Location: Heart plexus

In the hand: Little finger

On the foot: Fifth toe

Physiological functions: Heart, bronchial tubes, lungs, immune system, thymus gland

The central heart is the chakra that gives us the sense of security and confidence in ourselves.

On a body level, the central heart is associated with the production of thymus antibodies. On an individual level, the protection of the Spirit is expressed in motherhood. The mother is the first relationship we know and the mother’s instinct is to protect her child at any cost. This experience of existence, which is built in us throughout the innumerable lives we have known in our evolution from the animal state, has given us this inner sense of security, so that we can perceive the maximum protective power of Atma (Spirit) that is manifested by the Mother of the Universe. Through love, strength and self-confidence we can face life as victorious warriors. The heart chakra is the very basis of our inner strength. This strength is necessary to protect our immune system and resist the invasion of disease. If this motherly love was lacking during our childhood, a weakness may become evident at the chakra level. It is on the right side of the heart plexus of our nervous system that this chakra is found.

It is this chakra that governs our sense of responsibility and duty, specifically in our role as citizen, father, brother and husband. A well-established right heart is found in anyone who has integrated perfect behaviour into it.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi has given us the description of such a person: self-confident and expresses herself all the time with sincerity. She knows what behaviour to adopt in any circumstance and how to face it with dignity. Her sense of duty does not prevent her from being attentive and sweet to others. Her personal interests come after collective interests and her attention is devoted to the welfare of others.

It is the right heart that manifests the rules, the limits of just behavior. These rules are based on the same idea: to do everything for the well-being and evolution of the other, who can be the brother, the sister, the father, the companion, the whole community. This person is in charge of maintaining and giving confidence to those around him, with kindness, for his benevolence. This inner subtlety develops the fineness of our behaviour; in Hindi it is called “Sankocha” that is to say “this sense of modesty and tact that shows our love and respect for others.”