Heart Chakra: The Importance of Forgiveness

The heart chakra is one of the most transformative areas of the body and soul.  Transformative because once we have the heart to look inside of ourselves and gain insight and acceptance, we show a life-changing potential for healing.

Usually, the heart chakra is associated with love.  Although love is at the core and a very important attribute of the heart chakra, it is equally important to recognize some of the building blocks of love.  Since love can be so abstract and broad, with some of us unsure of exactly what love looks like, I think it is important to get a grip on some of the behaviors and attitudes that cultivate love.

I believe forgiveness to be one of the most important aspects of love and the heart chakra.  Especially forgiveness of self for all our past mistakes and missteps that may have us feeling unmotivated.

Recently, I went through a rough patch that originated from the dysfunction in my heart chakra.  I realize now that a part of me wanted to transcend my current situation, so I took on heartbreak in its worst form.  Compassionately, the Divine in me, manifested a difficult experience so that my negative thoughts and behaviors could come to the surface to be removed and my heart chakra healed.

In the beginning stages of the heartbreak, I was deeply wounded, despondent and unmotivated. No matter how much I affirmed and set goals and breathed with the intention of self-love, I could not get the necessary soul traction to maintain positive emotional momentum.

The Power of Forgiveness

However, once I began to work a program that focused on forgiveness – especially forgiveness of myself – which had me actively working to let go of past hurts, humiliations, bad decisions and missed opportunities, I began to see a clear and positive shift in my energy.

What I came to understand is that love is made up of other components. It is a house that is built upon many positive behaviors.  For me to reach a place of love, peace, calm, etc, I had to first locate and connect with the forgiveness in my heart.  Forgiveness is what melted away the ice:  the layers and years of guilt, shame and humiliation, that blocked that basic part of myself from maintaining self-love, motivation and the necessary discipline to move through the pain.

Even Johns Hopkins has written about the importance of forgiveness on health and well-being. The stress caused by a lack of forgiveness is backed by scientific research, which proves that holding grudges leads to illness and disease – especially heart disease.

Start With the Self

So, if you find yourself angry, unmotivated and inconsistent, it is most likely time to forgive and let go of past hurts, embarrassments and failures…starting with the self.

Check out Jolé's talk on the heart chakra and heart chakra guided meditation.