The Importance of the Heart Chakra

Article by Angie Webster

The heart chakra is the center of the energetic activity in the body. That may sound a bit revolutionary to some, as we tend to think of the brain as being the center, and the brain is extremely important. It works together with the heart in a major way that helps the entire system to function properly. The brain is not less important than the heart and one could not work without the other. They are like male and female energies, yin and yang. They require one another to function.

However, the heart center is the point of balance for the rest of the system. It is the point at which resonance is established and maintained. Whether you look at it from an energetic perspective, a physical perspective or a spiritual perspective this is the point that we return to for centering when we need to find our true connection.

Energetically the heart chakra is in the very center of the chakra system. Every other major chakra has another chakra which directly corresponds to it. The crown correspond with root chakra, the sacral corresponds with the third eye and the solar plexus corresponds with the throat. These chakras can be seen as working together and relying on each other, with complementary functions. The heart does not have another chakra which corresponds to it. It serves more as a balance point for all the chakras, the chakra the others depend upon in order to achieve proper balance. The heart chakra extends to the shoulders, arms and hands, so it plays very heavily into all that we do, especially as healers.

Physically, the heart is a huge center of electrical activity, just like the brain. The electrical signals that are carried through the cells and the muscle of your heart control the complex processes of the timing of the contraction of the chambers of the heart and the speed of your heart rate, adjusting for your activity level. But your heart is doing much more than just beating at the proper speed to pump the correct amount of blood through your body.

According to the HeartMath Institute, “The heart generates the largest electromagnetic field in the body. The electrical field as measured in an electrocardiogram (ECG) is about 60 times greater in amplitude than the brain waves recorded in an electroencephalogram (EEG).”

Furthermore, studies done at the HeartMath Institute have indicated that the electromagnetic signal from one person’s heart, as recorded with EKG, is picked up and registers in the brain activity, recorded with EEG, of another person who is nearby or touching. The field of our heart is powerful and active and it is what influences our surroundings strongly. It is likely that our heart has the most effect when we are working with healing energy.

On a spiritual level, many recognize a connection to the heart or the chest area when they seek to pray or to understand the Divine. Some even put their hands on their chest or in the prayer position at the heart as they seek to connect with something Higher. There is a deep feeling of connection that can be viscerally felt in the chest when we are in a state of love of gratitude. Many would describe it as a warmth, a vapory feeling, a sense of humming or vibration in the chest. The breath and the heart beat are often things that we think of to bring us back to our sense of connection, both to our own bodies and our beings, as well as to our remembrance that we are part of something much greater than what we see with our eyes. We feel our sense of connection with each other, with animals, plants and the world in our chest and our heart.

The heart is a very important connection in the overall mind, body and spirit triad. I believe it is the center from which healing radiates, along with the powerful connection of the brain. I think we will be learning more about the amazing ways our hearts create energetic connections within and around us. Hopefully it will help us become better healers and better at navigating our world.

References
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The Energetic Heart is Unfolding – https://www.heartmath.org/
The Electricity of Touch – https://www.heartmath.org/

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Angie Webster made a significant contribution to the Reiki community, with a particular focus on Animal Reiki, which she had a deep affection for. As a knowledgeable Reiki Master Teacher and Author, she conducted online courses on energy healing, herbalism, flower essences, and personal growth.
She is the author of “Animal Reiki: How it Heals, Teaches & Reconnects Us with Nature” and “Reiki from A to Z”. Currently, Angie has decided to retire from her professional life to devote more time to her health, family, and the little joys of life.