Chakras are energy centers in the body within our subtle bodies. The word chakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit. The chakras appear to function as energy transformers, taking the higher level of energy in our subtle body and bringing it into a lower level of energy, which is then translated into hormonal, physiologic, and cellular changes throughout the body. To visualize the chakra you can imagine a small circle of energy the size of your fist. I liken the chakras to small computers within your body filled with valuable information. The Hindu system recognizes numerous chakras or energy centers, but I usually work with the seven main ones located along the spine. I have been intuitively reading the information in chakras for about 12 years now. More recently, an eighth chakra is appearing to me where I read karmic information.

The information I am supplying here is from the writings of Anodea Judith, Caroline Myss, Paul Pearsall and my many years of studying and learning about chakras. References for Judith and Myss are at the end of this article.

Chakra Four

• Element: Air
• Color: Green
• Purpose: Love and balance
• Orientation: Self-acceptance, acceptance of others

The fourth chakra is associated with the Heart nerve plexus, which governs the circulatory system and the thymus in the endocrine system. The information contained in the fourth chakra relates to love, self-love, love of others, love of God, affinity, loneliness and commitment, forgiveness and compassion, hope, and trust.

Signs of Deficiency in the fourth Chakra

• Being cold and withdrawn
• Being critical and judgmental
• Feeling isolated and lonely
• Depression
• Fear of intimacy, relationships problems
• Lacking empathy
• Narcissism

Signs of Excess in the fourth Chakra

• Codependency (focusing on others rather than self)
• Having poor boundaries
• Being demanding of others
• Clinging to others
• Being jealous of others
• Behaving as a martyr

Emotional issues related to the fourth chakra from Myss

• Mood swings
• Vacillating between loving and hating
• Grief and anger
• Self-centered behavior
• Loneliness
• Problems with commitment
• Inability to trust and forgive

Health issues related to the fourth chakra from Myss

• Heart disease
• Lung cancer
• Bronchial pneumonia
• Sunken chest
• Shortness of breath
• Asthma and allergies
• Breast cancer
• Issues of the shoulders, upper back and chest
• Immune system deficiency
• Problems with circulation

Several years ago when dating I met a man who shared with me that he’d had four heart surgeries. Four heart surgeries! This man was in his forties! Well, being the mental health and energy therapist I am, I talked with him about the fourth chakra. I asked him what was happening with him in relationship that would have resulted in his heart’s being “broken” four times. He denied any issues in this area, but gave me a book that the last woman he dated had given him. The book was The Heart’s Code by Paul Pearsall. The inside book jacket describes the book as “a fascinating synthesis of ancient wisdom, modern medicine, scientific research, and personal experience that proves that the human heart, not the brain, holds the secrets that link body, mind, and spirit.” I looked at the book and was delighted to have found it. We decided not to continue dating, but the book was quite a gift.

When in relationships, we often have a difficult time being and staying in the heart. It seems getting stuck in being right becomes more important than learning to listen and just hear the other person.  Years ago I was more argumentative and I loved to debate and challenge ideas. Today, I prefer to ask questions that take the person deeper into what they are saying and I get to explore what is like to see the world from their perspective. This does not mean I see the world the same way, or even that I agree, but when I am open in my heart and can listen, I get to expand my own world of possibilities.

We all enjoy being heard and seen when we feel safe. Intimate relationships are immensely satisfying when you have a partner who can hear and be a witness to your view of life. This Valentine’s Day, begin to share at a deeper heart level. Listen to your lover and ask for time that is uninterrupted to share about yourself as well.

Here are some tools that bring love and balance to the body. Do these this month with your loved one or with a good friend whom you love. 

GROUNDING

Practice the 12 minute grounding exercise in my CD, Chakra Clearing or do the following:

Sit and image a grounding cord going down from the base of your spine into the center of the earth, as recommended by Flora (1993, p. 24) in Chakras: Key to Spiritual Opening. This grounding cord can be like a waterfall, a tree trunk, or a beam of light. Sense the grounding cord going down all the way through the earth to the fiery center of Mother Earth. Release energy down your grounding cord. Start at the top of your head; release energy down your neck and down the channels on either side of your spine, all the way down your grounding cord to the center of the Earth. Take a deep breath and continue to release energy, keeping this grounding cord attached near the base of your spine and the center of the earth. With practice, you will begin to stay grounded.

BREATHING

Breathing is an important part of loving your body and loving others. You may remember when you were holding a child and just breathing together. Focusing on your own breath and focusing on breathing with another person are wonderful ways to feel the life energy and the love in your heart. Deep breathing allows us to connect more deeply with our angels. Sit across from your lover and hold hands, close your eyes and breath together.

GRATITUDE

The practice of gratitude brings balance to the heart chakra. A great weekly practice, (maybe on Monday to start the week off right) is to write out twenty things for which you are grateful. You may find the same items coming up, but as you practice this exercise, you will find that your gratitude grows. I especially like this practice when I find myself feeling grumpy for no known reason. After writing my gratitude list, I always feel better. This is especially fun to do with children and grandchildren. It is a practice they will remember as they grow.  This month, share your gratitude list with your lover and listen to theirs.

RELATIONSHIPS

The heart chakra is about relationships. Relationships are always in a process of merging and separating. You may want to physically shift your body in movements of giving out and taking in. The Sun Salutation is a great exercise for this. You can Google Sun Salutation to learn more, as several websites show this yoga movement.

JOURNALING

Journaling is especially helpful for this chakra. You can develop a relationship with yourself through the journal process. Here are some ways to use your journal. For this month of February in addition to the ideas listed here, write a love letter to your loved one only in your journal. In the sacredness of your journal where you are the only audience, you can say the deepest truths to your lover.

1. Write a Dear God/Goddess letter, a letter expressing to God/Goddess from your heart.
2. Write a gratitude list.
3. Write an anger letter. Use this as a way to vent and then let go. “I am so angry at . . .” Once this is expressed, your heart opens to receive love.
4. When you find you are stuck, make a “To Do” list and then reward yourself by checking off what you accomplish with stickers or colored pens.
5. Write a list of pros and cons when you have difficulty making a decision.
6. Write out your dreams. The book I love is Realities of the Dreaming Mind by Sivanan Swami Radha (2004).
7. Write a prayer list. This can include prayers for yourself and for others.
8. When you are reading a novel or self-help book, make notes in your journal when something moves you or awakens your senses, or when there is a “charge” connected to what you read. A “charge” is felt when you have a reaction, positive or negative. It may show up as resistance. Keeping notes from books gives you the ability to return to your journal and remember what was important to you.
9. Write poetry or prose.
10. Take a personal inventory. Write out what you did well today and what you did not do well.
11. Write out your priorities – the endeavors that are important for you to accomplish. Star the priorities that renew you and make you happy!
12. Write what you love about yourself and what you love about your loved ones and friends!
13. If you are in a marriage or an intimate relationship, you may want to get one journal and have each person write to the other in this journal. For example, in the morning the husband would write a message to his wife. Then in the afternoon, she would write a journal entry to him. Occasionally, the two can sit down and read the journal together. This practice is especially bonding in the beginning of a relationship, when communication tends to flow more easily. The goal is to allow this pattern of communication to continue when issues arise and it is important to keep the lines of communication open.

COUNSELING

Many of us can benefit from the help of a counselor. Whether you have difficulty making and keeping friends, have unresolved grief, or have memories of childhood experiences that arise and create problems in your daily life, finding a counselor can help. There are many modalities of therapy, and it is important to find the one that is best for you. For those who have experienced trauma (which is most of us), I recommend Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprogramming (EMDR). My experience with clients when using EMDR is that the technique allows them to clear trauma much more quickly than does “talk therapy.”

DISCOVERY

Although Discovery is not Recovery, finding and reading appropriate books can help heal this chakra. Many books have exercises that help you learn and anchor the new behaviors. One of my favorites is The Artist’s Way, listed below.

• Cameron, Julia. (1992). The Artist’s Way: A spiritual path to higher creativity. New York: Penguin Putnam Publishing.
• Flora, Mary Ellen. (1993). Chakras: Key to Spiritual Opening. Everett, WA: CDM Publications.
• Judith, Anodea. (1996). Eastern body, Western mind: Psychology and the chakra system as a path to the self. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
• Myss, Caroline. (1996). Anatomy of the Spirit. New York: Three Rivers Press.
• Pearsall, Paul. (1998). The Heart’s Code: Tapping the wisdom and power of our heart energy. New York: Broadway Books.