New Friends, New Markings

Went to lunch today with a new good friend. We sat down by the river and it was really really great. Great to get away from work, be outside with nature, and have a nice discussion with a friend. It was great because before we sat, he gave me the choice of sitting with the river flowing toward me or away from me. Being the great yogin that he is, I understood his question and chose to sit with the river flowing away from me. I feel as if I have to let go of certain things and situations, certain dreams and desires. So perhaps the river took some of that with it today.

As we sat talking about things that matter and things of less importance, the idea of tattoos came up. I've had my mind wrapped around getting one for awhile now, and my new friend has convinced me to go forward. It always helps to have someone offer to go with you too! Since I've been at work this afternoon, I've been looking around trying to find the perfect symbol. I'd had it narrowed down to two. I have firmly decided on the symbol of the heart chakra. I read a lot about it this afternoon and it resonated. It looks something like the picture at the top of this post.

The heart chakra is the fourth chakra (of seven) and is called Anahata in Sanskrit. It means "unblocked, unhurt, unbeaten." It represents love, joy, happines, honesty, respect, compassion, understanding, and generosity. It is linked to the ability to make decisions outside of the realm of karma. In Anahata, one is making decisions based on one's higher (highest) self.

At the center of the symbol is the Sanskrit letter for the bija mantra YAM. A bija mantra is a sound that has certain esoteric powers associated with activating a centre within the subtle body. The twelve petals represent 12 vrittis (different tendencies that come to our mind without our conscious knowledge), and the triangles represent creativity and consciousness (Shakti and Shiva) and the force of matter upward to liberation and the force of spirit moving into manifestation.

Through the opening of the heart chakra, one can attain freedom to escape a preordained fate and can determine one's own destiny. How do you open the heart chakra? Through the breath. Through meditation. Through centering prayer. Through the Grace of God.