20 Signs Your Heart Chakra is Opening & How It Feels

The heart chakra is the fourth energy center in our bodies and when it’s open, we feel open. Keeping all seven chakras opened and balanced is vital to our physical health, mental health, and overall wellbeing.

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What is the heart chakra?

The heart chakra is the fourth of seven energy centers in the body, after the root chakra, the sacral chakra, and the solar plexus chakras and is responsible for unconditional love and compassion.

The heart chakra is connected to your feelings of passion, inner peace, and tenderness. When your heart chakra is open and energy is flowing freely to and from this energy center, you will feel more open, connected, and joyful. The heart chakra, also called the Anahata chakra, is associated with the element of air. This is because like air, love is free flowing and omni-present.

Heart Chakra Location

As its name implies, the heart chakra is located near the heart, in the center of the chest. The heart chakra is the fourth of the seven energy centers and the first of the upper chakras in the human body.

Since the heart chakra is the energy center for love and compassion, its location can help us understand why we sometimes feel physical pain in our chests when we feel heart broken or betrayed. On the other side of the emotional scale, sometimes we say our hearts are bursting with joy or singing. These physical sensations associated with love-related emotions are thanks to the opening and closing of your heart chakra.

What color is the Heart Chakra?

The Anahata, or Heart Chakra, is associated with the color green.

Each of the seven chakras is associated with it’s own color of the rainbow. The root chakra is red and the crown chakra is violet, with each chakra in between correlating to the respective color of the rainbow.

Root Chakra (First Chakra; Muladhara) – Red

Sacral Chakra (Second Chakra; Svadhishthana) – Orange

Solar Plexus Chakra (Third Chakra; Manipura) – Yellow

Heart Chakra (Fourth Chakra; Anahata)– Green

Throat Chakra (Fifth Chakra; Vishuddha) – Blue

Third Eye Chakra (Sixth Chakra; Ajna) – Indigo

Crown Chakra (Seventh Chakra;Sahasrara)– Violet

Symptoms of Heart Chakra Blockage

Just like any chakra blockages, the symptoms of a blocked heart chakra can range from subtle to debilitating.

Since the heart chakra is the energy center associate with love, compassion, openness etc., blockages tend to result in discomfort in these areas. Sometimes, with a blocked heart chakra we can feel a physical sensation in the chest that we associate with feeling heart broken, betrayed, grievous, envious, lonely, etc.

Possible symptoms of a blocked heart chakra include:

Emotional Symptoms Of Blockage or Imbalance

If you’re sensitive to the way you feel emotions in your body, you may recognize many of these emotional symptoms for the way they tighten your chest. The physical location where you feel emotions can be a good indicator for which chakra that emotion is associated with and a clue that a particular chakra may be blocked or unbalanced.

Plus, again, since the Anahata chakra is associated with the air element, you can imagine these as types of mental suffocation – what happens when your emotions can’t breathe properly.

The emotional symptoms of a blocked heart chakra range from negative self-talk, to difficulty in relationships, to depression and anxiety.

Lack of trust in others

Lack of self-trust

Social anxiety

Jealousy in romantic relationships

Feeling unable to let go of a grudge

Negative self-talk

Feeling isolated and disconnected from others

Feeling unworthy of love

Feeling that your relationships are burdensome

Fear of intimacy

Loneliness

A victim mentality

Shyness

Depression/Anxiety

Feeling judgmental towards others

Physical Symptoms of Blockage or Imbalance

Since the heart chakra is the energy center in your chest, the physical symptoms associated with blockages will be related to the closest organs: your heart, your lungs, and your thymus (especially your heart). With that in mind, these common symptoms probably make sense as manifestations of a blocked or unbalanced heart chakra.

Lowered immune system (thymus gland issues)

Physical heart and lung problems

Chest pain

Shortness of breath

Heart palpitations

Poor circulation

Heart Chakra Opening Benefits

The benefits of opening your heart chakra are profound and can include physical symptoms like less chest pain, to emotional symptoms like less anxiety.

If your heart chakra has been blocked for a while, it can feel like night and day when you clear the blockage. All of the aforementioned symptoms of a blocked heart chakra including both physical and emotional symptoms can dissipate and make room for an entirely new outlook on life.

The heart chakra opening benefits include fewer negative emotions, better interpersonal relationships, better heart, lung, and thymus health, and a more positive outlook on your life.

20 Heart Chakra Opening Symptoms

Along with the benefits described above, there are specific heart chakra opening symptoms that you can look out for on your spiritual journey. If energy has been getting stuck and not flowing through your heart chakra, these common symptoms will let you know when you’ve successfully unblocked the Anahata chakra. Opening your heart chakra can be a huge milestone in your spiritual growth.

1. Emotional Balance

An unbalanced heart chakra can lead to mood swings and drastic emotional shifts. When you restore the energy flow of your heart chakra, you may notice more emotional balance return. A new sense of emotional balance can be a heart chakra opening symptom.

2. Increased Compassion Towards Others

Opening your heart chakra can feel like opening a closed door and allowing in a rush of positive emotions like compassion, love, empathy, etc. You may notice that you feel more sympathetic and compassionate towards others.

3. More Positive Self-Talk

Negative self-talk is one of the common signs of a blocked heart chakra. When balance is restored, your self-talk may become less harsh and judgmental since self-love will become easier and more natural.

(Related: Rewire Your Brain and Change Your Negative Self-Talk (4 Simple Steps))

4. Increased Self Esteem

Again, because love and compassion are associated with an open heart chakra, one symptom you can expect is an increase in self-esteem. It’s easier to feel positively about your self worth when you’re not stuck in an isolated, judgmental, jealous state of mind.

5. Better Boundaries

It’s difficult to know where your boundaries are when you’re not tapped into your higher self and connections with others feels generally uncomfortable. You may find it easier to understand your needs in relationships and feel safer in expressing those needs with an open heart chakra.

6. A Rush Of Emotions

Sometimes, the change from a closed to open heart chakra can come with an intense rush of emotions. This is because you’re no longer cut off from some of your emotional range. Even if the initial onslaught of emotions feels intense or even a bit overwhelming at first, it’s a good sign that your fourth chakra is returned to balance.

7. Releasing Past Trauma

Past trauma can easily get stuck in your body when you have an imbalanced heart chakra. Once you’ve unblocked your Anahata chakra, one symptom may be a sudden release of memories and emotions that have been trapped inside you for a long time. Again this may feel a little intense or overwhelming, but it’s a good thing when your body finally releases past trauma.

8. Feelings Of Love

Love is a much more expansive emotion than we tend to give it credit for. Once you’ve opened your heart chakra, be prepared to experience feelings of love towards yourself, other people, places, things, ideas, etc.

9. Forgiveness

A blocked heart chakra will make us hold on to negative emotions like resentment, judgment, jealousy, etc. An open heart chakra allows us to experience spontaneous forgiveness for things we’d previously been holding a grudge over.

10. Increased sense of gratitude

Often, a heart chakra awakening can be associated with a spiritual awakening. When we become more in tuned with our softer emotions and our connection with all living things as an open heart chakra allows, we often develop an increased sense of gratitude. You may find yourself feeling more grateful for the world around you, the people in it, and your own ability to experience joy.

11. Connection to your higher self

All seven of your chakras are vital to your relationship with your higher self. If any center in your chakra system is blocked, it becomes more difficult to see past your ego and remember who you really are. Opening your heart chakra (along with all of the others) is a great first step in reconnecting with your life force energy.

12. Easier Manifestation

Becoming more connected to your inner being, your life force energy, can make manifesting become much more natural. Manifestation is the simple act of feeling the joy and gratitude for receiving things in your life before they physically appear. Leaning into those emotions is much easier with an open heart chakra. If things are suddenly manifesting easily for you, it may be a heart chakra opening symptom.

(Related: How to Manifest Anything and 22 Signs It’s Working or Not)

13. Feeling more accepted for who you are

A closed heart chakra makes us feel shy and protective about sharing who we are with others for fear of judgment. Once your heart chakra is opened, you may find it easier to be your authentic self and discover the acceptance others have for who you really are.

14. Increased patience

Increased compassion and less judgment allows us to be more patient with others. Plus, it’s much easier to practice mindfulness and be in the present moment when you aren’t ruminating over negative emotions. This presence of mind allows for increased patience and tolerance.

15. New/strengthened relationships

Relationships thrive off mutual connection and vulnerability. Sharing this presence of mind and spirit with another person is much more natural when you both have open heart chakras. Opening or unblocking your heart chakra may allow you to strengthen your relationships and find new nourishing and fulfilling ones.

16. Breathing more easily

One of the noticeable symptoms you may feel in your physical body is a release of tenstion in the center of your chest. It may feel like a weight has been lifted and you can literally breathe more easily and deeply.

17. Experiencing more spontaneous joy

A closed heart chakra means that you are not allowing yourself to feel the range of positive emotions you’re capable of feeling. A good sign that you’ve unblocked your fourth chakra is that you experience more moments of genuine, spontaneous joy throughout your day.

18. A healthier body (stronger immune system)

Your chakras are the energy centers of your body. When energy isn’t flowing properly through all of your faculties, the body can’t function at its optimal level. If your heart chakra is closed and interfering with the flow of energy in your body, you may notice that your body feels healthier when you re-open the blockage. Plus, your thymus is a vital contributor to your immune system and your thymus is directly affected by your heart chakra. A stronger immune system is a good sign that your energy flow is healthier.

19. Feeling more adventurous/spontaneous

One of the symptoms of your heart chakra opening is that you feel more optimistic about new things. Because of this, removing a blockage to your fourth chakra may allow you to feel more adventurous and spontaneous since you’ll be more attuned with the feeling of joy.

20. Feeling more tender-hearted

Sometimes when our heart chakras are closed, we feel like there’s a physical barrier between us and the outside world—almost like there’s a wall around your heart. When that wall is removed by opening the heart chakra, you may notice you become more of a “softie” and feel more tender-hearted.

How To Unblock Your Heart Chakra

You can unblock your heart chakra through diet, meditation, yoga, and the use of stones and essential oils.

These spiritual practices can help you to unblock your heart chakra so you can connect with yourself and your fellow human beings on a deeper emotional level. Try to incorporate the following ideas into your spiritual journey so you can reap the benefits of an open and active heart chakra. 

Green Foods

Since your heart chakra is the energy center that encompasses your heart and thymus, green vegetables, which are beneficial to these organs, are also good for this chakra. Green foods you may consider adding to your diet to help unblock your heart chakra include kale, spinach, avocado, Brussel sprouts, leafy greens, and broccoli.

Rose Quartz

Rose quartz is sometimes called the Heart Stone because it is so linked to your heart chakra and the associated emotions. Rose quartz is often used in helping the heart to heal from pain and trauma and turn negative feelings into positive energy. You may consider wearing the stone as jewelry, including it in a bedroom altar, or placing it around your home or office for feng-shui.

Camel Pose

Of all the yoga poses, camel pose is the most closely associated with opening the Anahata, or Heart chakra and restoring our relationship with self-love and universal love.

To balance you energy centers and open your heart, try doing Ustrasana, or camel pose, for a few minutes every day.

Chakra Meditation

There are many effective chakra mediations that can help you open your energy centers and balance your well-being. Here’s my favorite guided chakra meditation that can help restore love, compassion, and openness. Meditation is one of the best ways to stay in tune with your body and make sure your energy is flowing optimally.

Read More: Meditation 101 For Beginners (+3 Easy Techniques To Try!)

Essential Oils

Essential oils are widely associated with helping to balance our chakras. To unblock the heart chakra, you may consider using rose oil or neroli oil. Both of these essentials oils are thought to help open the heart and encourage love for yourself and others, compassion, gentleness, moving on, and softening your heart after pain or trauma.

Rose essential oil

Rose oil is associated with romance and intimacy so using this essential oil may help align your heart chakra to experience more openness

Neroli essential oil

Neroli oil can help us to relax and step away from our negative self-talk and negative self-talk, helping to clear space for self-love and compassion.

Write in a gratitude journal

Gratitude is an excellent gateway to love and compassion. Take a few minutes per day to think of a few things, big or small, that you’re grateful for. Try to notice the feeling you get in your chest when you experience gratitude, and lean into that feeling. The loosening of the knot in your chest is a good sign that your gratitude practice is helping to unblock your fourth energy center—the heart chakra. Gratitude is also a heart chakra opening symptom, so creating a gratitude practice can become a powerful feedback loop that keeps your heart energy flowing.

(Related: How to Use Gratitude to Make You Happier and Healthier (in 15 seconds or less))

Heart Chakra Mantra

The Sanskrit mantra for opening the Heart Chakra or Anahata Chakra is called the “YAM” Mantra. Chanting the sound “yam” (pronounced yan-gm) helps to heal the physical and spiritual heart center and return your energy to its purest form—free-flowing like the element your heart chakra is associated with, air.

You can also use positive affirmations as a mantra to help open and keep open your heart chakra. Positive affirmations are a great way to re-connect with the voice of your higher self, improve your mental health, and open your heart.

Final Thoughts

Remember that you always have the power to realign your chakras and improve the flow of energy in your body. It can feel difficult and scary to live with an open heart in our world, but it is our natural state of being. When you open yourself up to the world, the world opens back to you. I hope this article was helpful and that you’ll recognize the heart chakra opening symptoms you’re sure to experience with a little intention and self-love.