Anahata

The seven cakras are mapped to the suṣumnā nāḍī — the central channel of subtle energy along the spine. Below each cakra is its granthi (knot), and at certain transition points the energy must break through major resistance: the Brahma-granthi at Mūlādhāra, Viṣṇu-granthi at Anāhata, Rudra-granthi at Ājñā. These knots correspond to the great existential identifications — body, relationship, and ego — that yoga progressively dissolves.

Anahata (#4 of 7) holds the vayu (air) element and is the field of love, compassion, and forgiveness. Imbalance here typically shows as the conditions listed above. The bīja यं (Yam) is the seed-syllable for cakra-meditation: silently or audibly repeat it while attending to the cakra’s location, often coordinated with the breath.

The classical sources for cakra theory are the Ṣaṭ-cakra-nirūpaṇa (Pūrṇānanda Yati, 16th century), the Sat-cakra-nirūpaṇa, the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, and the Goraksha Śatakam. Modern renderings differ — the seven-cakra system as taught in global yoga is a synthesis with substantial reinterpretation. For traditional instruction, study under a teacher in the haṭha-yoga or kuṇḍalinī-yoga lineage.