The Sanskrit name for Heart Chakra is Anahata Chakra.
Anahata is translated as heart chakra because we associate its position, at the center of the chest, as being near the heart. But this is not a translation; it is barely an approximation of the meaning. When we hear the word heart, we already have a set idea of heart. We may see an anatomical heart with valves, or a drawn valentine shape. We may think, oh heart means love center, it refers to how some people have “heart”, kindness or goodness. Trust me, none of these associations approach the true meaning. They actually mask and obscure meaning. We hear heart chakra: we got that figured out.
But figure this out: Anahata means eternal sound, ongoing, un-struck. A sound that was not created or begun, that has no beginning. It is anadi, beginningless. A thrum, a song, a chiming here at the center of your being that has existed before time. Before you came to be, the sound was here.
Chakra translates as wheel. And if we were describing a chariot in a Sanskrit story we would say it has 4 wheels and use the word chakra. Chakra also is the name of the weapon disk of Vishnu and Krishna, that is thrown to the target, spinning like a discus across a battlefield.
In the visual technologies of yoga, the Tantra, the meditator discovers the central channel along the spine, sees the shushumna pulsing with prana and distilling to virya, youth and vigor, and gathering and purifying to amrita, now too the yogi sees the chakras. The central channel engages with two other channels that transverse and simultaneously rise and descend like the double helix. At each juncture where the circuitry of the cool and creamy moon channel and the fiery creative sun channel engage with the central channel, their power erupts in outbursts akin to pulsing brilliant gemstones of swirling planets. These vortices of energy are called chakras.
This song of Anahata Chakra is the song of love. Immersed in Anahata we tune to the chord of esteem, compassion, unconditional love and universal loving kindness.
Sit quietly a few minutes each day, wherever you may be, and listen for Anahata’s song, visualizing purple brilliance pulsing forth and radiating beyond you, expanding and filling the room, and on and on.
Use rose essential oil, one of natures most precious elements, to heal your grief. Use bergamot, ylang ylang or neroli to nourish and augment Anahata’s pure qualities of love and acceptance.
Join me in clearing your thoughts and drawing your focus within.
