Valentine’s Day, celebrated globally on February 14th, is a day dedicated to expressing love and affection towards those who hold a special place in our hearts. While traditionally associated with romantic relationships, the essence of Valentine’s Day extends beyond romantic love to encompass a broader spectrum of love, including friendships and familial bonds. It’s a day to celebrate the beauty of connection and the expression of heartfelt emotions.
In this exploration of love and celebration, we’ll delve into how the practices and sentiments of Valentine’s Day can be intertwined with the opening and balancing of the heart chakra. This connection offers not only an opportunity for personal growth but also a chance to contribute to a more compassionate and interconnected world.
So, let’s journey into the realm of love, exploring the beautiful intersection of Valentine’s Day and the opening of the heart chakra.
What Exactly is the Heart Chakra?
Jamie Molnar (Founder & Clinical Director of BYBS) describes the heart chakra best:
“Your Heart Chakra (or Anahata in Sanskrit) is located in the center of your chest area and is the 4th chakra counting from the bottom of the spine in the chakra system (there are 7 chakras total). It represents where the physical and spiritual meet. The color representing the Heart Chakra is Green and the symbol is two intersecting triangles forming a 6-pointed star in a circle with 12 petals. The earth element associated with this Chakra is Air. When this Chakra is blocked, we can experience emotions like anger, grief, jealousy, and hatred towards both ourselves and other people. We tend to harbor negative feelings and will be closed off from love. This is definitely not a good energetic space to be in, so opening the Heart Chakra is important for attracting more love in your life.”
Read the rest of Jamie Molnar’s popular blog here: Attract more love: Open your heart chakra.
Interested in learning about all of the 7 Chakras? Read The Science Behind Chakra Healing and Spiritual Wellness.
The Connection Between the Heart Chakra and Valentine’s Day
Since Valentine’s day is around the corner, we wanted to take the time to explore the connection of this special holiday to the heart chakra. Let’s dive into this interconnected list:
Love and Affection: Valentine’s Day is all about expressing love and affection towards others, be it romantic partners, friends, or family. The heart chakra, as the center of love, resonates with these sentiments. Celebrating love on Valentine’s Day corresponds to the heart chakra’s energy of fostering deep connections.
Emotional Balance: The heart chakra is linked to emotional balance and harmony. Valentine’s Day encourages people to express their emotions openly, whether it’s joy, gratitude, or love. By doing so, individuals contribute to a sense of emotional equilibrium, in line with the heart chakra’s role in maintaining emotional well-being.
Compassion and Kindness: Valentine’s Day extends beyond romantic love to include acts of kindness and compassion. These virtues are also associated with the heart chakra. Acts of generosity, understanding, and empathy, whether on Valentine’s Day or in everyday life, resonate with the compassionate energy of the heart chakra.
Connection and Unity: Both Valentine’s Day and the heart chakra emphasize the importance of connection and unity. Whether through intimate relationships or broader expressions of love, the idea is to foster a sense of togetherness and interconnectedness, mirroring the heart chakra’s role in creating a harmonious balance between oneself and others.
In essence, the celebration of Valentine’s Day aligns with the principles and energies associated with the heart chakra, emphasizing love, compassion, emotional balance, and the interconnectedness of all beings.
Before we can talk about how to open our heart chakras, we need to discuss potential factors that may be blocking it.
Factors That May Be Blocking Your Heart Chakra
Several factors may contribute to blocking or hindering the opening of the heart chakra; these obstacles can be emotional, psychological, or even related to lifestyle. Here are some that might be holding someone back from opening up their heart chakra:
Past Trauma
Unresolved emotional wounds or traumas, especially related to past relationships, can create blockages in the heart chakra. Fear of vulnerability and potential hurt may prevent individuals from fully opening up.
Fear of Rejection
The fear of not being accepted or loved can create a protective barrier around the heart. This fear may stem from past experiences or a general sense of insecurity.
Lack of Self-Love
The heart chakra is closely linked to self-love. If individuals struggle with self-acceptance or have a negative self-image, it can impede the opening of the heart chakra.
Unhealthy Relationships
Being in toxic or unfulfilling relationships can create energetic blockages. Negative experiences in relationships may lead to a reluctance to trust and open up.
Grief and Loss
The loss of a loved one or a significant relationship can result in grief, and this emotional pain can create a barrier around the heart as a form of self-protection.
Unexpressed Emotions
Holding back emotions and not expressing oneself authentically can lead to a constriction of the heart chakra. Suppressed feelings may accumulate and create energetic imbalances.
Lifestyle Choices
Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as poor diet, lack of exercise, or excessive stress, can contribute to overall energetic imbalances, affecting the heart chakra along with other aspects of well-being.
Closed-mindedness
A rigid mindset, unwillingness to forgive, or an inability to see others’ perspectives can hinder the flow of love and compassion associated with the heart chakra.
Disconnected from Nature
A lack of connection with nature and the surrounding environment can disrupt the balance of the heart chakra. Spending time outdoors and appreciating the beauty of the natural world can support its opening.
Overcoming these obstacles often involves self-reflection, healing practices, and a commitment to personal growth. Techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, forgiveness, and self-love exercises can help individuals work through these challenges and facilitate the opening of the heart chakra.
Now that we know the preventers, let’s talk about the fun part…
3 Ways To Open The Heart Chakra – Jamie Molnar’s Guide
Create Affirmations about Love
“A great way to open the heart chakra is to create affirmations specifically about love. They are a powerful method for creating the energy that you desire in your life. Here are some sample affirmations:
I am attracting love into my life
I love myself and I naturally attract loving relationships into my life
My heart is full of love for who I am
Take time to recite these phrases with intention and purpose every day.”
Practice Forgiveness
“Holding grudges and resentments can create a blockage in this energy center, preventing us from fully experiencing love and compassion. By practicing forgiveness, we release these negative emotions and make space for love to flow in.”
Think of this part as reconstructing your thoughts, especially if you find it hard to forgive loved ones and hold onto grudges instead. Here are some reconstructing thoughts that may help foster forgiveness towards loved ones:
I acknowledge that everyone, including myself, is imperfect. We all make mistakes, and that’s part of being human.
I choose to view the actions of my loved ones through a lens of compassion, understanding that they, like me, are navigating their own challenges.
If an apology has been offered, I accept it graciously, understanding that sincere remorse is a positive step towards reconciliation.
Holding onto resentment only prolongs my own suffering. I choose to release it, freeing myself from the burden of negative emotions.
In forgiving, I open my heart to the transformative power of love, creating space for a renewed and strengthened connection.
Forgiveness is a personal journey, and these reconstructing thoughts can serve as stepping stones towards cultivating a mindset of understanding, compassion, and healing.
Practice Self-Care
“When we neglect our own needs, we may feel depleted and unable to give to others. This could involve engaging in activities that bring us joy and relaxation, such as taking a bath, going for a walk in nature, or practicing yoga and meditation.”
Yoga Poses to Open Your Heart Chakra:
Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)
Are you interested in reading the full version of Jamie Molnar’s blog? You can find it here: Attract more love: Open your heart chakra.
Do you need some guidance with opening your heart chakra? Consider a counseling session at BYBS.
Meet Nicole Malene, who could help provide a guided and supportive space for you to explore and address emotional blockages, develop self-awareness, and cultivate the qualities associated with an open heart chakra.
Areas of Expertise: spiritual health and wellness, anxiety, depression, stress reduction/burnout, life transitions, chronic pain, and relationship issues.
“My approach to therapy is holistic, highly somatic and draws on eastern philosophies centered around awareness practices, breathing techniques, and acceptance and compassion training to help regulate both the body and mind and guide one’s energy towards a fuller and healthier expression of who they are. I believe that when one dedicates themselves to self-study and a more compassionate way of living, they can discover unhelpful habits and patterns of thought that perpetuate stress, trauma and discontent in daily life. When we learn how to be more mindful, we can find what it means to stay grounded, move energy that is stuck in the body, and ride the waves of this crazy thing called life.”
Keeping the Heat Chakra Open Year-Round – Not Just on Valentines Day
In conclusion, the connection between Valentine’s Day and the heart chakra highlights the profound intertwining of love, compassion, and emotional well-being. While Valentine’s Day serves as a dedicated moment to express affection, it also mirrors the qualities associated with an open heart chakra – a center of love and connection.
However, the significance extends beyond the holiday. It is crucial to recognize the importance of keeping the heart chakra open consistently, transcending specific occasions. The heart chakra, as a vital energy center, influences how we navigate relationships, handle emotions, and contribute to our overall sense of well-being.
Maintaining an open heart chakra outside of holidays involves ongoing self-awareness, emotional exploration, and intentional practices such as mindfulness and forgiveness. It’s about nurturing a state of compassion, not only towards others but also towards oneself. By addressing and releasing emotional blockages, fostering self-love, and embracing vulnerability, individuals can create a foundation for a continuously open heart chakra.
Alayna Dorfman
