The fourth chakra is connected to the Air element. Our compassion, love, and ability to forgive are created here. When our fourth or heart chakra becomes disturbed, emotionally we can experience feelings of isolation, fear, withdrawal, paranoia, and depression. Physically, we can suffer from chest pain, heart palpitations, lung complications, difficulty breathing, and circulatory issues. Some factors that contribute to imbalance are shaming yourself or others, confusing love with manipulation, blocking your true intuitive emotions, and people-pleasing to a fault.

To become more aligned with our heart chakra, we need to look at how we express and receive love. Do you approach life with an open heart, open to the universe’s abundant delivery of goodness or keep a guarded cage around the heart in a fearful protective mode? Keeping a gratitude journal will help keep our hearts and minds connected to all that is good. Take a walk in nature. Cuddle with your children or pets; they serve as a constant reminder of what love is. In Ayurveda, ojas, or life juice, resides in the heart as superfine drops of a beautiful golden substance. Ojas supports our immunity, radiance, and vitality. Foods that support ojas are milk (cow, nut, rice), dates, ghee, almonds, and raw honey. Herbs such as Ashwagandha and Shatavari support healthy ojas and a calm, loving heart.

These thoughtful words were provided by ayurvedic practitioner Janelle Salzman. Learn more about Janelle on my Team page.