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Anahata Chakra: Love and Heart Openers

Anahata Chakra, also known as the heart Chakra, symbolizes love, joy, compassion, and warmth. In modern society, the fantasized idea that love heals all is often deemed as a sign of weakness against the scientific/business minds. It is heartbreaking to see others use love as a tool for manipulation and a method to hurt others. Having seen the arguments that eventually led to my parents’ divorce, I grew up believing that love did not exist and that it is in our nature to be cruel and selfish.

 

Looking back, I realized that I was stuck in my shallow world by assuming that I was protecting myself by blocking out my emotions. Those years were a constant chaos of arguments with my mom and our rocky relationship went to the extent where her presence alone could make me angry without a reason. We tried counselling, art therapy and even going to church; but nothing seemed to work things between us. It was only when I started attending yoga classes and actually practice yoga on a daily basis that I felt a change in our relationship.

 

Having a gymnastics background, I naturally gravitated towards the poses that required a lot of back bending. This meant that Camel and Cobra pose was incorporated in my daily practice. I never really knew the meaning of ‘heart openers’ until we learnt about Chakras during the YTT. Now that I do, I realized that my yoga practice has actually helped to ‘open’ my heart and definitely made me feel differently about love. Reflecting upon this, I’ve noticed that my relationship with my mom has improved over the past 2 years and we’ve definitely gotten closer. I used to numb myself out and bottle up my emotions, but now I can comfortably talk about my feelings with my mom and others too.

 

So I guess I’ve fallen in love (pun intended) with heart opening asanas, because I do want to be a better person and spread positive energy to others. As William Shakespeare once said, “Love all…(and) do wrong to none.”

 

~Kristy

200hr YTT January 2017