4th Chakra Anahata - Heart - Plant-Based Ivory Pendant

Laser-engraved corozo pendant with the 4th chakra, Anahata or the “heart chakra”

Dimensions: 2.8 cm

Complete with an adjustable black waxed cotton cord with a sliding knot.

Meaning: it is the ability to love emotionally, that is, to experience a feeling that does not stem so much from the mind as from the heart. It is important to remember that, in the yoga tradition, love and listening are closely related; spiritually speaking, they have the same significance.

Position: In the center of the chest

Function: Love, humility, compassion, generosity, openness to others

Color: Green

Element: Air

Sense: Touch

Crystals and stones: All green stones, in particular tourmaline and aventurine

Mantra: Yam

Note: Fa

Anahata is the fourth of our chakras, also known as the heart chakra because of its position adjacent to our heart: it is located in the center of the sternum and governs all the organs and limbs near this area, namely the heart and circulatory system, but also the lungs, thymus, and upper limbs.

Its Sanskrit name means “unstruck,” which literally refers to a sound produced by two elements that do not collide with each other, and it refers to the meeting of the heart and lung plexuses, where two important vital functions flow together without interfering with one another.

The Anahata chakra is, in fact, connected to our purest and most selfless feelings, such as altruism, humility, trust, compassion, and forgiveness.

It is depicted as a green lotus with twelve petals on which twelve Sanskrit consonants are inscribed.

The characteristics of the fourth chakra

The element that represents this chakra is air, which unites heaven and earth, and the color associated with it is green, which represents harmony and well-being.

When the fourth chakra is open and balanced, our generosity, openness toward others, and empathy benefit: we are able to love and give all of ourselves without any ulterior motive, feeling balanced and in harmony with the rest of humanity.

Conversely, when the Anahata chakra is blocked, our attitude toward others is clearly affected: we tend to become distrustful and excessively paranoid, struggling to trust others or let ourselves go with them, fueling a growing indecision that makes us doubt and feel depressed for no reason. We begin to fear and avoid expressions of affection as much as possible, not feeling worthy of receiving love and feeling anxious in our social relationships.

Even when the chakra is excessively open, there are unpleasant consequences: we try to help others in a way that is not completely selfless, only for the recognition we will gain from it and their gratitude. The need to give is linked to our selfishness, and we end up blaming others for our failures and disappointments.

The physical consequences involve the organs governed by the chakra, namely the heart and lungs, causing problems such as high blood pressure, asthma, and insomnia, and increasing the risk of heart and lung diseases.

Material

Corozo, or “vegetable ivory” or “tagua,” is made from the dried seed of the tropical plant “Phytelephas macrocarpa,” commonly known as the elephant plant (Phytos = plant, elephas = elephant).

The plant, similar to that of the coconut, grows in the humid equatorial belt of central South America (Ecuador).

Each plant produces 8–10 fruit clusters per year, each containing 250 seeds. When fresh, they contain a milky white liquid that, after 9 months of maturation, solidifies and turns into a white material very similar to animal ivory.

After drying, corozo nuts are cut into slices. The turned slice becomes a washer with regular dimensions.

The original color, from optical white to antique ivory, should be considered “the natural” par excellence.

Dyeing with natural earths emphasizes the shape and highlights its unique and extraordinary veins, which are very similar to those of burr wood.