The heart chakra is a space for love and compassion. But it can also hold negative emotions like jealousy and inability to forgive others.
A balanced heart chakra is able to give and receive equally. However, if you’re feeling defensive most of the time, it’s a sign that your heart chakra is blocked.
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Love
When the heart chakra is balanced, we are able to love ourselves and others unconditionally. This love transcends pleasure and pain, as well as joy and sorrow, and reaches beyond the physical realm of human experience. It opens us up to a space of divine love that can heal even the deepest emotional wounds.
When we have a blocked heart chakra, we struggle with feelings like jealousy and insecurity. It is difficult to express our feelings in a healthy way, which can lead to isolation and a sense of detachment from the world around us. According to Lymath, this repression may also lead to social anxiety over time.
It is important to remember that every emotion we feel leaves an energetic imprint on the heart chakra. If you are experiencing a blockage in this area, it may be time to let go of any unresolved emotions and patterns that have built up over the years. If you are unable to do this on your own, try seeing a therapist or using herbal remedies such as rose, fennel, astragalus, holy basil, hawthorn, nettle, and hops.
The color of the heart chakra is green, which symbolizes healing and growth. Surround yourself with this color by wearing green clothes, eating green foods, and spending time in nature. Try doing a loving-kindness meditation to help open your heart chakra. Sit in a quiet spot and direct loving energy towards yourself, a friend, a family member, and someone you do not know.
Blocked heart chakras can also stem from an inability to forgive past traumas and relationships. It can be helpful to release these emotions by writing a letter to those who have hurt you in the past. You can also practice self-love and self-compassion by doing daily positive affirmations, practicing mindfulness techniques, and incorporating heart-opening yoga poses into your routine.
Compassion
All the experiences of our lifetime are not only sensed by the heart chakra, but they leave an energetic imprint. These energies are stored in the heart chakra until they are balanced. An unbalanced heart chakra can create feelings of codependency, resentment, jealousy, lack of self-worth, anger, and fear of rejection. Having compassion for oneself and others is the key to a healthy heart chakra.
The heart chakra represents our capacity to love, including self-love. It’s also our ability to open up to other people and receive their love. It’s important to learn how to set boundaries, be willing to accept criticism, and learn from our mistakes. A blocked heart chakra can manifest physically as chest pains, lung and cardiovascular problems, and lymphatic disorders.
When the heart chakra is overactive, we can experience a desire to please, a feeling of overwhelming empathy, and an inability to say no. It can also lead to a codependent relationship with people or situations and a lack of personal boundaries.
A blockage in the heart chakra can also cause a lack of trust and a deep sense of insecurity. You may feel guilty for expressing your feelings, or you might believe that no one can understand you. In relationships, a blocked heart chakra can manifest resentment, bitterness, jealousy, and insecurity.
The heart chakra is associated with the color green. Surround yourself with the color, eat green food, and practice breathing exercises that encourage a flow of energy through this center. You can also try a simple meditation with the mantra “Mmmmmmmmm” to nourish this chakra. This is a great mantra for beginners as it has a soothing and harmonizing vibration that soothes the mind and body.
Self-acceptance
The heart chakra (Anahata chakra) governs unconditional love for oneself and others, compassion, empathy, forgiveness, appreciation, fondness, and gratitude. A healthy heart chakra helps us feel a deeper emotional connection to others and creates space for different perspectives without judgment. It is also the center of our feelings of joy, peace, and compassion.
When the heart chakra becomes blocked, it can manifest as feelings of fear, insecurity, and unworthiness. You may struggle to give and receive love and have a hard time accepting compliments or feeling worthy of love in your life. It can also result in a sense of isolation, loneliness, and being disconnected from your family and friends.
Blocked heart chakra symptoms can also include a lack of forgiveness for past hurts and an inability to allow others to be themselves. A blocked heart chakra can lead to a martyr role in relationships where you feel that your only purpose is to serve and please the other person. Martyrdom is often fueled by low self-esteem, the desire for adoration, and avoidance of responsibility.
The best way to restore balance to the heart chakra is through a practice of self-love and kindness. Affirmations and visualizations are both powerful practices to help with this. Try saying or repeating your favorite affirmations throughout the day.
Since the heart chakra corresponds with the color green, you can also support it by ingesting foods and engaging in activities that connect you with nature. A simple and effective technique is called forest bathing, which involves sitting in a natural environment such as a park or woodland to absorb the healing energy from the plants. You can also take a relaxing walk, engage in a restorative yoga class, or purchase some indoor houseplants to encourage the flow of energy.
Gratitude
Gratitude is an emotion that involves being appreciative and thankful. It can be spontaneous or cultivated through conscious efforts. In fact, gratitude is a state of being similar to happiness, love, and peace. It is also a virtue that is associated with a variety of health benefits. Research shows that people who feel grateful have a more positive outlook on life and are more likely to help others.
Practicing gratitude can be as simple as noticing something that you’re appreciative of on a daily basis. For example, you can think about a friend who always sends funny texts or a barista who holds open the door for you. Then, you can thank them later in person or write a note to them. These small acts can trigger the release of oxytocin, which is a hormone that helps you bond with other people. Practicing gratitude can also help you build strong relationships and improve your overall well-being.
According to Benedictine monk Br. David Steindl-Rast, there are two qualities of gratitude that are essential. The first is the recognition of something intangible, such as a good family or a serene lake. The second is the awareness that we receive these things without any deserved credit or payment. For example, if a friend treats you to lunch, you can remind yourself that they do so because they care about you.
If you’re struggling with feelings of emptiness or low self-esteem, it may be time to work on your heart chakra. A balanced heart chakra teaches us to give and to receive in a way that is healthy for all involved. For example, a person who is overactive in the heart chakra can become overbearing and demanding of others. This behavior is often an attempt to avoid feeling emotions like sadness and fear.
Acceptance of others
When the heart chakra is balanced, you feel open and receptive to others. You are able to connect with people and form meaningful relationships, both romantic and platonic. You may also experience a deep sense of compassion for others. This is why the heart chakra is associated with empathy, which is the ability to understand another person’s feelings without judgment. People with a strong heart chakra are able to accept others, even when they are flawed. They are able to see beyond someone’s shortcomings and recognize the beauty of their soul. However, this doesn’t mean that they allow others to mistreat them or walk over them.
When this chakra becomes blocked, it is often caused by past emotional trauma. If you grew up with an abusive parent, suffered from an affair, or endured other forms of heartache, your heart chakra may be affected. People with a blocked heart chakra often struggle to trust other people and may find it hard to give or receive love. They can also have a hard time letting go of past hurts and grievances.
A blocked heart chakra can be treated by doing some self-healing work. One way to do this is through meditation and using crystals that encourage healing, such as rose quartz, aventurine, and rhodochrosite. You can also eat or drink green foods to nourish the heart chakra. Alternatively, try breathing in the color green with each inhalation and exhale. Visualizing the color green in your mind’s eye can also be helpful. This will help you to reconnect with the heart chakra and release stagnant energy.