• Unable to act in a loving manner. 
• Inability to show compassion or empathy for other's troubles.
• Excessively empathic. The classic "Bleeding Heart".
• Grieving for longer than 2 years as if "trapped" in sadness.
• Exceedingly needy emotionally. Requiring so much sympathy that friends/family/lovers pull away. A black vortex of need.
• Inability to accept other's flaws, destructively critical of others,  judgmental.
• Difficult to please. Defensive. Negative/Pessimist.
• Heart and lung ailments.

Responses:

Love, respect, empathy, forgiveness

Location:

In the center of the chest.

Governs:

Heart and lungs.

Colors:

Green, Pink

Scents:

Jasmine, Lavender, Rose

Gemstones:

Green Aventurine, Rose Quartz, Malachite, Jade, Rhodochrosite, Pink Kunzite, Rhodonite, Pink Opal, Lepidolite, Emerald

Petals:

A healthy Heart Chakra is a Pink Flower shape with 12 petals.

Comments:

A transitional Chakra, this Chakra is the "bridge" between our physical humanity and our spirit/divinity.

If you were traumatized between the ages of 12-16, 42-46 or 72-76, you may have an unbalanced Fourth Chakra. 

The Fourth Chakra is about love and empathy, about acceptance and grief, about bonding and respect for others. It's about allowing freedom to those we love and understanding that we, too, require freedom to develop as human beings.

Lower Chakra imbalances, which translate to feelings of insecurity and a need to be validated--combined with a Heart Chakra imbalance, may lead a person to stay in an abusive relationship. The "love" they profess to feel is really a deep and desperate need for acceptance. They're unable to see they have choices and that the conditions of their life are due to their own choices. It's about feeling secure enough to realize they don't need another's approval, it's about taking back their power and asserting themselves to obtain the sort of life they desire.

A Fourth Chakra imbalance may manifest as someone who criticizes everyone around them. They may be impossible to please, be passive aggressive and judgmental. Love is so frightening, they must control every aspect of their love's life--for they have a deep fear of losing it. They may have trouble giving the needed freedom and respect to others, and therefore bring about what they so dread--loss of love. 

Physical symptoms of an imbalanced Fourth Chakra may include frequent respiratory ailments and /or problems with the heart, blood, circulatory system and lungs.

Therapy:

Chakra Therapy might include laying the proper gemstone upon the Fourth Chakra for 5-25 minutes. You may find surrounding yourself with the Scents of the Fourth Chakra helpful. Visualize a Green or Pink Vortex of light in the shape of a flower emanating from your chest. If you've been hurt in love, visualize the person and imagine ribbons or tendrils connecting you to that person coming from the chest area. Now gently, let the person go, release the tendrils and visualize healing energy to the places in your heart where the tendrils were. Ask for healing and the ability to release the person from your life so that you both may continue on positive paths. Ask that the light release old pains and hurts and fill the place where the hurts were with love for yourself and love for others. Let it expand, growing in power. Then close the petals and keep the power inside to be drawn upon as needed. 

Mantras:

"I really like myself. I love myself! I'm my own best friend!"

"I love others and can see their remarkable individuality and specialness in the universe. They enrich me with their presence."

"I cherish my freedom and the freedom of those I love for I know it allows us both to grow!"

Check imbalance indicators for other chakras: