Anahata – to Love or not to Love

So often in yoga classes we hear the instructor speak of this infamous fourth chakra – Anahata – or the heart chakra. As dedicated students we are advised to open our hearts, to soften our shoulders and to allow that delicate, vulnerable space within our chests to fully open. We associate the fourth chakra with the heart, with compassion and love and with postures in asana such as bridge, wheel and fish. Green is the color associated with this chakra and touch is the physical manifestation of a balanced heart chakra.

In a state of balance, we feel open, expansive and radiating with boundless love – for ourselves and for others. From this place of vulnerability, we see that everyone and thing is connected and deserving of love. We acknowledge also that our true nature is love and that this energy is always available for us to access. We feel joyous, light and effervescent. Out of balance, we begin to feel stuck, stagnant and filled with negative energy. With darkness blinding our way, we are unable to see or appreciate the good in our world. In this space, surrounded by fear and negativity, we recognize the possibility for rejection and see the world through critical eyes. This is a dark space in which to reside, and thus we try often in yoga, to move towards a place of balance.

Although we can attain a balanced heart chakra in a number of ways, it is my fervent belief that it begins simply with unconditional and unwavering self-love. To truly love ourselves requires us to examine honestly all parts of the self – from the parts we post proudly on Facebook to the parts we hide from even our spouses. With raw authenticity, we can then move from a place of acknowledgement to acceptance and ultimately to unconditional love. Perhaps we are able to laugh at our mistakes instead of berating our humanness. Perhaps we are able to apologize sincerely for something hurtful we said or did. And perhaps we can look at ourselves in the mirror and say we are beautiful – wrinkles, zits and all.

When we are able to trust that our true nature is the radiant magnificence of love, then we can treat every person, interaction and experience with a sense of compassion. Instead of harshly judging a co-worker or friend, we can begin to step into their experience with empathy, and realize we are all the same: beings of love.

Next time you step foot on your mat and move sweetly through a backbend, think also of the ways you can practice love. Ponder the ways in which you love yourself. Think of the way you speak to yourself and to others. Do you radiate the boundless love within? If not, perhaps it is time for a change.