Understanding Your Heart Chakra: The Key to Emotional and Mental Balance

All the chakras are essential, but the heart chakra is considered the key to the chakra system. It is often seen as the center of this system and is the most sensitive area in our bodies, constantly sending and receiving information through our blood. Emotions and feelings manifest in various ways within us when we are stressed, such as butterflies in our stomachs, shaky hands, eye twitches, and other physical symptoms. These sensations are transmitted through channels in our bodies that carry blood and nutrients throughout, conveying signals to our nerves, muscles, organs, and bones. These channels interact with all of the chakras and our aura.

All of this information originates from our heart and then moves throughout our chakra system as signals are sent out. We feel first through this delicate yet powerful organ, which influences our decisions and experiences. It acts as a traffic signal that dictates our next steps.

When something triggers us, our heart rate increases, and blood pressure rises, sending signals racing to our central nervous system. This creates an energetic alert, causing a fight-or-flight response that can overwhelm our first chakra. As all the energy centers activate, our breathing changes, putting our bodies on high alert and creating a state of dis-ease. Our chakras can become imbalanced, resulting in either an excess or a shortage of energy as we desperately seek resolution.

This reaction occurs because a signal reaches your mind, prompting a response based on the information retrieved from your heart center. All of this happens in an instant. We quickly lose our center, become unbalanced, and feel scattered. Many of us have experienced this at some point in our lives.

If we operate with too much energy in our heart chakra, we may experience anxiety and erratic breathing as our heart chakra expands beyond eight inches in diameter. We might be giving out too much love and neglecting to love ourselves, hoping that by pleasing others, we will receive nurturing in return.

Conversely, if we lack energy, our heart chakra may be closed, stuck, or partially spinning, causing its diameter to shrink. We might hold our breath, become needy, and feel codependent, believing we cannot live without the support of others because we feel we lack love for ourselves.

In either case, the chakra is unstable, and we continually strive to return to our center.

However, what if you could “auto-correct” yourself? By redirecting your thoughts and feelings, you can maintain balance in your heart center. This helps you avoid the turbulence of fear, worry, and anxiety that can prevent you from living your fullest and highest life. By calming your breath, you remind yourself that you are okay.

Your breath dictates your response; it acts as a fuel gauge that can help keep your heart from reacting impulsively. By calming your breath and realigning with your heart center, you allow your cells, nerves, and fascia to relax, accept, and soothe your body.

All of this occurs through consciousness: an awareness of the self and the experience of being alive, coupled with the choice to stay in control and centered through your breath. The heart chakra is meant to process information through loving acceptance of the self and non-attachment.

Through non-attachment, you realize the impermanence of everything, including yourself. Experiences are just moments in time designed to help you learn something about yourself. They are temporary occurrences.

Love of Self is Essential for Growth