The heart chakra: a bridge between the 3rd & 5th chakras

The heart chakra holds a unique place in the chakra system as it governs as a bridge between the lower/physical chakras and the upper/spiritual chakras. It is the melding of the gross and the subtle here with love that we find the true union of the physical world and the spiritual world.
 
If, as we've discussed in previous posts, we have built walls, blocks and other protection around the heart, running this energy becomes increasingly difficult. Lower chakras can atrophy without the touch of the divine, and upper chakras have trouble staying grounded without the the touch of physical reality. We need both kinds of energy and the heart is the bridge. Use the following practices to fortify the bridge of the heart and bring your energy into alignment in the chakras

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Mudra for the Heart
Gyan mudra is a simple and widely used mudra. It is often used in meditation and in beginning yoga practices. It is also a beautiful practice for opening the heart and it offers the bridging of energy of the lower and higher chakras much in the same way the heart bridges the energy of the lower and upper chakras.

To practice this mudra, bring the thumb and the first finger of the right and left hands together. Bring the left hand to rest on the leg, palm face up. Bring the right hand, palm facing the chest, to the chest with the thumb and first finger resting on the sternum. Close the eyes and start to find the breath. Give yourself about 2-3 minutes to drop into the flow of the energy in the body. Feel the rise of the energy up the spine on the inhale and the descent of energy down the spine on the exhale.

Follow this for 10 breaths and then move your awareness into the heart. Focus on the heart and begin to draw energy up the spine from base of spine to heart and down the spine from crown of head to heart. Keep drawing breath from earth and sky into the body and into the heart. Stay here for 2-5 minutes and when you are done, release the mudra and spend 10 breaths noticing any shifts in your body.
 
Poses for Feeling the Bridge of the Heart
In each of the poses shown below, feel the energy running along the spine--tailbone to heart and crown to heart. Connect with that flow of prana and then connect with the flow of prana extended out through the arms on the second and third poses. Do this is a series, beginning with Bridge and ending with Bridge.
 

• Bridge Pose
• Lunge with Twist
• Warrior I with Arm Variations 

Bridging Earth and Sky Meditation
Come to lie on your back. Close your eyes and bring your focus to the heart. As you focus on the heart center, envision a deep emerald green orb of light resting at the chest. Take an exhale and drop a green cord of light from the back of the heart through the body and into the floor. Send it deep into the earth and let it fan out like roots of a tree.

With each breath send the roots deeper. After 5 breaths reverse the flow of energy and like nutrients and water rising up roots to feed a plant, draw diamond white light up the root system, through the cord and into the heart. Fill the heart with diamond white light. Continue with this visualization for 10 breaths.

Then move the awareness to the front of the chest, push an emerald green cord of light from the heart center up toward the ceiling through the roof and into the sky. Send it up toward a celestial body of your choice: sun, moon, stars or planets. Connect with the energy of that body and then draw it back down the cord of light, see it as shimmering golden light that travels back into the the heat center and fills the heart. Take 10 breaths allowing diamond white light and golden light to mingle in the heart center. Stay here for 5 minutes and when you feel complete slowly begin moving the body and as you're ready open your eyes.