What is the thymus chakra?
The thymus chakra, also called the higher heart, is a small energy center said to sit in the upper chest, between the heart and the throat. It is associated with compassion, a wider kind of love and the ability to speak from the heart.
It is one of the minor chakras. In the Usui Reiki training I received, it was handed down along with the figure of seven major and twenty-one minor chakras, and taught as something to meditate on, feel for in your own self Reiki, and test when working with someone, and not as established fact. That is how I share it here. For the bigger picture, see the minor chakras.
The name comes from the thymus gland, which sits in the same area behind the breastbone. I treat the chakra as a symbolic energy center and make no medical claims about the gland.
At a glance
| Also called | Higher heart, etheric heart |
|---|---|
| Location | The upper chest, between the heart and the throat |
| Color | Turquoise or pale blue-green (systems differ). I use turquoise. |
| Associated with | Compassion, higher love, speaking from the heart |
| Connected to | The heart chakra and the throat chakra |
| Part of | The twenty-one minor chakras in my Usui training |
Heart, thymus
and throat
These three sit close together, and they work as a line from feeling to voice. Here is how I think of them.
| Center | Where and what |
|---|---|
| Heart chakra | In the center of the chest. Love, grief, receiving, and your own heart. |
| Thymus chakra | In the upper chest, between the heart and the throat. Compassion, higher love, and speaking from the heart. |
| Throat chakra | At the base of the throat. Voice, truth and expression. |
Read more about the heart chakra and the throat chakra.
What people report
People describe these. You may notice one, several or none.
Compassion bigger than yourself
You feel tender toward people you don't know, or toward the world as a whole.
Absorbing others' feelings
You pick up on other people's emotions and carry them around.
Feeling guarded
You keep a kind of armor around your chest, even when you want to be open.
Words stuck in between
What you feel in your heart is hard to say out loud, and it stops somewhere behind the breastbone.
Gratitude and awe
Moments of deep appreciation, wonder or being moved by beauty.
Tenderness toward yourself
A softer, more patient way of speaking to yourself.
These are descriptions from energy traditions, not medical symptoms. If you have chest pain or pressure, please get medical help.
Feel for it:
a gentle practice
Five minutes. Read it through once, then try it.
- Sit or lie comfortably, and take a few slow breaths. Feel your feet or your weight on the surface beneath you.
- Rest one hand over your heart, and the other on your upper chest, just below the collarbones.
- Breathe slowly into the space under your top hand, and let the exhale be a little longer than the inhale.
- Notice any sensation there, such as warmth, tightness, softness or nothing. There is nothing to fix.
- Think of someone or something you feel tender toward, and let the feeling gather under your palms without pushing it anywhere.
- Finish by pressing your feet into the floor and taking three slow breaths before you open your eyes.
Nothing needs to happen for this to be worthwhile. For more, see chakra meditation.
Gentle ways to
meet this center
Tap a card to open it.
GentleHand on the upper chestRest and breathe
Rest one hand flat on your upper chest, just below the collarbones, and let the other rest on your heart. Breathe slowly and notice the warmth under your palms. It's one of the simplest ways to meet this center.
GentleGentle tappingLight, slow and kind
Some people tap lightly on the breastbone with their fingertips while breathing slowly. I treat it as a soothing practice, and not as a medical one. Keep it gentle, and stop if it doesn't feel good.
GentleGratitudeName what you're thankful for
Think of one person or moment you're grateful for, and let the feeling settle in your upper chest. Gratitude has a way of softening the space between the heart and the throat.
GentleOne kind, true thingSay it out loud
The higher heart sits between the heart and the voice. Say one kind, true thing to someone, or to yourself, and notice what shifts in your chest as you speak.
How Reiki can support
the higher heart
In my Sovereign Light Reiki I class, the first attunement works with the heart and the thymus. Students often describe a new tenderness toward themselves afterward, and some feel emotion move through the chest. I prepare them for that, and we leave extra time afterward to settle and ground.
I can't promise a specific result, and Reiki is a complement to medical and mental health care, never a replacement. See my Reiki sessions for how to book.
A free activation
for the heart
Heart Chakra Activation to Open & Receive Love is a Reiki activation I recorded for the heart. It is free on my YouTube channel. Rest a hand on your upper chest as you listen, and go as slowly as your heart wants to.
Valentine's Day Reiki · Heart Chakra Activation to Open & Receive Love
You can listen any time, and if you drift off along the way, let yourself.
More to listen to
Three more for the heart.
Heart Coherence Reiki
A Mercury retrograde in Pisces activation for heart coherence and Venus healing.
Listen on YouTube
What My Father Couldn't Give
A Reiki activation for the father wound and the heart that learned to guard itself.
Listen on YouTube
Somatic Reiki for the Wounded Healer
A full moon activation for what is left after the armor comes off.
Listen on YouTubeKeep exploring
Where to go next from here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the thymus chakra?
The thymus chakra, also called the higher heart or the etheric heart, is a small energy center said to sit in the upper chest, between the heart and the throat. It is associated with compassion, higher love and the ability to speak from the heart. It is one of the minor chakras, and different teachers describe it differently.
Where is the thymus chakra located?
In the upper chest, behind the breastbone, between the heart chakra and the throat chakra. The name comes from the thymus gland, which sits in the same area, but I treat the chakra as a symbolic energy center and make no medical claims about the gland.
What is the difference between the thymus chakra and the heart chakra?
The heart chakra sits in the center of the chest and is about love, grief and receiving. The thymus chakra sits above it and is often described as a higher or more universal kind of love, compassion that reaches past your own circle. Many people feel them together. See the heart chakra.
What color is the thymus chakra?
Systems differ. Turquoise and pale blue-green are the most common, and some use pink or gold. I use turquoise on this page. In my Usui practice, the heart is green, so the thymus sits between green and the blue of the throat. These are traditions and not rules.
What are the signs of a blocked thymus chakra?
People describe feeling guarded, absorbing others' feelings, struggling to say what is in their heart, or feeling cut off from compassion. These are descriptions from energy traditions, not medical symptoms. If you have chest pain, pressure or shortness of breath, please get medical help right away.
How do you open the thymus chakra?
Most people don't need to open anything. A hand on the upper chest, slow breathing and a moment of gratitude are gentle ways to feel it. The practice on this page walks you through it. Go slowly, and don't force a sensation.
What is the thymus chakra in Reiki?
In the Usui Reiki I class I teach, the first attunement works with the heart and the thymus, and many students notice tenderness or warmth in the chest afterward. Reiki is a complement to medical care and not a replacement for it.
Can I meditate on the thymus chakra?
Yes. Rest a hand on your upper chest, breathe slowly, and bring attention to the space under your palm for five minutes. Let whatever you feel be there, and finish by grounding through the feet.
Guided by Carissa Andrews, Reiki Master and lineage holder.
Reiki is a complementary practice and not a substitute for medical or mental health care. No specific outcomes are promised or guaranteed. This page is educational and is not therapy or clinical advice.