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I am Loved & Loving


The fourth chakra is the heart chakra or anahata. This is where the 3 lower chakras of the physical body connect with the 3 upper chakras (often referred to as the subtle body). It focuses on expressing and receiving love while maintaining the balance that comes with healthy boundaries. It is referred to as the "seat of the soul."


The heart chakra is capable of experiencing the broad range of human emotions and expressing the best aspects of us, such as love, compassion & faith. Anahata means "unstruck" or "that which cannot be destroyed." It refers to the place that is untouched by hurt, which gives energy to those high aspirations of unconditional love and forgiveness. It is the unifying center of personal healing and interconnectedness to the greater world around us.


Expressed in the color green, it is associated with the element of air. Stones such as emerald, tourmaline, aventurine, and rose quartz complement a chakra-based yoga and meditation practice.


When out of balance, emotions can be overwhelming or absent. Grief, insecurity, excessive criticism, withdrawal and poor boundaries are a few examples. Deficiency may be seen in a lack of empathy, narcissism, judgmentalism and being withdrawn. Resentment is another key feeling that indicates a block of the heart chakra energy. It can be easy to have a martyr mentality and become overly sacrificial, which can indicate excessive activity in the heart chakra.


A heart-opening yoga flow is a great way to bring awareness and healing for a deficiency of energy. Poses such as cobra, camel and gate are especially effective. In the case of overactivity, more introspective poses that fold in on ourselves, such as staff and child's, foster a sense of nourishment.


Heart chakra mantras include:

  • "I am loved & loving."

  • "I live in balance with others."

  • "I am at home in my heart."

  • "I am worthy of love."

  • "May I be free to feel my true feelings and desires."



A beautiful prayer from Thich Nhat Hanh invokes the themes of a healthy heart chakra:


"Evoking the presence of the Great Compassion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion - towards ourselves and towards all living beings,


Let us pray that all living beings realize that they are all brothers and sisters, all nourished from the same source of life.


Let us pray that we ourselves cease to be the cause of suffering to each other.


Let us plead with ourselves to live in a way which will not deprive other beings of air, water, food, shelter or the chance to live.


With humility, with awareness of the existence of life, and of the sufferings that are going on around us, let us pray for the establishment of peace in our hearts and on earth."


 

Join us thursday evenings at 5:30 for yoga at Wellness in the Grove


Enjoy this Heart Chakra Playlist