Colour of the heart chakra

More and more I am becoming aware of the various levels of our being and how everything is connected. This is also true for the development of symptoms and disease.

From a holistic perspective, the origin of a disease cannot be seen in isolation. There are many reasons that may contribute to an energetic imbalance that signifies the original disturbance leading to the development of a disease. These reasons include, but are not limited to, genetic susceptibility, environment, toxins, unhealthy lifestyle choices and all the other little things we do, that put our physical body under a strain.

To understand the aetiology (factors that contribute to a disease), as well as the causation ( primary reason for the disturbance), is important in terms of dealing with health challenges, that are so much more than a nuisance or bad luck – they are literally wake-up calls, that may point to underlying issues that need to be addressed in the course of ceasing to live with lies and illusions.

I would like to contemplate the origin, and potential relationship, with two conditions, that are energetically connected to the fourth chakra (heart chakra) – arthritis and asthma.

Chakras are energy centres, rotating vortices in between the physical and subtle body and they are responsible for the reception and transmission of energy. On the level of the physical body, they are influenced by the activity of the hormonal and the central nervous system and the frequency of their rotation is a reflection if we are open and in balance, or contracted and blocked. The heart chakra is one of the most important chakras, as it is the doorway to the inner world – the gateless gate, if you will, in terms of giving and receiving.

So on the physical level, gross structures associated with the 4^th chakra is the heart, the lungs, breast, shoulders, arms and hands. In terms of the connection to our emotional/mental body this chakra is all about our ability to give and receive love and to forgive each other. Spiritually this chakra is all about the surrender, the let go and let god.

Disturbances in the area of the 4^th chakra will lead to manifestation of symptoms in any of the above organs or structures and the location of the disease will give further symbolic indications about the underlying emotional and energetic disturbance.

I have been asked about the possible relationship between arthritis (in the hands) and asthma and based on what I said before this makes perfect sense to me. Of course, the symbolism of the disease and location is highly personal and a reflection of an individual situation and energetic imbalance. However, I will try to give a general indication of how it may be related.

Any condition or disease of the hands are related to their primary function of holding, grasping and clinging – as well as giving, reaching out and connecting. Arthritis is a disease that points to an old resentment, about a feeling of not being loved, left alone, let down and treated unfairly. Grief is the primary emotion of arthritis, and at times it is accompanied with anger, which leads to the inflammatory type of joint diseases. Arthritis is about controlling feelings and harbouring deep resentments about feeling unloved, unworthy and being deeply disconnected. And this resentment may be so deep and so inappropriate (because it may be about resenting people one is supposed to love), that keeping the separation, even for the price of slowly and painfully crippling one’s hands, seems to be a safer option to the mind, than enquiring into the deep emotional hurt of feeling unloved. Of course, the manifestation of arthritis can happen in other parts of the body, and they would have a different meaning – like the knee is related to flexibility, the hip about keeping a balance, and the feet are all about standing up for ourselves, in relation to issues of the first chakra – which are our relationship with family and tribe.

Also asthma is a disease that is energetically related to the 4^th chakra. There may be many different types and levels of severity of asthma, so I will just keep on a high, and very general level. Asthma is a condition that prevents air, that carries both – oxygen for the sustenance of the physical body, but also the vital energy (prana, chi) which is responsible to sustain the physical processes of the body. So asthma is a condition of not wanting to take it on or not believing one can succeed. Asthma is related to the contraction of fear. It is like a panic attack in the face of danger. Not wanting to do this, not feeling safe, not trusting oneself, being scared about opening up to life and one another, that is what is causing asthma.

So I can a see a relation, as the condition of arthritis in the hands may signify old resentments and grief that I need to let go of. And asthma may be related to the fear of letting go of it fully, accept what is and surrender.

The holistic approach of working with diseases requires the patient to be “patient” – which literally means “patience, endurance”. It requires honesty and it requires persistence, because often the many reasons for a chronic disease must be uncovered step by step, not unlike peeling an onion. It is up to the person themselves, how far they want to go – and how fast. It is very much about looking at oneself and uncovering the many little and bigger things we do, to create an imbalance that is the basis for a disease. Healing means to re-create this balance  – and there is no disease that cannot be halted or healed.