The fourth chakra, called Anahata, is located at the heart.
It's function is Love. It's element is Air. The inner state is
compassion and love. The verb for this chakra is "I love".
The glands associated with the heart chakra is the thymus and the
other body parts are the lungs, heart, arms, and hands. When there
is a malfunction of the chakra, physical problems such as asthma,
high blood pressure, heart disease, and lung disease can result.
The color is Green and the chanting sound is yam. Gemstones are
Emerald, tourmaline, and rose quartz.
In tarot, the suit is swords. The celestial body is Venus. The
metal is copper. The sense is touch.
Herbs for incense are lavender, jasmine, orris root, yarrow,
marjoram, and meadowsweet. The foods associated with this chakra
are vegetables. Animals are antelope, birds, and doves.
A yoga posture that is excellent for opening the 4th chakra is
USHTRASANA - The Camel
Now, about the feet....one way is to have the top part of your foot down on the floor with your toes pointing backwards. For some people, this hurts the front part of the ankle (you are stretching it). You may wish to put a rolled up towel under your feet (between thhe floor and the top part of your ankle) to ease the stretch. Because this will be a big stretch along your chest, it is actually easier to curl your toes under and flex your feet and lift your heels up just a little.
Now back to your arms....As you circle around, let your hands find their way to your heels. You are squeezing your buttocks and bending backwards. The pelvic region is pressing forward. Even your thighs/quads may be pressing forward. The squeeze in your buttocks is protecting your lower back.
Your chest is pressing outward and upward. Your chin may be tucked towards your chest (protecting your upper back and neck) or you may lift your chin and allow your neck to follow the curve of your spine.
While you are here, breathe. Feel the expanding in your chest. Feel the opening of your heart.
When you are ready to release the posture, do so gently. I find the best way is to release one hand and raise it overhead. It is as if you were reaching of a ring and using that imaginary ring to bring yourself up. Another was is to lower your hips back onto your heels and keep your hands on the floor, then raise your head and shoulders.
For a few moments following this posture, allow your body to curl forward into Garbhasana, the pose of the child. Remember that posture is to allow yourself to fold forward, bending from your hips, and release your back and arms into an egg shape.
Instead of bringing your hands onto your soles or your heels, you may want to place your palms on the floor behind your feet with the fingers pointing outward (in the direction of your feet).
You may wish to rise and lower yourself into the posture .... inhaling as you rise up and exhaling as you release your hips back down onto your feet.
You may wish to experiment with your knees and feet close together (directly under your hips) or slightly farther apart.
Other yoga postures for this chakra to facilitate opening are cobra, windmill, arm circles, the fish, and cow's head. The 4th chakra is associated with air and also is located at the chest, so it does seem logical that breathing exercises would benefit as well. Possibilities are deep breathing, the complete yogic breath (3 part breathing), the breath of fire which is rapid diaphragmatic breathing using your abdominal muscles to exhale, and alternate nostril breathing which is slow breathing and using your right thumb and right ring finger to close off one nostril at a time.
I am really drawn to the 4th chakra. I feel I am in alignment when I am focusing on this one. For me, it is not only the central chakra (number 4 of 7, 3 below and 3 above), but it is my center, my home. I don't have to work at anything to do with this chakra. It comes so easily to me. The first 3 are extremely difficult for me. When I focus on the 4th, I am home.
I was reading about this chakra in Anodea Judith's book "Wheels of Life" and probably the sentences that I find most powerful relating to the heart chakra and love is about what love in the relation to the 4th chakra.
"The love (at the fourth chakra) we feel is felt toward everything we encounter, because it is felt within as a state of being. At the heart, our love is no longer one of need or desire........Love at the heart chakra is one of joyous acceptance of our place among all things, of a deep peace that comes from lack of need, and of a radiating quality that comes from harmony within the self."