February is Heart Health month, and a perfect time to focus on nourishing the heart with healthy food and activities. The heart is a very special organ as it is the center of joy, love, appreciation, gratitude and generosity. You don’t say, “I love you with all of my kidney”, do you? Nurturing the heart on all levels is important for wellness.
In Eastern traditions such as Hinduism, Traditional Chinese Medicine and even in many Native American tribes, it is understood that the body contains primary locations where life energy flows. These may be called chakras (”shock-rahs”), gateways or meridians. One such area is the heart chakra. We give and receive love from this area of our bodies. Some traditions envision the color associated with the heart area as pink, while others envision green. This heart area touches others’ hearts when we exchange hugs–literally. When an upset child or a grieving loved one needs consolation, we instinctively draw them to our heart.
To nurture the heart, it is important to give love and to receive love. And you don’t have to be in a romantic relationship to do it! Here are some heart-warming ways to nurture your soul:
- Give your friends a hug every time you greet and say goodbye to them.
- Watch the movie Chocolat.
- If you tend to slouch or have poor posture, you may be trying to protect your heart; you may have difficulty trusting or opening up to others. Pretend that an invisible string is attached to your heart, gently pulling your chest area open and expansive. This will help you feel more self-love as well as love from others. Yoga poses such as Mountain, Cobra, Triangle and Side Plank can also help open up the heart area.
- Make sure that you are equally giving and receiving in all areas of your life: relationships, career and parenting. If you give too much in life, or if your relationships are one-sided, disease can develop near the heart area of your body. Ask your partner for a back rub; take a nice, hot bath after a long day with the kids; spend enough weekend time rejuvenating your soul instead of volunteering too much.