Anahata
An Introduction to the Heart Chakra
This time of year always brings up the conversation about love and relationships due to a certain holiday that’s just around the corner. That’s why we think it's the perfect time to introduce you to the heart chakra.
What Are Chakras?
First of all, what are the chakras? You may have heard them mentioned before in a yoga class or meditation and felt confused about what they are. The word ‘chakra’ is the Sanskrit word for ‘wheel’ or ‘disc’. In yoga, meditation, or Ayurveda, these discs are where your energy is stored. There are seven main chakras in the body, many of which are targeted during a typical asana practice without you even realizing it.
The Heart Chakra
Now onto why you’re here, the heart chakra. This fourth chakra is called ‘anahata’ in Sanskrit, which directly translates to ‘unstruck sound’. Here are a few key facts about this chakra that you can take with you into any conversation or class.
Location
While it may seem obvious that the heart chakra is located at the heart, it may surprise you that it can also be found in the lungs, thymus glands, shoulders, chest, and upper back.
Qualities
Some major qualities of the heart chakra include compassion, joy, and forgiveness. If anahata could speak, it would say “I feel” and it would speak to interconnectedness with others.
Element
The element associated with the fourth chakra is air. This is why you can stimulate and help remove blockages through deep breathing that expands open your chest as well as meditation.
Sense
As this wheel of energy is all about connection to others, the sense it pairs with is touch. In our current season of limited touch and social distancing, a lot of people are not activating their heart as much as they used to and may find themselves struggling to express their emotions.
Asanas
Right now, it’s more important than ever to explore heart-opening postures if you’re feeling stuck and unable to connect with others. Here are three yin yoga poses that you can do regularly to help you through a stagnant feeling at this level:
Supported Fish (Matsyasana)
Melting Heart (Anahatasana)
Butterfly (Baddha Konasana)
Affirmations
Here are some daily affirmations you can write on your bathroom mirror or put on sticky notes around your house to engage and open your heart this season:
I deserve to be loved.
I am loved, I am worthy of love.
I can give and receive joy and love.
Questions
Below are three questions you can ask yourself regularly in order to check your heart and emotions, we invite you to answer these honestly and give yourself grace to change over time:
Do I put others’ needs before my own?
Am I open to forgiving myself and others?
Do I feel isolated or am I codependent on something or someone else?
We hope that learning more about the emotional energetic center makes you feel empowered and encouraged. Be kind to yourself and always check in to see if there are places where you’ve become stagnant or maybe even places where you’re overcome with energy. Next time you’re in a yoga class, see if you can notice where you feel the most open!
For more information on the chakras, read:
written by Anna Lopez