There is a kind of love that most women are very good at.
The love they give to their children. Their partners. Their friends. Their work. Their communities.
It is generous and consistent. It is offered freely, without conditions, without receipts.
And then there is the love they give themselves.
Which is often a different story entirely.
Conditional. Deferred. Dependent on the number on the scale, the state of the body, the completion of the to-do list.
“I’ll start looking after myself when things settle down.”
“I’ll invest in myself once the kids are older.”
“I’ll love this body when it looks a little different.”
In ancient yogic philosophy, this disconnect has a name and a home in the body.
The Heart Chakra.
And understanding it, truly understanding it might be the most transformative thing you do this year.
What is the Heart Chakra?
In yogic tradition, the Heart Chakra (Anahata) sits at the centre of the chest and is considered the bridge between the physical and the spiritual, between our earthly experience and our higher self.
Its name, Anahata, means “unstruck”, the sound that exists before it is made. A reminder that at our core, we are whole. We have always been whole.
Anahata governs:
- Love — given and received
- Compassion for self and others
- Worthiness and self-acceptance
- Forgiveness and the ability to let go
- Joy and inner peace
- The capacity for genuine transformation
It is associated with the colour green, the element of air, and physically with the heart, lungs, circulatory system and upper chest.
When balanced, a woman feels:
- A quiet, unshakeable sense of her own worth
- Able to love herself and others without depletion
- Open to receiving care, support and nourishment
- Forgiving — of others and of herself
- Genuinely joyful and present
When blocked or imbalanced:
- Self-love feels selfish or earned rather than inherent
- Giving feels natural; receiving feels uncomfortable
- She may withhold care from herself while freely giving it to others
- Grief, resentment or old emotional wounds stay close to the surface
- She may feel fundamentally unworthy of the transformation she desires
Signs Your Heart Chakra May Need Attention
Emotionally:
- Difficulty receiving compliments, help or care — deflecting or minimising
- Conditional self-love — loving yourself only when you’re performing or looking a certain way
- Unresolved grief or heartbreak — old losses that still sit heavily
- Resentment — giving more than you’re receiving for a long time
- Isolation or emotional withdrawal — building walls instead of boundaries
- Fear of vulnerability — protecting yourself by not letting people in
- People-pleasing from a place of fear — rather than a genuine desire to give
Physically — what tradition and research suggest:
In yogic tradition, the Heart Chakra is understood to govern the cardiovascular system, including the heart, lungs and blood pressure regulation. An imbalanced Anahata has long been associated with heart tension, breathlessness and circulatory issues.
Modern research is beginning to speak a similar language.
Studies published in peer-reviewed journals including the Annals of Family Medicine have found that chronic emotional suppression, the kind that comes from years of giving more than you receive, of holding emotions in, of prioritising everyone else’s needs above your own, is associated with significantly elevated blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk.
Research from published clinical studies indicates that psychosocial stress, including chronic loneliness, unresolved grief and emotional suppression, can dysregulate the sympathetic nervous system in ways that contribute to sustained hypertension.
One study found that loneliness raises blood pressure as reliably as excess dietary sodium.
This is not to say that emotional wounds cause disease.
It is to say that the body keeps a record.
And that tending to the heart in every sense is not separate from physical health. It is central to it.
Michelle’s Story
“I’m 61 years old and wanted to improve my health, fitness, and lose some weight. Emily has been amazing and the support throughout the challenge really helped me get out of a hole physically and mentally.
My cholesterol and liver functioning are now the best they’ve been for the last 15 years, and my doctor is over the moon.
I feel so much fitter and focusing on myself and my own wellbeing for the first time has been incredibly refreshing and beneficial beyond my wildest dreams.
I’d 100% recommend the program and I love the yoga sessions.”
— Michelle, 61, Strong Calm Lean Gold Mentorship
Michelle’s results are her own, and individual results will always vary. But her story points to something I’ve witnessed over and over again in this work:
When a woman finally makes herself a priority, the body often responds in ways that surprise even her doctors.
Self-Love Is Not A Feeling. It’s A Practice.
One of the most common misunderstandings about self-love is that it’s something you either feel or you don’t.
That some women have it and others are still waiting for it to arrive.
But self-love, like any form of love, is built through action. Through practice. Through small, consistent choices to treat yourself as someone who matters.
The Heart Chakra doesn’t open because you decide it should.
It opens because you act as though you are worthy. Again and again, until the body believes it too.
Practices To Open And Balance The Heart Chakra
Place your hand on your heart
This sounds almost too simple.
It isn’t.
Placing a hand on your chest and taking three slow breaths is one of the most researched self-compassion practices available. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system. It slows the heart rate. It tells the body: you are safe. You are cared for.
Do it first thing in the morning. Do it in the middle of a hard day. Do it whenever self-criticism rises.
Heart-opening yoga poses
Physically opening the chest counteracts the protective posture (hunched, closed) the body adopts when the heart is guarded. Try:
- Camel pose (Ustrasana)
- Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana)
- Cobra and Sphinx
- Supported fish over a bolster
- Cat-cow with a focus on the chest opening on the inhale
The self-compassion letter
Write a letter to yourself as you would write to a close friend who came to you with your exact struggles.
Same situation. Same body. Same history.
What would you say to her?
Most women find this letter is very different from the way they speak to themselves.
That gap is the Heart Chakra work.
Forgiveness — beginning with yourself
Unresolved resentment and self-blame are among the heaviest burdens the heart carries.
Forgiveness is not condoning. It is not forgetting.
It is setting down a weight that was never meant to be carried forever.
Begin with yourself. What are you still holding against yourself that deserves to be released?
The green practice
The Heart Chakra is associated with the colour green. Spend time in nature. Notice the green. Let it be medicine.
There is robust evidence that time in green spaces reduces cortisol, lowers blood pressure and improves mood. Ancient wisdom and modern science are in full agreement here.
Journalling prompt
If I loved myself the way I love the people I care most about, what would I do differently today?
You Are Already Worthy
The transformation you’re looking for doesn’t begin when the weight comes off.
It doesn’t begin when the to-do list clears or the children grow up or life finally settles.
It begins with a decision.
The decision that you are worth it. Already. Now.
That your health matters. That your joy matters. That the woman you are today, not the woman you used to be or hope to become, deserves to be cared for.
This is what the Strong Calm Lean Method is built on.
Not the promise of a better future body.
The belief that you are already worthy of feeling extraordinary.
And the practical, science-backed tools to help you get there.
If Michelle’s story resonated with you or if you recognised yourself anywhere in this article, I’d love to have a conversation.
In your complimentary 30-minute Roadmap Call, we’ll look at exactly what’s happening in your body, identify what’s been holding you back, and map out the most effective path forward for you.
And if I feel I can support your goals, I’ll share some options for working with me inside the Strong Calm Lean Method.
You’ve given so much of yourself to others. It’s time to give a little back to yourself.
Book Your Free Roadmap Call: www.karmabeing.com