SanskritAnahataColourGreenLocationCentre of the chestElementAirSeed MantraYAM
What is the Heart Chakra?
The Heart chakra, or Anahata, is the fourth chakra and the bridge between the lower, physical chakras and the upper, spiritual ones. Located at the centre of the chest and governed by the Air element, it is the centre of love, compassion, forgiveness and connection. It governs how you give and receive love, relate to others and hold compassion for yourself. When the Heart is open, you love freely and fearlessly, forgive with grace and feel deeply connected to all of life. It is the very heart of the chakra system, where the personal opens into the universal.
Signs of a Balanced & Blocked Heart Chakra
Balanced
The ability to give and receive love freely and without fear
Deep compassion, empathy and kindness toward yourself and others
Healthy, harmonious and trusting relationships
Forgiveness and the ability to release past hurts
A warm sense of connection, peace and openness
Blocked
Difficulty trusting, loving or opening up to others
Holding grudges, resentment or an inability to forgive
Fear of intimacy, or the opposite — codependency and over-giving
Loneliness, grief or feeling disconnected from others
Physical issues in the chest, heart, lungs or upper back
How to Heal and Balance Your Heart Chakra
Meditate on a soft green light radiating warmth and love from the centre of your chest
Practise heart-opening yoga poses such as Camel (Ustrasana), Cobra, Bridge and Cow Face
Practise forgiveness, gratitude and acts of kindness toward yourself and others
Chant the seed mantra YAM and breathe into your heart, softening and opening
Repeat heart-chakra affirmations and allow yourself to give and receive love fully