Heart Chakra and the Family Area of the Home
The Heart Chakra (fourth chakra) is, not surprisingly, the center of our energetic ability to give and receive love. Located in the center of the chest, it also serves as the halfway point of the chakra spectrum. It is here that the earth-focused energy of the lower three chakras meets the sky-focused energy of the upper three chakras.
When the heart chakra is balanced, giving and receiving love feels natural. We are able to be empathetic and altruistic. Peace and balance are easy to find and maintain in life. Our immune system is strong and we exhibit a vital life force. Supported by energy from a healthy solar plexus (third) chakra, we are able to love ourselves and be self-compassionate.
A deficient or blocked heart chakra is characterized by an inability to express love and compassion. The person may feel unworthy of being loved and pulls away from intimate relationships. The deficiency may also present itself in the form of narcissism. Empathy may be difficult to express, and they may be withdrawn and appear cold and antisocial. The person may be overly critical of themselves and/or others and may experience feelings of loneliness and isolation. Depression is also common with a deficient heart chakra.
An overactive heart chakra will show signs of co-dependency, poor boundaries around relationships and over attachment. Wide and frequent emotional swings are also common, with the scale of emotional response not being in line with the actual stimulus. People with an excess amount of energy in the heart chakra may also be overly sacrificing while being demanding and difficult to please.
Physical Manifestations of Heart Chakra Imbalances
Physical manifestations of heart chakra imbalances focus on the organs located in the chest: heart, lungs, breasts, thymus. Breathing issues and circulatory problems are common, along with deficiencies in the immune system. A warning signal that the heart chakra may be slipping out of balance is tension between the shoulder blades.
One way to balance the heart chakra is to explore one’s inner landscape through journaling or meditations centered around self-discovery. Psychotherapy is also helpful, focusing on grief, forgiveness, boundaries, and self-acceptance.
Heart Chakra – Family Connection
Our first heart attachments are to our families, and the Family area of the feng shui bagua corresponds to this chakra. Standing at your front door, facing into your home, the Family area is located at the 9:00 position.
Tending this area of the home with care and attention promotes harmony within the immediate and extended family. When this space is cluttered, dirty or just neglected, family communications break down. Friction becomes the normal means of communication.
Family Tension and Feng Shui Cures
I’d like to share a personal story here. My home’s Family area is the eat-in portion of our kitchen. Since my wife and I spent a good amount of time here, it got cluttered as we read our mail, the paper, etc. Pet supplies that were not frequently used also got stashed here. It had certainly become messy, and I was feeling less happy about spending time there.
Several years ago, there was a break in my family’s communication. The situation escalated to a boiling point while I was home for a family funeral. For nearly three years, there had been almost no communication.
I took a fresh look at my Family area and at my own family dynamics. Ready to open to change. I put up new curtains, cleared all the clutter, and put a small plant on the table. In a relatively short amount of time, I felt the emotional charge around the situation lessen for me. I was able to make contact while still feeling appropriately protective of myself. We have a long way to go, but we are on the road back to more regular communication and healing.
Family Area and Finances
It’s also important to note that while the Prosperity area of the home is responsible for the energy of wealth, the Family energy of the home is key for the financial resources for the basic necessities. One of my clients struggled to make ends meet, but she was completely focused on her Prosperity area. The Family area of their home was located (literally) in a junk room. She was highly resistant to my suggestions to clean this area out first, but she reluctantly agreed. Within two weeks, my client’s husband got a raise at work that moved their financial situation out of the dire straits it had been in.
Enhancing the Family Area
The element for the area is wood, so this is the spot for wooden picture frames with family members. A wooden bowl full of avocados would be a great choice. Plants are great here as well – just avoid anything prickly or spiky. And since water enhances wood, this is a great location for a small fountain (as long as your Family area is not in a bedroom).
Colors
The color of the heart chakra is green and the traditional feng shui color for this area is black. Avoid the color white in this area.
Things to Avoid in the Family Area
Metal is the destructive element to wood, so it really doesn’t belong in this area. Never store guns in this area. Round objects are not a good choice for this part of the home, either. Make sure that any plants you place here are healthy. Please, no dead things or dried flowers. (In fact, dried flowers are pretty much a feng shui no-no everywhere in the home.)
With some clutter removal and a few small tweaks, the harmony and stability of your home and family is strengthened and maintained. I don’t know about you, but isn’t that bit of effort worth it?
Clear your Space – Recharge your Self – Direct your Life
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