The fourth chakra is the heart chakra. The heart was designed to love. This is the center we are all here to learn about.
What is the fourth chakra?
The fourth chakra, also known as your heart center, is the center for love and compassion. It’s located, of course, at your heart center or the middle of your chest. The Sankrit name for the fourth chakra is Anahata. The chakra’s color is green but also pink. The element is air. Air is also related to the lungs which hold grief, therefore, issues of this chakra include forgiveness.
As the chakra of compassion and love it teaches us how to love ourselves and others in balance.
The fourth chakra symbol is depicted above. It is the traditional symbol without artistic modification. Therefore energetically it holds within it the true Anahata chakra meaning.
Studying the chakras in an in-depth subject. In this article, we will explore the meaning of the fourth chakra, its characteristics, and how to balance and open it. If you’d like to know about the other 6 main chakras see the following articles:
Articles detailing the other 7 Chakras
The Lower Triangle Below the Heart
Though we all want love, we spend most of our time working through the issues of the “lower triangle” before we can fully open our heart chakra. The lower triangle consists of the first three chakras.
The lower triangle issues summarized are feeling safe in the world, having healthy attitudes about sex, power, and money and knowing your self-worth. As you mature spiritually and work through your issues you can then become more expressive through your fourth chakra — your heart center.
If you are struggling with money, not feeling safe in the world, and stressed out it is hard for you to slow down and come from your heart. Using sex to control another isn’t a heart connection. If you have a low sense of self-worth then you are not loving yourself. These are all issues of the first three chakras. You need to address them in order to access the full power of your heart or second chakra.
What Does the Fourth Chakra Represent?
The fourth chakra is about the healing power of love. It is about having compassion with yourself when faced with all of the lower chakra issues. When your heart chakra is open you are able to be gentle and kind with yourself and your relationships.
The fourth chakra is also about forgiveness. Forgiveness is a powerfully transformational and healing experience. When you can truly forgive someone who you feel has done you wrong you’ll feel a tremendous amount of lightness in your heart. Your heart will open. Might it be yourself that you have to forgive?
Interestingly enough, a neutral mind creates an open heart. Clearing your mind of fear, judgments, and anxiety-producing thoughts or the like and becoming neutral will help to open your heart. If you suffer from over-thinking or have a critical nature it’s hard to also have an open heart.
Of course you can do it, it just takes extra effort to keep your monkey mind at bay and not fall prey to believing everything your mind is telling you.
Trust the intelligence of your heart and not always the intelligence of your mind.
Your Fourth Chakra Super Power
Compassion, Love and Forgiveness
Negative Expression:
When you hold on to the past and won’t forgive someone it is a negative expression of the heart chakra. Holding on to anger or resentment towards another will only shut your heart down and is a self-destructive expression of the heart chakra. You hurt yourself and your health with this negative expression.
Imbalanced heart chakra behaviors to be aware of:
- Blind loyalty
- Co-dependency
- Guilt
- Hatred
- Revenge
Positive Expression: .
Allowing yourself to open to another and move through any negative emotions you’re feeling towards them instead of shutting down is a positive expression of the heart chakra.
Understanding that we are all connected is a positive expression of the heart. Being compassionate with yourself when you make mistakes is another positive expression of the heart. Loving inner dialogue is also a positive expression of the heart.
Additional examples of an open heart center:
- Forgiveness
- Dedication
- Inspiration
- Ability to Heal
Lesson of the fourth chakra:
The fourth chakra is where you learn the divine healing power of love.
Fourth Chakra Healing Exercise
Exercise: Heart Space Meditation.
I love doing this exercise. It’s very easy and you can do it anywhere and anytime. Believe it or not, I love to do it when I am driving.
All you have to do is begin to become aware of your heart space. Put your attention at your heart. Breathe into your heart. Take time to notice the quality of the energy emanating from your heart.
Let your heart space area expand as you bring more awareness into it. This is a WONDERFUL exercise to do when you are in a challenging discussion.
Stop talking and bring all your awareness to your heart space. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how effective this technique is. The challenge is to remember to do it! Give it a try!
Good Heart Chakra Gemstones:
Rose Quartz, Kunzite, Peridot
Self Reflection
- How is your fourth chakra expressing itself in your day to day life?
- What is love?
- Do you love yourself and what does that mean to love yourself?
- Do you love others?
- Can you forgive those that you feel have wronged you?
I would love to hear back from you! Help me to help others feel connected to their bodies by sharing this information.
Remember your heart center wants to be open. When you open your heart chakra you let love in and your relationships, including the one with you will heal.
I’m Anna-Thea, an author and Certified Divine Feminine Educator. I educate people on how to claim their bodies as sacred no matter what age, shape, size, or gender. If you’d like to learn more make sure you check out my Guided Chakra Meditation.
This article was originally published on my site at: https://annathea.org
If you would like to see the original article please visit: https://annathea.org/fourth-chakra
