The heart chakra, or Anahata, is the fourth of the seven main chakras. It sits in the center of the chest, and in Indian tradition it's the center of love, compassion and openness to others. Its color is green and its syllable is YAM. It speaks to the love you give yourself as much as the love you offer the people around you, and it's closely tied to forgiveness and empathy. Here's what you need to know: its history, its meaning, its color and the crystals that go with it.
Where the Heart Chakra Comes From
There are 7 main chakras. The word chakra means "wheel" in Sanskrit, and the chakras are arranged along the spine. The heart chakra is the 4th energy center. It comes after the root chakra, the sacral chakra and the solar plexus chakra, and it's followed by the throat chakra, the third eye chakra and the crown chakra. To see all seven in order, take a look at our complete guide to the 7 chakras.
The seven chakras are invisible. They belong to what's called the subtle body. Each one is linked to a region of the body and to a big life theme: grounding for the root, creativity for the sacral, confidence for the solar plexus, love for the heart. Symbolically, they mirror your inner states and the way you relate to the world.
What Does "Anahata" Mean?
The heart chakra's Sanskrit name is Anahata, which means "unstruck," "unbeaten" or "unhurt". In other words, it stands for the untouchable: the part of you that stays intact. Located in the center of the chest, it's the chakra of harmonious relationships with the people around you. It's often described as the meeting point between your inner life and the more earthly side of who you are. That's why the heart chakra represents the bond between your deepest aspirations and your human desires.
Heart Chakra at a Glance
- Location: the center of the chest.
- Color: green, with pink as its complementary color.
- Element: Air.
- Syllable (seed sound): YAM.
- Symbol: a twelve-petaled lotus flower.
- Sanskrit name: Anahata, "the untouchable."
- Keywords: love, compassion, balance, harmony, self-acceptance.
Heart Chakra Colors: Green and Pink
The heart chakra's color is green. It's the color of nature, spring and new beginnings. Think of a landscape turning green again: it brings to mind growth, balance and harmony. In color meaning, green is also the color of calm, which is why it's so often linked to an open heart.
The heart chakra is also linked to pink, the color of tenderness and gentleness. Green speaks of balance and connection with others. Pink speaks of kindness toward yourself and the softer side of your feelings. Together, they show the two faces of love: the love you give and the love you receive. To see how this color fits with the other chakras, read our article on the meaning of the 7 chakra colors.
What the Heart Chakra Does
As the fourth chakra, Anahata sits right in the middle of the seven main chakras. That gives it a central role in the whole system: it links the lower chakras (root, sacral, solar plexus) to the upper chakras (throat, third eye, crown). It's often called the bridge between the material world and your inner life.
Its symbol is a twelve-petaled lotus flower, and its keywords are balance and harmony. Its energy is described as gentle and deeply tied to the quality of your relationships and to your ability to feel love and compassion. Symbolically, it's also where you fully welcome the people and events in your life.
The chakra tradition also describes a life energy coiled at the base of the spine. Once it starts to move, it's said to rise through the first three chakras before it reaches the fourth, the heart chakra. At that point, people describe a subtle but stronger sense of joy, self-esteem and self-love, along with a feeling of fullness. When the heart chakra is open and balanced, it brings to mind someone who's relaxed, confident and connected to others, and who stays calm even when life gets hectic.
In the chakra tradition, Anahata is the bridge: the fourth center, in the middle of the chest, where the love you give and the love you receive learn to flow together.
How to Connect With Your Heart Chakra
If you'd like to nurture and balance your heart chakra, here are a few gentle habits you can pick up at your own pace. You don't need any special equipment, just a little time and attention for yourself.
1. Repeat Positive Affirmations
Saying kind words to yourself, silently, on paper or out loud, is a simple habit that brings joy and gentleness into your day. Here are a few you can make your own.
- "I love and accept myself completely."
- "I give and receive love freely."
- "I live in balance with others, with an endless supply of love."
- "Feeling compassion for others comes easily to me."
- "I am the awareness of love."
- "Love is all around me."
2. Try Heart-Opening Yoga Poses (Asanas)
Chest-opening poses have long gone hand in hand with heart chakra work.
Ustrasana, or camel pose. Kneel comfortably with your knees hip-width apart. Rest the tops of your feet flat on the mat and place your hands on your lower back. Look up and slowly lean back. Take a few deep, calm breaths before you come out of the pose.
Salamba Bhujangasana, or sphinx pose. Lie on your stomach on your mat with your elbows under your shoulders. Draw your shoulder blades down and open your chest, resting on your forearms. Gently lengthen your back and focus on slow, full breaths.
3. Take a Breathing Break
A few quiet minutes are all it takes to carve out a pause in your day. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and bring your attention to the center of your chest. Feel your ribcage open a little more with each inhale, then soften as you exhale. You can also say the syllable YAM softly as you breathe out. For more ideas, check out our guide to meditating with crystals.
4. Work With Heart Chakra Crystals
Crystal lore has its own ways of working with this center. Since the heart chakra sits at chest level, many people like to keep their stones close to it, for example by wearing them as jewelry. Pink and green stones are the obvious picks, but several crystals are especially linked to the heart chakra.
- Rose quartz: the stone of tenderness, toward yourself and toward others.
- Jade: a stone of harmony, serenity and luck.
- Green aventurine: a stone of luck and calm.
- Rhodonite: linked to comfort for the heart and calmer emotions.
- Rhodochrosite: tied to a warm heart and self-confidence.
- Amazonite: linked to calmer emotions and speaking freely.
- Malachite: a symbol of renewal and a shield against whatever weighs you down.
- Kunzite: linked to a gentle heart and kindness toward yourself.
- Peridot: a symbol of lightness and a fresh start.
Want a wider selection? Our article on the 10 best heart chakra crystals takes a closer look at each of these stones.
Beyond crystals, you can surround yourself with green, keep a gratitude journal and simply be gentle with yourself.
How to Wear and Pair Heart Chakra Stones
To keep your heart chakra in mind, wear your stone at chest level. A necklace or pendant is perfect, since the stone rests naturally close to your heart. A bracelet is the classic choice: easy to wear every day and easy to stack. And a tumbled stone slipped into your pocket keeps you company quietly all day long.
For pairings, green and pink look beautiful together: rose quartz for tenderness, with aventurine or jade for balance. If you want to combine several stones, pick ones whose meanings work together. Our crystal compatibility guide will help you build pairs that make sense. Looking for a gift, or something for yourself? Our love jewelry collection, our Valentine's Day gifts and our Mother's Day gifts are full of pieces in this spirit.
How to Cleanse and Care for Your Stones
Like anything you wear often, your stones need a little care. Crystal lovers talk about cleansing and polishing their stones to keep them bright. Depending on the stone, you can rinse it under clear running water and wipe it with a soft cloth, let it dry overnight in the open air on a windowsill, or set it on a selenite plate or in a geode used as a dish. Check what each stone is made of before it touches water, because some don't handle it well.
For a step-by-step guide to each method, read our article on how to cleanse and care for your crystals.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the heart chakra located?
The heart chakra, or Anahata, is in the center of the chest. It's the 4th of the 7 main chakras. Its color is green (with pink as a complement), its element is Air and its syllable is YAM.
What color is the heart chakra?
Its main color is green, the color of nature, balance and renewal. It's also linked to pink, the color of tenderness and gentleness.
Which crystals go with the heart chakra?
The heart chakra crystals are rose quartz, jade, aventurine, rhodonite, rhodochrosite, amazonite, malachite, kunzite and peridot. You'll find them all in our list of the 10 best heart chakra crystals.
How should I wear a heart chakra stone?
The easiest way is to keep it close to your chest: as a necklace or pendant, which puts the stone at heart level, or as a bracelet you wear every day. A tumbled stone in your pocket works great too.
How do I cleanse my heart chakra stones?
Clean and polish the surface of the stone: clear water, a soft cloth, a night in the open air, a selenite plate or a geode, depending on the stone. Always check that the stone can handle water before you rinse it.
Want to learn more? Explore our complete guide to the 7 chakras and what each one means.
To keep this chakra in mind all day, our love & relationship bracelets bring together rose quartz, rhodonite and the other green and pink stones in this article.
Leave a comment