and spiritual connection.

It is associated with the color purple, which symbolizes divinity. If your Third Eye Chakra is unbalanced it can cause difficulty making decisions and constant indecisiveness. On the other hand, if this chakra is balanced it can lead to increased intuition and wisdom.

Crown Chakra

The Crown Chakra can be found at the very top of the head. It is associated with the endocrine system and brain. The Crown Chakra is responsible for spiritual growth and connection to the spirit.

It corresponds to the colors white or violet, associated with purification, purity, innocence, serenity, and surrender. This chakra may be imbalanced if you feel lost and purposeless or overly attached to worldly possessions and experiences.

On the other hand, if this chakra is balanced, you can experience feelings of generosity, spirituality, and joy.

chakra body
The seven primary chakras

What is the Heart Chakra?

The Heart Chakra governs our emotions, how we feel about others, how we see ourselves, and how we relate to others. It is deeply interconnected with feelings of peace and love. When you open your heart you can experience unconditional love for themselves as well as for others.

It is our emotional center. In the world of healing energy, the Anahata Chakra is often seen as the most important chakra of all. This is because the Anahata Chakra is responsible for our life force energy, also known as prana.

This positive energy is what gives us life and vitality, and it is also what allows us to connect with the universe around us which can lead to spiritual awakening.

At times it may be difficult for you to open your heart, especially if you have been hurt in the past or are going through a rough patch in your life. However, when you take a moment to slow down and become present with yourself, that’s when you will be able to open up your 4th Chakra and experience a heightened state of consciousness.

Where is the Heart Chakra Located?

The Heart Chakra is located in the middle of your chest, close to the location of your physical heart.

Your spiritual heart center is a lot like your physical heart. It works to pump energy throughout your physical body and is the center of unconditional love and compassion. It has a profound effect on the way you move through life, as well as the way you treat others.

When you have a positive outlook on life and can authentically love yourself and others, it will show in everything you do.

It is also the chakra of balance and is said to be the bridge between the lower chakras (associated with the physical body) and the upper chakras (associated with the spiritual realm).

heart chakra location
The Heart Chakra location

What Does Opening Your Heart Chakra Feel Like?

When you open and activate your Heart Chakra, you begin to experience a deeper sense of love for yourself and others. You become less critical as well as more tolerant of others’ behavior.

You may also feel a strong pull towards pursuing work that benefits humanity, such as medicine or psychology. You will likely be very tolerant of other cultures and ways of life, and have an appreciation for alternative religions, customs and perspectives.

Learn more about how to open the Heart Chakra.

Heart Chakra blockage
Symptoms of a Heart Chakra Blockage

Signs of an Overactive Heart Chakra

When the Heart Chakra is overactive or unbalanced, you could feel a deep sense of sadness or even depression. This can be heightened by life experiences that can lead to feelings of isolation as well as anxiety and fear. You may also experience extreme highs and lows in your mood.

One of the most telling signs of an overactive Anahata Chakra is physical symptoms related to the heart and circulation, such as:

  • Chest pain
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart palpitations
  • Heartburn
  • A feeling of tightness in the chest
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Poor circulation

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and have ruled out any medical causes, it could be that your Heart Chakra is out of balance.

There are also many emotional and spiritual signs of a Heart Chakra blockage, such as: 

  • Difficulty managing your emotions which can lead to intense emotional outbursts.
  • Feelings of resentment,
  • Anger and jealousy 
  • Difficulty receiving love and accepting love from others.
  • Low self esteem and self love.

Luckily there are a number of ways to balance your Heart Chakra, such as meditation, yoga, and aromatherapy – more on that below!

Read more about the signs to look out for with a blocked Heart Chakra.

seven chakras and their emotional and physical manifestations
The seven key chakras and their physical and emotional manifestations

Causes of an Overactive Heart Chakra

There are many possible causes of an overactive Heart Chakra, including:

  • Unhealthy lifestyle choices
  • Difficult platonic and romantic relationships
  • Traumatic experiences, such as the loss of a loved one.
  • Chronic illnesses
  • Stress and anxiety

Numbing your emotions and avoiding your feelings can often lead to an unhealthy Heart Chakra. Ignoring your true feelings can result in a buildup of negative energy and feelings that need to be released.

Symptoms of a Heart Chakra Opening

There are many signs of a Heart Chakra awakening. Some common Heart Chakra opening symptoms include:

  • A sense of well-being and joy
  • Improved emotional health
  • Stronger relationships
  • A deep connection with nature
  • Unconditional love for all beings
  • A sense of inner peace
  • A deep connection to the divine
  • Feeling at one with the world
  • A sense of power and strength
  • A feeling of self-confidence
  • A feeling of compassion and empathy

If you are experiencing any of these signs, your Heart Chakra may be opening up. This can be a very beautiful and transformational experience. Just be sure to go with the flow and trust that you are being guided by your Higher Self.

Read 15 symptoms of a Heart Chakra opening.

heart chakra opening symptoms
Symptoms of a Heart Chakra opening

How to Balance Your Heart Chakra

The Heart Chakra is clearly a very important part of our energetic being, which is why it’s vital to take time to support this energy center. 

Here are a few Heart Chakra healing techniques that you can start practicing today:

Crystals for Healing the Heart Chakra

Using a crystal for the Heart Chakra helps us balance emotions by calming our inner chaos. Crystals like clear quartz or moonstone have cleansing properties that help to soothe anxiety, while stones like rose quartz, green calcite or green aventurine emit healing vibrations which can help support our Heart energy. 

Try wearing Heart Chakra jewelry or place Heart Chakra stones around your home to benefit from their healing energies.

rose quartz tree from conscious items

Feng Shui Rose Quartz Tree from Conscious Items

Heart Chakra Mudras

One way to balance your Heart Chakra is to practice Heart Chakra mudras. Mudras are simply hand gestures that help to stimulate the flow of energy in the body.

There are many different Heart Chakra mudras you can try, but some of the most popular include the Heart Chakra mudra, the tree of life, and the butterfly.

chakra healing mudras
Chakra healing mudras

Heart Chakra Clearing Spells

There are different versions of Heart Chakra clearing spells you can try, but generally, the idea behind this practice is to clear any negative energy from the chakras and the physical body.

For a simple heart chakra spell, you could simply light a chakra candle and recite a meaningful mantra as you gaze at the flame and focus on your heart center.

Learn more about the benefits of using candles for chakra healing.

Heart chakra candles
Heart Chakra candle

Yoga Poses for Opening the Heart Chakra

There are many yoga poses that you can use to help balance your Heart Chakra. A few of the best include:

  • Downward-Facing Dog Pose
  • Cobra Pose
  • Camel Pose
  • Corpse Pose
  • Tree Pose

Downward-Facing Dog is a good place for beginners to practice because of the emphasis on breath control and grounding. It will help bring awareness to the Heart Chakra and allows one to challenge negative energy by putting passions aside and bringing reason into action.

You can make your yoga practice even more effective by adding breathing exercises such as alternate nostril breathing or Nadi Shuddhi Breathing.

Camel pose

Heart Chakra Affirmations

Positive affirmations are one of the best ways to improve your mental thought patterns and focus on opening your Heart Chakra.

In order to make affirmations even more effective, you can use them along with meditation or during yoga poses that focus on the Anahata Chakra.

Check out our 100 Heart Chakra affirmations.

Heart Chakra affirmations

Heart Chakra Meditation

Another way to balance your Heart Chakra is through Heart Chakra meditation. 

Spend a few minutes in a quiet space, with your eyes closed using deep breathing to connect with your physical body. They begin visualizing a green light at your heart space, radiating through your whole body. Alternatively, you could focus on a chakra candle and use it as a focus point to clear your mind and connect with your Anahata. 

Why not end your meditation practice with some positive heart affirmations to reinforce the positive energy you have released. 

There are lots of different meditation types to choose from – learn more about chakra healing meditation techniques

Heart Chakra Essential Oils

Certain essential oils have healing properties which are particularly useful for Heart Chakra healing. Calming scents like lavender, ylang ylang and rose oil are often used to relax and mind and promote feelings of joy and compassion which can boost the Anahata. 

You can massage a couple of drops into the skin or add to an oil burner or diffuser to experience these healing aromatics as you go about your day.

Check out our top 10 essential oils for the Heart Chakra.

Rose Essential Oil 100% Pure Organic Rose Oil for Diffuser, Perfume, Massage, Aroma, Bath - 10ML

Heart Chakra Journaling

Journaling is a powerful way to help us explore our emotions and connect with our chakras. Essentially it involves writing down our thoughts and feelings without judgment or direction, simply allowing ourselves to express how we feel.

This can help us to discover the thoughts and experiences which might be blocking our Heart Chakra. You could start with a simple journal prompt such as:

“How do I show myself kindness and compassion?”

Have a look at our 50 journal prompts for the Heart Chakra.

Heart Chakra journal prompts
Heart Chakra Journal Prompts

Reiki Chakra Healing

Reiki is a form of energy healing, focused on removing blocks in our energy system which can cause physical and mental ailments.

It is commonly practiced by reiki healers and practitioners, but you can also practice reiki chakra healing at home to support your Heart Chakra. 

Have a look at our 12 Step Chakra Reiki Checklist.

Sound Healing

Sound healing is another powerful way to tap into your Heart Chakra energy.

For example, striking a Heart Chakra singing bowl during a meditation practice, can emit a specific heart chakra frequency (594 Hertz or an F Note) which can help you rebalance and connect with your heart space. 

Learn how to use a singing bowl for chakra healing.

Start Opening Your Heart Chakra Today

It can be difficult to open your Heart Chakra when you are used to blocking out certain emotional feelings. But the Heart Chakra is the key to self -love and acceptance, and the harmonious functioning of our chakra system.

By experimenting with the different Heart Chakra healing techniques in this guide, you can tap into the joy and love that is waiting inside you.

Learn More About the Heart Chakra

Author

  • Ramisha Khan

    I'm Ramisha - I’m a wellness professional and energy healing practitioner with a special interest in helping people find balance, harmony, and inner peace.

20 Ways to Heal Your Chakras - Chakra Practice

Thursday 29th of December 2022

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