Heart Chakra

This week’s newsletter is a beautifully written research paper submitted by Susan Miller, of south Florida. Foundation Level students must each write a short paper on a subject assigned to them as part of their requirements to earn PetMassage Certification.

Susan’s topic was the Heart Chakra. This, and many other papers by Foundation Level students are available on the PetMassage website.

We encourage your comments, which will make this peer reviewed. Please send them to info@petmassage.com.

The Heart Chakra: “All You Need is Love “
Susan Miller
June 15, 2017

The heart chakra is the center of all spiritual healing, using love as the ultimate healing source.

Much of what I discovered about chakras related to humans, but we know that what is within us, as practitioners, becomes part of what is in the animals we massage. In order for a pet’s chakras to heal, so must ours. If we understand and learn how to open our chakras, we can apply much of that knowledge to our pets.

Chakras are often thought of as being in the form of petals – lotus petals, to be exact, that vibrate at an extremely high frequency and open approximately one inch below the surface of the skin. Chakras are united by streams of energy called Nadis that are joined together as two streams flowing in opposite directions with a serpent-like structure. When the energy fields culminate via the two “snakes” at the highest point, and the central stream flows up forcefully from the root to the crown chakra, it is known as a kundalini or awakening. A reverse kundalini allows the crown chakra to accept energy from above and funnel it downward, providing a creative energy. Blockages within a chakra hinder the flow of energy, so it is important to understand which tools to use to open each of the chakras.

My assignment relates specifically to the heart chakra, however, we cannot discuss this middle chakra without tying together the others, as the heart chakra truly connects the bottom three with the top four or five, depending on what you choose to believe (animals have an eighth chakra at the muzzle that humans do not; there is a brachial chakra that is deemed important for a dog-to-human connection). So, from the beginning – from the bottom to the top – we begin as we should, with the root chakra.

Everything is nourished from the root chakra, located near the base of the tail, which energy corresponds with the color red; its tone is “C.” Symptoms of an unbalanced root chakra include fear or anxiety. It affects the adrenals, kidneys, bladder and spine. Healing the root chakra is best done in nature: by spending time with your pet outdoors and feeling the Earth beneath your feet, the wind in your hair, the sun on your face. Supportive foods include carrots, potatoes, parsnips – root vegetables.

The second chakra is the sacral chakra, which governs creativity, sexuality and gives that “gut feeling.” Physical manifestations of a closed sacral chakra may include lower back pain, infertility, bladder and kidney issues. Water is beneficial to healing the sacral chakra, whether giving your dog a bath, swimming with him or just sitting with him near a body of water. Its tone is “D,” and its color is orange, so the foods that heal this chakra include brightly colored fruits and vegetables like pumpkin, mangoes, passionfruit, cantaloupe and papayas; also foods rich in fatty acids like salmon, tuna, mackerel. If you are feeding a raw diet, be sure to freeze fresh fish for a couple of weeks before you incorporate it into your pet’s diet. This chakra relates to pack status.

The solar plexis chakra is the energy center whose color is yellow and tone is “E.” It provides energy, so exercising is the best way to stimulate and heal this chakra. Some time spent holding the belly area and breathing with the dog is beneficial. It affects the pancreas, stomach and liver. Foods to heal include complex carbs like oats, buckwheat, lentils, brown rice and beans. Yellow fruits like bananas and vegetables such as yellow squash, yellow peppers and corn are also on the list.

The 4th chakra is the one on which this dissertation is focused, so we will skip over it for now and explore it in depth later.

The throat chakra allows us to express what is truly in your heart and mind. Chanting mantras with the dog is beneficial to this chakra – “G” is the tone. Ailments associated with the throat chakra include sore throat, stiff neck, incessant cough, swollen glands, grinding teeth and hearing issues. Since blue is this chakra’s color, it is no surprise that blue and black foods help to open this chakra and make for honest communication between you and the animal. Blueberries and blackberries make for special treats.

The “third eye chakra” or brow chakra governs the left hemisphere of brain, left eye, base of skull, nervous system, side of head, forehead, nose, ears. Its tone is “A” and the royal color purple rules this chakra. Imbalance may result in vision problems or an inability to concentrate. Meditation assists healing, as well as visualizing the animal in good health. Eggplant, purple kale and grapes support this chakra.

The crown chakra, whose color is white and tone is “B,” affects the right hemisphere of brain, right eye, cranium, cerebral cortex and side of face. must be balanced with the root chakra. Balancing and healing the other chakras will open the crown chakra. Things like mushrooms, garlic, ginger, lychee, coconut and other tropical fruits help restore energy.

Many resources indicate that animals have an 8th chakra referred to as the Brachial Chakra which humans do not have. It is the main energy center in all animals and links directly to all the other chakras. When preforming any healing work on an animal it is recommended to begin with the Brachial Chakra located on either side of the body, in the shoulder area. This is the center that governs the Animal-Human interaction, and where the animal-human bond is formed and carried. Imbalance may result in the animal being extremely fearful of human contact or cause the animal to show signs of aggression and hostility when approached. The Brachial Chakra of an animal can be awakened and balanced using hands-on techniques. Positive affirmations can also be used in the healing process. Increasing the amount of loving human contact with the animal (if animal allows) will also benefit this chakra.

At last, we return to our main topic: the heart chakra. We children of the 60’s can relate very well to the Anahata, the 4th chakra, the heart chakra, because we grew up surrounded by waves of love and peace. The Beatle’s hit single “All You Need is Love” resonates when we old hippies speak of the heart chakra!

The heart chakra is the middle chakra, formed of twelve petals, where the experience and knowledge from all the chakras unite. It balances the entire energy system with love and wisdom and brings every energy together. An open heart chakra is a portal through which abundance, love, meaningfulness and passion pass. The healing process begins with our being with our emotions and nurturing our heart with unconditional love, then infusing that love into our pets. Leave the past behind and focus on the present and the future to resolve issues within the heart chakra. Face up to the difficult emotions and search for the light hiding behind them.

Imbalances within the dog’s heart chakra may result in him experiencing anger or showing hostility. Animals may also develop heart related problems. breast cancer, respiratory illnesses, allergies or depression.

If we – or our pet – experience feelings of loneliness or unhappiness, it is possible that the heart chakra is blocked. This chakra is concerned with our ability to give or receive love, to forgive, to let go of resentment.

Those with an open heart chakra have a sense of inner peace, which presents a calming effect to people and, of course, to animals. It also results in a healthy respiratory and circulatory system.

Blockages result from suppressed memories: abuse or physical ailments that leave an emotional scar long after the physical ones have healed. Traumatic experiences such as abandonment or separation can also leave behind baggage that can go so far as to result in physical illnesses. Holding on to anger helps add to blockages; forgiving those who caused us pain opens the heart chakra to achieve inner peace and physical health. Massage can lead a pet through the process of letting go of those manifestations.

Opening the heart chakra may be as simple as letting go of anger, resentment, envy or jealousy. Here are some suggested thoughts that may help diagnose the blockage of a person’s heart chakra:

Is there anger in my heart right now?
Am I harboring any envy or jealousy?
Is there someone I need to forgive?
Do I need to ask someone to forgive me?
What emotional wounds do I have?
Are my emotional wounds healing, or am I keeping them fresh?
Are there bad memories I need to let go?

The heart chakra has a lot to do with loving yourself first. Accept who you are right now; don’t compare yourself with anyone else. Accept your limitations and learn to be comfortable with yourself. Choose to be kind to others – remember whatever you give to the Universe will, one way or another, come back to you. Enjoy being outdoors: learn to love the Earth, the air, the sun, the rain . . . nature is here for you, and you should be a part of it. Spend time with family and old friends and remember to make some new ones. Spend time with young people, especially small children, who often exude happiness. Get a dog who will love you unconditionally. Help others – give of your time and talents; a favorite expression of mine: give till you feel good! Be grateful for what you have, not unhappy about what you don’t possess.

I cannot help but think back to a week I recently spent with some friends on a mountain in southwestern Costa Rica and the lessons I learned from spending time with the “ticos.” The people indigenous to the area have so few material possessions compared to what we Americans have, yet they are extremely happy and at peace. They live by the phrase, “Pura Vida,” or simple life. They have what they have, they do not stress over what they may be lacking, they live off and with the Earth. I would bet their heart chakras are completely open!

We, on the other hand have to work at keeping our heart chakra open and healthy. If we are feeling stressed or fatigued, chances are we need to fire up the blender and process some lovely dark greens to add to our smoothies or make a salad full of kale or romaine to give us a shot of live enzymes, oxygen and chlorophyll. Perhaps we infuse some essential oils like jasmine, sandalwood, chamomile and rose, which can help open and balance the heart chakra. As we still the mind, we also still the body with certain yoga poses that concentrate on the heart chakra. Cobra opens the chest and stretches the abdominal muscles as we breathe and deepen the pose. The heart chakra’s tone is “F” and its mantra is YAM, so sitting comfortably and chanting is a good tool. Remember, when we work on healing ourselves, we are better able to support our animals’ well-being.

Imagine opening your heart and letting the love for your dog pour out; then imagine the dog’s heart opening up to receive your love. Hover your hands over the dog and breathe deeply. Opening a channel for love to flow freely between us and the animal may be some of the best, non-traditional healing we can provide to our best friends.

 

Sources:

Chakras: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide of the 7 Spiritual Energy Centers – Jon Andre Lundal
Heart Chakra Cleansing – A Guide to Heart Chakra Meditation and Heart Chakra Healing – Priya Chevallier
Enlivening the Chakra of the Heart – Florin Lowndes
The Blissful Dog – blog
Naturalchakrahealing.com Gaia.com article by Zain Saraswati Jamal