Anahata Chakra

 


Drawing of the Anahata – not in green colours as according to the "rainbow theory", but here with rose and blue as symbolic colours for dedicative love and faith. I’ve never seen green colours inconnection with the Anahata, mostly rather blue and rose, that’s why I didn’t use the green colour here

The Anahata Chakra is the center of cosmic love. At the same time, it is the center of balance between the lower, more bodily chakras and the higher, more spiritual chakras. Following the rainbow colours, in modern depictions the Anahata Chakra often has a green colour. It is associated with the element wind. Sometimes it is equated with the Solarplexus Chakra; however, this does not match the traditional Indian view.

This chakra is similar to the fulcrum of a scale, it is the balancing center. The one who has his focus on this chakra lives in harmonic balance, in affection and love towards everything that he/ she encounters. The Anahata Chakra does not bring such surprising effects and great sensations as the Ajna Chakra – one reason why many prefer the Ajna Chakra. But there can be great deceit behind this: without the solid basis of a developed Anahata Chakra, every further spiritual ascension is only an illusion.

Location of the Anahata Chakra

 

Stimulation of the Heart Chakra

The Anahata Chakra is seen as a center of love. It is very important in advanced yoga. One can not begin early enough to stimulate this chakra.

The following exercise is a continuation of the previous exercise "Compressing an iron rod" (see Practical Advices). As soon as we have formed an energy ball with our hands, we bring this red-glowing sphere of energy to our Heart Chakra. We feel the chest area getting warm and bright with golden light. At the same time, we have a loving feeling. If it is difficult for us to develop such a feeling of love, then we think of a person we love or of a beloved animal – cat, dog, horse, whatever – and from our Anahata Chakra we send love, strength and blessing to this person or animal.

Gaia with the earth in her Heart Centre


States linked to an active Anahata Chakra

In mysticism, with developing cosmic love, an active Anahata leads to the following symptoms (increasing in the order below):

  • warmth/ heat in the chest area

  • glowing – the glow can even be felt up to the larynx

  • audible vibrating, ‘humming’, similar to that of bees; the sound ‘OM’ is a transliteration of this humming Sound

Conch shell horn of Shiva, which stands for the cosmic sound of creation OM

The Sanskrit letter for OM

OM is the most important mantra in traditional yoga. Its meaning and use goes back to immemorial times. Mythologically, it is the first sound that Shiva rang from his space- and timeless state. With that, the creation began (first movement). Through ever greater variations, the many basic forces (tattwas) were formed on which the creation is based on. In the iconology of Hinduism and Tibetic Buddhism, the conch shell horn stands for this sacred sound.

There exist two mystical states which can be connected to this sound:

  1. Travelling with the astral body: before consciousness is shifting into the astral body, one experiences an intermediate stage in which sounds can be perceived. See section "OBE-related Phenomena"

  2. Mystical state of love: in deep, mystical states of love, the chest becomes hot and begins to vibrate. It is felt similar to the humming of bees, and in rarer cases it is even heard (a state, which can be equated to pre-states of OBEs, although with a certain frequency – the frequencies of OBE pre-states are within a wider range).

 

Disorders in the Anahata Region:

A Kundalini congestion in the chest area and lacking supply with "fresh", luminous energy can lead to depressions in people who are on a mystical way and in the state of development of the Anahata Chakra. This is especially noticeable when a yogi alternates between glowing love and depressions. These states change in short intervals of a few days. Unfortunately, at the beginning the mystics often are not able to keep up a higher state of love, but are subjected to a change between high and low states. It is not easy to come out of a low state. It can help to do exercises to warm up the chest area, e. g. the exercise "breath of fire" (below) or "burning heart" (see below or section Meditations).

Exercise "Breath of Fire"

Imagine that you send hot energy into the chest area when exhaling. The exhalation should be done with slightly pressed palate (with light hindrance).

 

Behaviour of Kundalini-Shakti in a Developed Anahata Chakra

From this level on, Kundalini-Shakti can manifest herself as a higher spiritual intelligence, which as such controls the Kundalini forces. In cooperation with a protecting deity or guide, the Kundalini energies are purified and elevated. The body is healt, illuminated and brought into a higher auric vibe. The yogi/ yogini can then communicate with Kundalini-Shakti.

 

Meditation on the Anahata Chakra

This kind of meditation can be found in mystic exercises of several religions. In central Europe you will often find paintings which show Jesus, whose heart is inflamed by love to all mankind. Warmth and light are shining out of the holy heart to all the suffering humans. It is spending love and peace. This love makes no difference between good and evil but spreads on all beings like the shine of the sun.

Note: you must never practice on the heart as a physical organ – this could lead to dysrhythmia. Concentrate on the middle of your chest as shown in the picture above. Breath in and out and imagine yourself using a pair of bellows to inflame the fire of your heart. It works better when you press your palate a bit (inhibiting the breath a little bit) while breathing into your chest. You connect in love. When the chest area has warmed up, you imagine that the chest fills more and more with golden light, with every breath.

It is not necessary to sit for this meditation – it can be done during a walk or wherever you want.

 

© Alfred Ballabene (Vienna) translated by Corra