Plants to Balance the Heart Chakra
Chakra refers to the Sanskrit word meaning wheel. These wheels of energy are believed to spin at different spots along the spine. Although they are aligned with the spine, they spin throughout our core to both sides.
There are 7 main Chakras and many more according to some belief systems. Each Chakra has it’s own colour, like that of the rainbow. To understand more about how light = colour, read the post about Colour Therapy
The wheels of energy vary with each individual and factors such as physical conditions, energy levels, stress, and disease can affect them. They can become unbalanced or blocked resulting in many physical symptoms as well as emotional. Maintaining a balanced Chakra system is vital to our health and well being.
Anahata -The Heart Chakra is located in the centre of the chest. Love of self and others, compassion, kindness, generosity all come from this energy centre. It is our healing center and the chakra gateway between the lower 3 chakras and the upper 3.
The Heart Chakra governs:
~Love and respect of self and others
~Trust and forgiveness
~Compassion and kindness for self and others
~Peace
~Hope and Healing
Each Chakra is linked to several different areas of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being. They govern over specific areas of our bodies, correspond with our senses, and rule over certain emotions.They are also associated with elements, spirit animals, planets, gem stones and crystals and astrological signs.
The Heart Chakra is associated with:
Symbol- 12 Petal Lotus
Element- Air
Planet- Venus
Animal Symbol- Antelope
Astrological Symbol(s)- Taurus, Libra
Gem Stones- Calcite, Emerald, Aventurine, Rose Quartz
Physical– Heart, Arms, lungs, hands, upper back
Psychological- Self Worth, Love
Identity– Social Identity
Sense- Touch
Right- To Love
Colour- Green and Pink
A happy, balanced Chakra allows us to experience and express our authentic selves. We are able to find inner peace, tap into our creativity and use our personal powers to achieve our highest aspirations.
IF WE CANNOT LOVE OURSELVES,
WE CANNOT LOVE OTHERS
We seek unconditional love and total acceptance for who we really are. This is very rare to find even if we believe we have found our soul mate. Whether we realize it or not, romantic love often comes with conditions. Do we ever fully reveal ourselves to our partner? Would they still love you if all of their needs were not being met?
Then the ultimate love is the love we give ourselves. This is even more rare since we are always our own worst critic. It is also the hero’s journey and the life work of the soul. Letting go and forgiveness is a never ending practice and will come up over and over again through out your lifetime.
Even when you feel you have dealt with past hurts, either caused by you or someone else, you may find it come up again when a new hurt triggers it. Practicing self love is hard.
In order to balance the Heart Chakra, we must work to balance and open the three lower Chakras first. One of the ways to open the Heart Chakra is to embrace the love that is all around you. Mother Nature is love. That energy you feel around you, just outside of your skin, is love. The Universe is love. Connect with this energy and you will connect with the love that is inside of you.
Heart Chakra Traits:
Balanced– Give and receive love, forgiveness, tolerant, peaceful, joyful, unconditional love, acceptance, self nurturing and care
Unbalanced- Despair, hate, envy, jealous, fearful, self loathing, anger, solitude, aggressiveness
Physical Ailments– Problems heart and lung. Asthma, shoulder and upper back pain, arms and hands pain.
There are literally thousands of pink flowering plants you could use in your flower meditation for balancing your Heart Chakra. Green flowers are a bit harder to come by in the first quarter of the year, but there are plenty that bloom late spring into fall. Be sure to check out the many garden themes suggested in the Chakra Gardening Category.
This new series is just beginning so be sure to check back over the next several months as I release new posts.
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For this first post on Heart Chakra Plants, we will look at a few flowering plants that bloom from January to April.
Plants for Balancing the Heart Chakra
Dicentra- Bleeding Heart
We must start with this graceful and fragile spring bloomer. Our hearts can hold on to pain, grief, disappointment and emotional suffering even when we are not aware of it on a mental level.
Healing must occur in order for you to truly give love and receive it. Sitting with Dicentra allows us to bring forward this pain and release it. We avoid pain, stuffing it down or putting it on a shelf somewhere in the back of our hearts so that we don’t have to feel that emotion.
It can be frightening to deal with a deep hurt, but it is necessary to allow the feelings to come up and be released to the light so that it can begin to heal.
Work with Dicentra by sitting quietly with the flower and bring your awareness to your heart centre. Breath into this area and imagine a bright green light moving in and around your Heart Chakra.
Stay with this and pay attention to the messages that are coming up for you. You may feel an upsurge of emotions that want to be released through tears. Let this cleansing occur, cry as hard and as long as is needed to release this stuck energy.
Thank the spirit of the flower and be gentle with yourself for the rest of the day. Be loving and kind to yourself and know that your courage to face this pain will be equally matched with love that you can now receive from the universe.
Hellebore
Hellebores bloom during the winter months. They symbolize serenity, tranquility and peace. A wonderful meditation plant for the heart chakra!
It can also represent scandal or anxiety, the exact opposite. If you are experiencing heartache in either of these forms, ask Hellebore to help guard your heart while you go through this hard time and to remain open to receive love.
Camellia
Pink Camellias symbolize longing. If you are going through the loss of a loved one either from a break up or from a death, work with Camellia to help ease your suffering.
Their exquisite beauty will remind you of the fragility of life and how each day, like the many layered petals, is precious and to be cherished even in times of sadness.
Clematis
Clematis wants to help you feel safe and connected. If you find yourself escaping through fantasy and feeling scattered about what you desire, ask Clematis to help ground you.
Really focus on what your hearts truth is in the event you are unable to decide what to do next. Your true self knows and Clematis can help clarify this for you.
Winter Heather- Erica Carnea
Heather is covered with little pink clusters of flowers. It symbolizes beauty and good luck. Meditate with Heather if you are seeking love. Allow yourself to appreciate the beautiful human being that you are so that you glow from the inside out. Being happy is the most beautiful thing anyone can be.
Skimmia Japonica
In spring, Skimmia’s perfume attracts thousands of emerging bees seeking nourishment. Skimmia reminds us that to be attractive we must put out sweet signals that draw love to us.
Flowering Cherry
The Cherry Blossom is sacred to many cultures in that it represents living life to the fullest. Appreciating that our lives are like the delicate flowers, fragile and finite.
If you are ever feeling depressed or blue, Cherry Blossom will assist you in seeing how precious this moment is and how life is a gift.
Pink and Green Tulips
Pink Tulips symbolize caring. Sometimes we just need to feel that we matter. If loneliness creeps in, turn to pink tulip to receive a gentle hug reminding that you are never alone. For you are a part of the loving universe and your life has purpose.
White and Green tulips represent forgiveness and respect. Trying to let go of something that you or another did can be very hard. Sit with white or green tulips and ask the spirit of the flowers to help you release these toxic emotions.
Magnolia
This flower signifies strength and loyalty. In times where a relationship is being tested, Magnolia would be a good choice to meditate with. Ask the spirit of the flower to heal and strengthen the bond with your beloved.
Bellis
These happy little daisy like spring flowers symbolize purity and innocence. They encourage patience and the special bond between those we love and ourselves. Use Bellis for assisting you with love of self.
Vibernum Bodnantense
This strongly scented small flowering tree represents passionate love. Meditate on increasing the vibration between you and your significant other using this flower as your guide. Open your heart to receiving love.
Late Winter / Early Spring Plants for Balancing the Heart Chakra
Below is a grouping of plants that bloom in late winter / early spring. Many pink blossoms come out this time of year which can be grown in your meditation garden.
Visit a garden centre and pay attention to what you are drawn to. The flowers you connect with are the ones that you need energetically right now.
Vibrational remedies balance inharmonies on an emotional, physical and spiritual level. ~ Maya Cointreau
As in any meditation practice, set up your space for dedicated soul time. To see more on how to create a garden space intended for meditation, visit my post How to create a meditation garden for some design tips.
Once you have everything in place, it’s time to focus on the energy of the flower and establish the connection. When you are ready, use the steps described in the post How to use Flower Energy for Meditation to begin your practice.
Find all Chakra posts in the Chakra Gardening Category
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