Have you ever tried to heal a broken heart? Do you know that you must love yourself before loving others? Keep reading below to see how embracing your self-care practices for filling your own cup (or smoothie bowl!) first creates a positive ripple effect for the rest of your day. Get ready to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. Love yourself first by learning more about the heart chakra.

by Marisa Lavalette

What is the heart chakra?

In Sanskrit, the fourth chakra is known as anahata. Anahata means “unstruck.” Your heart is a drum that beats of its own accord. Its vibration provides the heartfelt road map for your life’s purpose.

Where is the heart chakra?

The heart chakra is located in your heart and is associated with the rib cage and lungs. The power of the heart chakra is accessed through your back body between the shoulder blades. Practicing yoga poses to extend the thoracic spine can help you to tap into this innate loving energy.

What color is associated with the heart chakra?

The heart chakra is associated with the color green. Invite green plants into your home, wear your favorite green sweater, and invite more greens into your diet!

Protect and Heal your Heart Chakra with a Daily Self-Care Routine

Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated—what matters is that you stick to it. The best times to begin to establish a self-care regimen are first thing in the morning or the last thing you do in the evening before bedtime. While it’s not necessary to have a lengthy self-care practice, try to do something to fill your own cup every day.

Heal your Heart Chakra by Filling your Own Cup (or Smoothie Bowl!) First

Try this recipe for Vegan Matcha Green Smoothie—it’s chock full of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids, prebiotics, and leafy greens to make sure you’re getting your fiber and vitamins.

Vegan Matcha Green Smoothie Recipe

10 minutes; serves 4

Ingredients:

2 large bananas, peeled
4 cups kale or spinach
1 cup almond milk
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups water
2 tbsp nut butter
2 heaping scoops green powder, try Vital Scoop
2 tbsp hemp seed, plus more for garnish
2 tsp matcha green tea powder
1 tbsp maple syrup, optional

*Pro Tip: Make this recipe nut-free by swapping nut butter for sunflower seed butter or tahini (sesame seed paste).

Instructions and serving:

Combine all ingredients in Vitamix or your favorite blender.
Adjust water level until smoothie consistency is to your liking.
Store unused servings in fridge for 2-3 days, or save remainder in freezer.
Talk with a farmer at your local farmers market to learn which flowers are edible and safe to put on your food. Pictured here are blue corn flower and rose petals. Other commonly-sourced edible flowers include marigold, borage flower, and nasturtium (note that nasturtium may transfer a peppery flavor to your food).

Looking to Take a Deeper Dive into the Chakras?

Want to go deeper into understanding the seven chakras and your relationship to them? Then join Marisa LaValette on 3/19 at San Rafael Studio for Attune + Align Chakra Immersion. She can’t wait to guide you on your journey through your chakra system in this holistic half-day workshop. Learn more here.

About Marisa LaValette

Marisa is a Bay Area based vinyasa yoga teacher who teaches awareness of the subtle energy body through the innate roadmap of the chakra system. Her classes are fun, fiery, flowy, and challenging. Her class begins with a sacred moment for breath and intention setting. Learn philosophy, mythology, and astrology through Marisa's passionate storytelling all while you sweat. Wind down with savasana, mantra, and affirmations, and walk away with real time actionable tools to live out your dharma, your highest purpose, off your mat.

Take class with Marisa

Monday and Wednesday 6-7pm Vinyasa Flow at Metta Yoga San Rafael. Book HERE.

Fill Your Own Cup First: Protect and Heal Your Heart Chakra by Marisa LaValette