It’s no coincidence that just as there are seven wonders of the world, there are seven chakras in the body – each vitally important as the one before and after it.
These chakras are said to hold the life force and energy of our nerves, major organs, well-being, and spiritual transformation.
To function best, they need to remain balanced, open, and free.
But what happens when the heart chakra, the body’s bridge between the mind and soul, gets blocked or weakened? More importantly, how do you know when it’s opening again?!
In this post, I’ll be demystifying what the heart chakra really is, the 15 key heart chakra opening symptoms to watch out for as well as the many benefits of opening this core energy center within your body.
WHAT IS THE HEART CHAKRA, REALLY?
The heart chakra, also known as Anahata, is the body’s fourth primary energy center.
It sits just above our physical heart and is thought to look like a ‘disk’ or ‘wheel’, though no one truly knows what chakras look like.
Rather beautifully, in Sanskrit ‘Anahata’ means ‘unhurt, unstruck and unbeaten’ – a testament to how an open heart chakra should function.
It’s believed that the heart chakra works to unify the 3 chakras above it (throat, third eye & crown), as well as the 3 chakras below it (navel, sacral & root) – kind of like an energy powerhouse.
The heart chakra is responsible for regulating our:
- Compassion
- Empathy
- Trust
- Forgiveness
- Unconditional Love
- Self-Love
- Gratitude
- Courage
15 MAJOR SYMPTOMS OF YOUR HEART CHAKRA OPENING
1. EXPERIENCING EMOTIONS DEEPER THAN BEFORE
But, at the same time, you’re able to let them flow through your body without getting trapped or stuck. This is key to a true heart chakra awakening.
If you were experiencing emotional numbness due to past trauma or pain before, you’re likely now in an uncomfortable and unusual position of intense feeling – everything seems heightened, and at times, overwhelming.
This is perfectly normal and not only signals a deep form of healing and transformation but the opening of the heart chakra.
Alternatively, if you were already a deep feeler, you’ll notice a sudden lightness to your emotions. Joy, gratitude, playfulness, and optimism stay with you for longer.
Similarly, whereas heavy emotions might have stuck with you for hours, days, weeks even, you’re now able to let them move through you with ease; revealing in fact that they’re temporary.
2. ABILITY TO EXPERIENCE JOY IN LITTLE THINGS
As your heart chakra opens, you’ll find yourself paying attention to the small things in life and being immensely thankful for them.
You’ll tap into that insatiable childlike curiosity that was always there and look at the world with a gleam in your eye.
The sight of a ladybug, a butterfly, the feeling of the sun’s rays on your skin – these seemingly simple things will bring you much joy and happiness in life.
3. A LIGHTNESS IN THE FEELING OF YOUR CHEST
There’s research to suggest that emotions are absorbed by the body in as little as 6 seconds.
That means a single thought can cause a rapid chain of neurophysiological events to occur in your body – everything from a racing heart to sweaty palms to excessive blinking – which is why emotions are often given the term ‘heavy’ or ‘light’.
When your heart chakra is opening, you’ll begin to notice a lightness in your chest – quite literally where your physical heart is. It’s as though a weight has been lifted off and you can breathe again.
4. COMPASSION & FORGIVENESS
Another symptom of the heart chakra opening is an increased ability to give compassion and forgiveness.
Here’s where it gets interesting though – this won’t just apply to other people but also to yourself.
Self-compassion and self-forgiveness become more and more frequent in your day-to-day life – you stop being so harsh and critical of yourself.
5. A NEED TO LAUNCH A HEART-BASED INITIATIVE
You feel a calling to launch a business idea, a passion-based project, start a new career or generally lead a life that feels more meaningful to you. As your heart center awakens, you’ll start to tap into what truly makes you happy, not what makes others happy.
6. EFFORTLESS MANIFESTATIONS
Joy and gratitude are at the heart of bringing even the most magnificent of manifestations to life.
You’ve probably seen a post on Instagram or Pinterest that says ‘make stuff happen’, but that violates a fundamental universal law – the law of attraction which states it’s not just about doing but also about feeling.
As your energy expands, your heart chakra will magnetize your greatest visions towards you at an incredible speed. When you lean into that feeling of pure joy, you allow your desire to effortlessly come into form.
7. A NEED TO EXPLORE YOURSELF
‘The greatest explorer on this Earth never takes journies as long as those of the man who descends to the depths of his heart’.
One major symptom of an opening heart chakra is the deep desire to explore yourself. This can be triggered by a spiritual awakening, a dark night of the soul, or a classic tower moment – the point at which life as you know it crumbles to make way for the new.
These are spiritual upgrades and portals to a more abundant life. If you’ve been living a life that’s inauthentic to your higher being, you’ll suddenly feel this deep pull to redefine yourself on a spiritual, mental, and emotional level.
This journey can involve creating your own soul mission, traveling, becoming a world explorer, saying yes to everything that excites you, and much, much more.
8. DEEPER INTERCONNECTIVITY
An open heart chakra allows for the universal law of divine oneness – the idea that everything is linked – effortlessly come into play.
You’ll develop a deep appreciation for genuine connections, and will want to spend more time in nature.
You’ll feel inspired by the contrast and variety other people will bring into your life, and instead of seeking similarities, you’ll honor them for their differences.
Your life will begin to feel much more authentic and true to you, and this will only increase as you come to open your heart chakra even more.
9. GREATER TRUST
Trust is no easy thing to foster, especially when it’s been broken before. But, life is more rewarding and has more meaning when you learn to trust.
As your energy centers become more balanced, you’ll begin to have more faith and trust not only in other people but in your own ability to make things work despite setbacks and struggles.
Here’s where it gets interesting though – with an open heart chakra you’re less likely to find yourself drawn to situations and people where your trust can be broken in the first place. Classic law of correspondence – one of 12 universal laws.
10. ANIMALS AND CHILDREN ARE DRAWN TO YOU
Ever noticed how animals and children are just drawn to some people and not others? Creatures of innocence can sense an unconditional bond of acceptance.
They know a loving, caring and self-less person when they see one. People that empathize with animals and children feel deeply connected to them – just a small, but undeniable heart chakra opening symptom.
11. SELF-LOVE
Self-love is a state in which you appreciate yourself, no matter what your external conditions look like. It’s the idea that we place emphasis on actions that prioritize our wellbeing and happiness.
As you awaken your Anahata chakra, you’ll find yourself becoming more mindful, taking action based on needs rather than wants, and practicing good self-care as well as making room for healthier habits.
You’ll also recognize your self-worth, know what you bring to the table, and know when to walk away.
12. HEALTHY CONSCIOUS RELATIONSHIPS
When your heart chakra is opening, you’ll see major improvements in all of your interpersonal relationships. You’ll find yourself easily attracting caring, loving people into your circle, especially of the romantic kind.
As if by magic, you’ll likely see toxic relationships fall apart in their very own tower moment. You’ll start to value quality over quantity.
Each relationship will be based upon the core values of unconditional love, trust, and mutual respect.
13. NON-JUDGEMENT AND EASE OF THINKING
Clarity of thinking becomes the new normal as the dense fog that’s been restricting your thoughts eases.
New ideas, opportunities, thoughts, and possibilities effortlessly flow to you as you become more open to receiving. An open heart chakra is always in the state of receiving, just as much as it is giving.
14. WHAT WILL BE, WILL BE
‘Que sera, sera’. You begin to apply the law of detachment to your life and don’t easily become attached to things, people, or situations anymore.
You develop a deeper universal understanding that everything in life is temporary – and that includes both good times and hardships.
Perhaps you’ve learned to roll with the good days and see the lesson in the bad. Or maybe, you’ve done away with the idea of good and bad days entirely, and have since decided to take every day as it comes and go with the flow of this beautiful universe.
As Deepak Chopra says, ‘happiness is always for a reason, and joy is happiness for no reason’.
15. INCREASE IN SYNCHRONICITIES
As you become more in tune with your divine inner self and more aware of how the universe truly works, you’ll see a flurry of messages in the form of angel numbers, synchronicities, animal symbolism, and dreams.
There’s a wealth of wisdom being presented to you at any one time, and if you pay attention to it, you’ll quickly realize the next steps are always being presented to you – be it through a gut feeling, a general knowing, or a big sign!
Did I tell you about that time when I asked the universe for a sign and moments later I literally saw the word ‘sign’ spelled in giant neon letters?! The universe likes to have fun too.
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF HEART CHAKRA OPENING
Did you know that there are many physical symptoms of a heart chakra awakening too?
- Intense crying (a purging of buried emotions)
- Hot flashes
- Heaviness (or lightness) in the chest
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Headaches
THE 4 HEART CHAKRA AWAKENING STAGES
1. GROUND ZERO
This is the stage where emotions feel extremely strong, overpowering, and unwelcome. You see emotions and feelings as being bigger and separate from you and so suppress and bury them.
A lot of crying and grief happens here.
Ground zero is likely triggered by an intense tower moment, a build-up of previous traumas, or a desire to live a much better, richer life. You know you’re meant for more!
2. AWAKENING STAGE
A heart chakra opening can happen at any time, and as the world shifts into another layer of consciousness, more and more heart chakras will approach this wondrous stage.
With a lot of conscious effort and practice, the heart center suddenly explodes and you find yourself approaching life with ease, bliss & joy – regardless of external circumstances.
3. RELAPSE
Similar to a spiritual awakening, there will be moments in this journey where you relapse to your former state of consciousness. This is entirely normal and to be expected. No healing journey is linear. This journey is an ebb and flow.
4. FULL SHIFT IN CONSCIOUSNESS
The stage at which the heart chakra fully opens. A light at the end of the tunnel. Although you can’t prevent obstacles, setbacks, and challenges, you now tackle them with a different perspective.
CONCLUSION – WHY OPEN THE HEART CHAKRA?
There are many benefits to awakening your heart center! An open heart chakra means you’re tapping into the blissful divine source energy – the type of energy that births miracles and creates worlds. Who wouldn’t want more of that in their life?
Opening the heart chakra leads to more joy and a greater sense of purpose in life, not to mention effortless manifestations.
Wishing you lots of love, light & happiness,
Charlotte
