Chakra of the Month - April - Heart Chakra - Anahata

The Chakra for the month of April is the Heart Chakra, also known as the Anahata Chakra. This Chakra is located the heart space and is associated with the color green, the element of air, our compassion and love, driven by the principles of transformation and integration, and is said to bridge the physical with the spiritual aspirations. Pictured with twelve petals, this Chakra carries the seed-sound YAM. If this Chakra is imbalanced, you may experience relationship issues such as jealousy or codependency, you may feel closed down or withdrawn, excessive isolation, you might lack physical motivation, experience respiratory ailments and heart-related issues. This month we will offer different modalities and every day treatments on how to keep this Chakra balanced and its energy wheel spinning!

 

The Heart Chakra’s energy is characterized by love for oneself and others, compassion and empathy, forgiveness and acceptance, and transformation and change. This is the Chakra responsible for your connection to others and the harmonious exchange of energy with all that is around you. The Heart Chakra is your appreciation of beauty. It embodies your potential and ability to transform to transcend personal identity and limitations we may have concerning the ego. The Heart Chakra gives you the ability to go beyond these limitations and personal preoccupations to open up more fully to compassion and acceptance of all that is, so that when we live from our Heart Chakra and our heart energy is opened and balanced, we can see clearly and position ourselves in any situation with discernment and compassion. This Chakra is identified with the color green, which is a color that represents higher energy frequencies.

The Heart Chakra’s motto is I love.

 

The Heart Chakra is located in the center of the chest and regulates the cardiac system, the lungs, the thymus gland, and the immune system. Air is this Chakras element. When your Heart Chakra is balanced, you feel deeply connected to all energies around you and you reside in a harmonious exchange with these energies. Imbalance can manifest in lack of motivation, low self-esteem, emotional withdrawal, jealousy, respiratory and cardiac issues. Incorporating garden therapy and herbs into your diet help to keep the Heart Chakra in balance. Here is a list of health enhancing herbs to help keep this Chakra balanced and unblocked:

 

Lady’s Mantle is empowering and strengthening and will connect you to your compassion, giving you unconditional love.

 

Marjoram is a green herb that softens the muscles around the heart space allowing for peace to enter your life.

 

Sweet Annie has a sweet flavor that grows your ability to forgive and to be more caring and willing to help others.  

 

Angelica is not only green, like the color associated with the Heart Chakra, but eases stress and anxiety.

 

Hops is a wonderful natural treatment for respiratory issues.

 

Nettle is a significant source for vitamins A and C. 

  

Green foods help to balance the Heart Chakra: spinach, zucchini, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, beans, silver beet, peas, asparagus, kiwi fruit, green apples, green grapes, cucumbers, avocado, and lime. Spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, barley grass, matcha powder, and green tea also work well to balance this chakra. Nuts and seeds such as flax, almonds, walnuts, and sesame aid in cardiovascular health and reduce inflammation. Ginger tea is a wonderful drink to help balance this Chakra.

Below is a super yummy green soup recipe:

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 leek, finely sliced

1 fennel, finely sliced

2 celery stalks, finely sliced

4cm piece ginger, finely grated

2 zucchini, coarsely chopped

1 head broccoli, cut into small florets

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 cups baby spinach

1.5 L vegetable broth 

400ml coconut milk (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat coconut oil in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add leek, fennel, celery and ginger and cook stirring for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered sweating the veggies for a further 3-5 minutes or until softened.
2. Add the zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook covered for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir through baby spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat and add coconut milk if using.
3. Using a stick blender or bench top blender, blend soup until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

 

The Chakra for the month of April is the Heart Chakra, also known as the Anahata Chakra. This Chakra is located in the middle chest and is associated with the color green. Also referred to as the Fourth Chakra, it is connected to twelve major meridians carrying life energies/prana throughout the body. Pictured with twelve petals, this Chakra carries the seed-sound YAM. If this Chakra is imbalanced, you may experience emotional withdrawal, or jealousy, difficulty with relationships, fear of intimacy, feelings of bitterness or arrogancy, respiratory or cardiac issues, and immune deficiency. Focus on the Heart Chakra while using the mantra YAM can unblock and rebalance this Chakra, and keep energy flowing through the body. This Chakra’s element is air and as such, its energy is associated with the breath. The meaning behind the word mantra can be broken down into two parts, ‘man’ means the mind and ‘tra’ means to transport. In other words, a mantra is an instrument of the mind – a powerful sound or vibration that can be used to enter a deeper state of meditation. The mantra YAM is believed to be the sound form of the Hindu deity, Vayu who is the lord of the wind and the spiritual father of Hanuman. Chanting mantras during meditation can bring on a healing sound vibration. Sound Healing Therapy is thought to clear the subtle energy pathways in the body in order to create a positive change. Chanting the mantra ‘YAM’ during meditation while focusing on the Heart Chakra can help to balance and unblock this Chakra.

 

The Anahata Chakra or Heart Chakra is symbolized with twelve petals and the color associated with this Chakra is green. It is located in the heart space and its element is air. When this Chakra is imbalanced or blocked, using essential oils can help to release any negative energies that may be causing the blockage. Essential oils can be used as applications and some can also be ingested.

Here are a few essential oils that can help to rebalance the Heart Chakra:

Lavender – is floral and well known for its sedative properties to calm stress and anxiety

Rose – is consoling during times of grief, helpful for PTSD and nurtures the skin

Cypress – is woodsy and assists with concentration

Geranium – is floral and supports the reproductive system along with nurturing the skin

Jasmine – is floral and uplifting which helps with mood and is considered to be an aphrodisiac 

 

The Heart Chakra is associated with our love, compassion, embrace, joy, acceptance, inner peace, and gratitude. All of these feelings should be part of our daily mantras. Opening your Heart Chakra allows you to feel the world around you and the love within you. When this Chakra is balanced, you are at peace with all of the energies around you, with your relationships, and with yourself. The term mudra applies to the use of hand gestures that carry specific goals of channeling your body’s energy flow. Using a specific mudra during meditation for example, can help to unblock and keep your Heart Chakra balanced.

Here is a popular mudra you can use while meditating on the Heart Chakra:

Vayu Mudra is performed by bringing the index finger to the base of the thumb, then wrapping the thumb gently around the front of the index finger while the three other fingers remain straight. Because the Heart Chakra, also known as the Anahata Chakra, is associated with air, practicing this mudra outside in the open air is recommended. This mudra focuses on releasing all pain and anger, therefore by letting go of your negative emotions you are liberated and feel light as a feather – in relation to the index finger which is associated with the ego and the thumb which is associated with the divine, thereby placing the thumb over the index finger, you are yielding to the guidance of a higher power and released from the binds of the ego.

The Heart Chakra is the love energy source located in the chest cavity. The Sanskrit name for this Chakra is Anahata which means ‘Unstruck’ and ‘Pure.’ Certain crystals will vibrate with the Heart Chakra and help to keep it balanced. Incorporating crystals into your daily life can assist you with emotional and physical obstacles.

Here is a list of Heart Chakra crystals that can be used for assistance in balancing your Anahata Chakra:

Rose Quartz – used to open, heal, calm emotions, dispel negativity, and promote peace – it is the stone of the heart

Jade – used to balance – it is green in color and alleviates the physical ills associated with the Heart Chakra

Green Calcite – used to stimulate – it is known to absorb negativity and boost physical immunity and healing

Green Tourmaline – used to open – considered a stone of rejuvenation and promotes emotional stability

Green Aventurine – used to activate – this stone is associated with vitality and increases focus and stabilizes emotions

 

The Heart Chakra, also known as the Anahata Chakra, is located in the space around the heart center and is associated with the respiratory, cardio vascular and immune systems. Keeping your Heart Chakra balanced and unblocked will help to keep energy flowing through these vital organs. A physical practice that focuses on the Heart Chakra can assist in keeping it balanced. When you feel sad, jealous, angry, or withdrawn, balanced movement can help to reconnect your body, mind and spirit. Because the Heart Chakra is located in the chest cavity, balanced movement mostly involves heart openers, breathing techniques and meditation to help keep the Heart Chakra balanced.

Here is a more detailed list of physical practices to help balance your energies:

Practicing balanced, heart-opening yoga poses such as Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana), Camel Pose (Ustrasana), Standing Mountain Pose (Tadasana), and Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana) help to move prana through the Heart Chakra. These poses all help to strengthen the spine, stretch the lungs and chest, and soften the heart space while opening and invigorating the Heart Chakra.

This method not only improves flexibility but stability as well, as it focuses on strengthening the torso-stabilizing muscles of the abdomen and the back. Many movements focus on balance and stability.  Pilates will not only help you to connect with your powerhouse cavity, but strengthen your core muscles. This method is highly recommended for core and strength conditioning.

This method of treatment is based on unblocking and influencing the body by pricking the skin or tissue with needles to alleviate pain and to treat various physical, mental and emotional conditions.

This method is all about the breath and as air is the element associate with the Heart Chakra, guiding the breath through this technique is a wonderful practice to help balance this Chakra. Practicing Pranayama (breathing techniques) helps to soften the heart space, relax the body and decrease anxiety. Using a three-part breath guides more oxygen into the body. Practicing Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) helps to focus the mind and relax the body. 

This month the Heart Chakra tank is on sale for $18!