Much about the Heart Chakra seems obvious. It is the chakra of love, compassion, responsibility, honesty and forgiveness, especially of one’s self. A deep, glowing gold color, energetically it resides in your sternum and heart. The lesson of Heart Chakra is to find unconditional love, compassion and forgiveness for yourself and then others. When you heal the ‘wounded child’ that resides within all of us, you change the energy of the world around you.
Physically it corresponds to the circulatory system, muscle strength, blood, lungs, rib cage, diaphragm, thymus, breasts, esophagus, shoulders, arms and hands.
Spiritually, Heart Chakra speaks to your conscience and human character. The energetic message of this chakra is “I love,” and influences not only your relationship with yourself but also your relationships with others.
When the Heart Chakra is balanced, it brings a sense of boundless love, completeness, a deep sense of peace and you are better in tune with others’ feelings. You are at ease with yourself and the world. You are joyful and have great compassion. Your empathy deepens.
When the Heart Chakra is weak or closed down, expressions of love are repressed. You are emotionally unstable and lack a sense of balance. You tend to be more shy and feel alienated and lonely and might develop a fear of intimacy. Your empathy dwindles.
When Heart Chakra is overactive, you may have a tendency to become a ‘people pleaser,’ be unable to set healthy boundaries, and experience jealousy.
Spiritually, this chakra is related to love and integrating opposites in the psyche such as mind-body, male-female, and yin-yang.
Physical manifestations of an imbalanced Heart Chakra can include poor circulation, heart disease, respiratory problems, high or low blood pressure, depression, allergies, lung cancer, upper back and shoulder problems/injuries, and breast cancer.
Here are two meditations you can use to clear and balance the Heart Chakra:
Nature Meditation – The Heart Chakra’s element is air. Finding a quiet place outdoors where you can experience the wind on your body, breathe in fresh air and throw open a ‘window’ into your heart will help you feel refreshed and balanced. Sit where you can witness life force in motion: Trees bending in the wind, a goldfish pond, clouds moving across the sky, a waterfall, or even watching shooting stars in the night sky.
Heart Affirmation – Place your hands with palms open over your sternum. Close your eyes and feel the soft pulse of your heartbeat. Take 3 deep breaths, stating aloud, “I love with my soul,” with each exhale.