The energy of the fourth chakra is that of expansion. Within the body, this energy is called vyana. It causes the lungs to expand and contract and it moves oxygen throughout the body. This force also drives us to grow and to heal. On a universal level, it is called vayu, represented as the god of wind in Hindu mythology, and is the force that drives the infinite expansion of the universe.
The elemental expression of Anahata is air, a force much more intangible than the elemental components of the lower chakras. It is the opposite of gravity; while gravity contracts and attracts, air expands, pushes things apart, and fills emptiness.
Physiology
The organs associated with Anahata are the lungs, the heart, and the entire cardiovascular system. These are the pumps and delivery systems of prana to the body's many systems.
As air is inhaled through the nose, the olfactory bulbs located at the top of the bridge of the nose absorb prana, in the form of positive ions attached to the oxygen molecules we breathe and delivers it directly to the brain.
As the heart pumps, it circulates blood throughout the body, 45% of which is red blood cells, the primary function of which is to deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide, nourishing and detoxifying the body.
These functions are done involuntarily and without thought. In yoga, meditating and concentrating on these actions with reverence and discipline can have profound effects on one's being. Anahata literally means "the center of unstruck sound." When one is quiet, one may hear the inner music of the being that is not perceptible with one's normal faculties.
The endocrine gland associated with the fourth chakra is the thymus gland, located atop the trachea and aorta at the sternum. The thymus gland produces and codes lymphocytes (white blood cells) in response to disease or invading illnesses.
The thymus gland is very active in the early stages of life, but shrinks in puberty. Unhealthy lifestyles that include improper breathing, poor diet, antibiotics, and high levels of negative stress can further weaken the thymus in adulthood, even to the point that it is dysfunctional.
Nurturing the energy of the fourth chakra through breathing, meditation, and asana is vital to maintaining the body's own healing power. The ability to be self-healing contributes to the psycological components of confidence and self-love.
Psychology
Maintaining one's own vitality gives a person the energy and ability to reach out to others, to help, and to heal. Again, this is the expansive nature of Anahata. Compassion and love motivate us to build connections with others.
The healing power of Anahata comes not only through the thymus, but also through the mind-body connection. Our subconscious beliefs about disease and healing affect our ability to heal ourselves and to communicate healing energy to others. Research in this area on such things as placebos reinforce that our belief in the healing power of a treatment or medicine is as important as the science behind it.
Psychologically speaking, a person with a healthy and balanced fourth chakra is physically healthy, compassionate, and empathetic. They have a good sense of self-love and are helpful and intuitive. Someone with energy that is too strong here may be smothering and manipulative, have excessive feelings of guilt, and be hurt easily. If the energy of the fourth chakra is weak, a person may have a depressed immune system, be emotionally cold, lack self-love, be withdrawn and even depressed.
Yoga for the Fourth Chakra
- Asanas
Asanas which stimulate the energy of Anahata stimulate the healing power of the body. This is generally a good thing, but be careful not to overstimulate the fourth chakra when dealing with others; you may find yourself overly emotional and easily offended or hurt as the heart may be "too open" to the energies of others.
Poses such as camels, bridges, and wheels are good for opening the heart chakra. Because the energy of the fourth chakra is a yin, or feminine energy, passive postures are particularly good for releasing this energy. Lying in Savasana over a bolster is very soothing for the fourth chakra.
The healing energy of this chakra may also be used in your hatha practice by channeling the breath into a specific area while in any given pose. As you stretch, say, a sore hip in a pose, send healing prana to that hip as you inhale, and release negative energy (felt in the body as lactic acid, muscle strain, toxins, etc.) with the exhale.
- Pranayama
You may also channel this healing power with various pranayama techniques. One such technique is Nasarga Bhastrika (see The Third Chakra: Manipura for a description). At the end of the exercise, retain the breath and begin to gently tap the sternum with the finger tips. Imagine you are receiving healing energy through the finger tips. Continue to tap anywhere on the body you would like to direct that energy. Hold the breath for as long as is comfortable, then relax in child's pose.
- Karma Yoga
Karma yoga includes any act done in the service of others. Essentially, it is simply a matter of balance, which is the universal law of karma. When one sends out positive energy, one receives the same., strengthening the nurturing energy of the fourth chakra.
The beauty of the Anahata Chakra is its reflection of the basic yogic principle that healthiness and happiness are inextricably connected in the self and in the universe.
Laura Susan Henry - I am currently teaching yoga in Charlotte, North Carolina. I have been many places and lived many lives, but the threads of my life ...
