The HearT Chakra

The fourth chakra is located at our heart. It is our right to love and to be loved. Not just towards others, but also towards our own selves. The fourth chakra is the balance point between all of our chakras. It connects the lower three chakras with our upper three chakras. It is about finding balance between giving and receiving. Excessiveness or deficiency in the heart chakra could result in physical issues in the body dealing with our lungs, circulatory system, our heart, and hands or arms. The challenge of the fourth chakra is grief.

What I have learned most about the fourth chakra is how important self-acceptance and self-love is. This results in compassion for others but most importantly compassion for us individually. It’s a beautiful reminder to have us reflect on how we take care of ourselves. Do we expect others to do it for us? Do we tune into our heart and listen to what its desires and needs are? Do we allow ourselves to receive this kindness and compassion for our heart?

I know that I struggle with this one. In fact, I remember a dream I had about my then 2-year-old niece. In my dream she and I were playing and then she accidentally broke her toy. She immediately started telling herself she was stupid for thinking the toy could do what she wanted it to do. I remember becoming so protective and angry that she was saying this. I was trying to find out why she thought she was stupid so I could prove to her that she wasn’t. I had to keep letting her know that I didn’t think she was stupid and that her parents and brothers didn’t think so either. I remember so vividly being heartbroken that she even had that thought about herself at such a young age.

When I woke up from my dream I did a little research (as I’m often fascinated with what dreams can sometimes mean) and I found that when you dream about your niece it’s a reflection of your own inner child. At that point, it hit me pretty hard that I talk to myself that way. Sometimes telling myself that I feel stupid for this thing or that mistake, but no one around me is making me feel that way.

I am learning on a new level how to take self-acceptance and self-love up a notch. A level of protection over how I talk to myself and if I wouldn’t let a loved one talk to themselves that way why am I allowing myself to talk that way?

This is not a new concept to me, but it is one that continues to resurface and remind me of how beautiful we all really are. How it’s very hard to find constant compassion for others when we sometimes struggle with finding that compassion and understanding for oneself. The new way that I’m catching these negative thoughts is by asking, would I let anyone talk to someone that I love that way?

My challenge for you this week is to take a look at what areas of your life may you find yourself critical or judgmental? What situations can you send some gentle and compassionate loving energy to?

To balance things out though I do have my fair share of days and moments where I tell myself how amazing I am and how proud of myself I am. I hope you have those days and moments about yourself too! Think of how much better this world would be if we could first find compassion, self-acceptance, and self-love for ourselves. I believe a huge reason people act out in violent ways is that they are so hurt. Hurt by others and hurt by how they continually treat and talk to themselves in a very self-destructive way.

Do yourself, your friends, and the world a favor today, and be kind to yourself.

If you need to talk about any challenges you face on being kind to yourself and need someone to start building you up first, then please reach out to me. It’s one of my favorite things in the world to tell someone how amazing they are and to begin to see a glimmer of hope in their eye that they believe it too.

Lots of love from my heart to yours,

Laura