When we open ourselves, we risk experiencing pain to attain the beauty we seek. Union is only possible when we consider all sides and open our hearts to experience the loving potential in each person and experience. For ourselves, for each other, for the world.

With the abundance, joy, and compassion we discover at the heart, there is also pain and suffering. The heart chakra shadow side shows up as grief and sadness. Prana is the energy distributed through the body made possible by breathing. The lungs are responsible for respiration and transporting oxygen throughout the body. The role of the thymus is to create special white blood cells that help the immune system fight off disease and infection. The thymus is a the small gland in the lymphatic system located behind the sternum between the lungs. The thymus, lungs, and chest are all related to Anahata, given the placement of the heart in the center of the torso. When we are at ease, we can interact with our environment and other people with more integrity. When our breath is smooth, slow, and deep, we are in a state of ease. Tightness or shortness of breath is a sign of stress or can indicate we are holding pain in our chests. Our breath is our life force and vitality and is one of the critical indicators of how we’re feeling emotionally. Yam means ‘to liberate’ or ‘to give.’Īnahata’s element is air. The bija seed mantra for the heart chakra is yam.

It is closely tied to the earth and the natural world, creating a calming effect as nature can be relaxing and revitalizing. Green is associated with renewal, fertility, and abundance. The color for the heart chakra is green to express freshness, nature, optimism, and luck.

Heart chakra yoga sequence