Previously, I did an introduction to the 7 chakra system. We saw that having its roots in Sanskrit, an ancient language in Hinduism, Chakras are centers of energy that we find throughout our bodies.
Translated, the word Chakra literally means «wheel» because it acts as a vortex, a disk of spinning energy where matter and consciousness meet. At the core of each of us, spin 7 main chakras aligned along the spine starting from the base up to the crown of the head. The Chakras are important for any spiritual explorer and so we will go deeper into our understanding of each one of these ever-spinning wheels of life energy.
So far, our journey through the 7 chakras has brought us through the Root Chakra, followed by the Sacral Chakra, the Solar Plexus Chakra and now we enter the Heart Chakra, center of our chakra system.
Anahata, the fourth Chakra
The Sanskrit name for the fourth chakra is Anahata, which translates into ‘sound that is made without any two things striking’ and can also be interpreted as ‘unstruck’, ‘unhurt’, ‘unbeaten’, ‘fresh’ and ‘clean’. The fourth chakra, central point of our chakra system, is our heart chakra. Here, we entered our spiritual center, our core where forces from above and below, within and without unite. This is our love center which, when free from old hurts, is opened, innocent and brings a radiant sense of wholeness that can be felt in the whole organism. It is within this sense of wholeness that lie the seeds of our inner peace.
As we will see, the love experienced at this level is very different from the more sexual and passionate love found at the sacral chakra level. At the heart chakra, love comes from within and is experienced as a state of being rather than being passionate and oriented towards a particular person or object.
Heart Chakra : Location in the body
The fourth chakra is located in the cardiac plexus, ruling over the lungs and heart. It is associated with the thymus gland.
Heart Chakra : Air Element
The element associated with the heart chakra is air. Air represents freedom, openness, freshness, lightness, simplicity and overall all things that are expansive and spirited. This chakra is our lest dense physical element so far. While earth (Root chakra) is solid and rigid, water (Sacral chakra) sits still and fire (Solar plexus chakra) moves upwards but never leaves its fuel, air disperses.
Being a gaseous state of matter, air has the ability to disperse itself evenly through the space that it occupies. The same way that air fills the space it occupies evenly and with a sense of equilibrium, evenness and calm, the heart chakra mirrors a sense of loving equanimity.
Also, the air element represents our breath. Breath which the Hindus call prana is considered as a vital energy, a basic unity from which all life is made. Prana is viewed as being the vital link between the physical and mental world, the same way the heart chakra is the link between the lower and upper chakras.
Heart Chakra : Colour Green
The Anahata is represented by the color green. Equally composed of yellow and blue, green represents the energy of love and transformation. It is the colour of balance, tranquility and calm. Being the colour we mostly find in nature, green has a soothing power over us, the same way the grass under our feet can make us feel balanced and whole.
Heart Chakra Consciousness : Love, relationship and unity
The heart chakra’s consciousness is without a doubt love, but it is important to understand that this kind of love is experienced as a state of wholeness and unity. At this level, love is not dependent on outside events but rather comes from within and radiates outwards. Therefore, it is very different from the passionate type of love we feel at the sacral chakra level, which is more of an extension of our desires. And so, unlike the sacral chakra’s passionate and ever-changing kind of love, the heart chakra has rather an enduring, eternal and pure type of love.
This pure love acts as a binding force and is the essence of equanimity. Through this chakra, we break the illusion of separation and learn to see the world through unity. With its gentle and pure loving energy, the heart chakra makes us understand that we are all one, that we are all made of the same essence, and that there is a beautiful force binding, uniting and holding everything in relationship. That force, you might have guessed, is love.
The heart chakra is at the center of our chakra system and at the same time, at the center of our bodies. This being said, you can easily imagine that when imbalanced, the heart chakra can throw off our entire chakra system as well as our bodies. That is why attaining and maintaining balance in our lives and in our hearts is so important. A life in balance will bring maintain us in a state of grace, equanimity and gentleness. Love is that what lasts, and likewise, all that is made with love will last. That which is out of balance will not endure. It is only by being balanced within ourselves and within our heart chakra that we can hope to balance the world.
Our journey up the spine through the Chakras continues!
Our journey through our whole chakra started at the base of the spine, home of the root chakra and brought us stability, focus and form as we experienced unity. We then moved up to the sacral chakra where we gained an experience of movement, emotion, desire and polarity. As we continued, we expanded beyond survival instincts and desire for pleasure and merging with another. We reached the solar plexus chakra, where we grow in strength and find our power rising. Home to the element of fire, this chakra ignites the light of consciousness and pushes us away from inertia. As we activate our power, we direct our activities toward a higher purpose.
We have now reached the heart chakra, ruled by the air element, center of our chakra system and body. Within this center, we gain an understanding of love as a balanced, gentle and unifying force between mind and body, inner and outer realms, self and other, giving and receiving. We learn that love is not something that is attached to an object. Love is a state of being in harmony with oneself and others.
With Love,
