TENERIFE - HEART CHAKRA
TENERIFE - HEART CHAKRA (4th center)
Our ability to love ❤️
LOCATION: Centre of chest just above the heart
GLAND OR HORMONE CENTER: Thymus
EMOTIONAL ISSUES: Love, joy, inner peace
IF THIS CHAKRA IS BALANCED WE FEEL: Love and compassion, you're quick to forgive, you accept others and yourself
IF THIS CHAKRA IS IMBALANCED WE MAY EXPERIENCE: Grief, anger, jealousy, fear of betrayal, and hatred toward yourself and others
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: Problems with the heart, lungs, breasts, thymus gland, circulatory system, immune system, lymphatic system
HEALING EXERCISE:
Bikram yoga
Simply opening up your heart to others is the best healing exercise to open up the heart chakra
HEALING FOODS:
Green-colored foods like avocado, broccoli, celery, kiwi, and leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale
Green tea
For more info on the chakras, please visit:
What to know about Tenerife?
Tenerife is the largest (2,034.38 square kilometers) and most populated (898 680 inhabitants) island of the seven Canary Islands.
Approximately five million tourists visit the island each year making it the most visited island of the archipelago. It is one of the most important tourist destinations in Spain and the world. Tenerife hosts one of the world's largest carnivals and the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is working to be designated UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of the World.
Teide National Park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in the center of the island. In it, Mount Teide rises to the highest elevation in Spain, the highest of the islands of the Atlantic Ocean, and the third-largest volcano in the world from its base.
The island’s most famous southern resorts offer Brit-infused revelry and clubbing, combined with white sandy beaches and all-inclusive resorts. But step beyond the obvious tourist spots and you’ll find a cultured and civilized island of extraordinary diversity.
I had stayed in Tenerife three times before starting my island-chakra journey, so I didn’t return there after La Gomera. However, I did pass through Tenerife Norte Airport (North) several times while changing flights to other islands, as there are no direct flights or ferries between all of the Canary Islands. I spent countless hours in transit, eating the cheapest bagel sandwiches, drinking peppermint tea, and updating my Instagram to pass the time.
There was one occasion when I had to wait four hours for a flight that lasted only 30 minutes! Binter airline, which operates the smaller aircraft flying between the islands, made the journey pleasant despite the long wait. The air hostesses were so sweet, offering every passenger a glass of water, a piece of chocolate, and candy. It was such a nice touch!
What did I like about Tenerife?
VARIETIES OF BEACHES
ROAD TRIPS
ANAGA PARK
Just a few pieces of info to make you want to visit one day:
Anaga is one of the most unique natural areas in Tenerife. It emerged from the seabed between 10 and 15 million years ago and it's one of the oldest parts of the island. This area has more species per square kilometer than any other area in Europe. The varied landscapes and scenery found here are the result of the inhabitants having to adapt to the rugged terrain over the years, with historic paths steeped in culture, offering an ideal way to sample the local delicacies, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, cheeses, and fruits.
It has a beautiful precipitous mountain chain full of sharp peaks. The deep valleys and ravines that cut across it eventually reach the sea, forming a series of beaches where we can take a refreshing dip.
THE FEELING ❤️
I was feeling SOooO GoOd! I felt a lot of love and beauty around me and within me.
THE VIEW OF SMALL VILLAGES AND HOUSES ON THE MOUNTAINSIDES AND ABANDONED (ALMOST HIDDEN) AREAS
I didn't take photos of most of them I discovered during my walks and road trips but there are many of these exciting places on the island.
MY ACCOMMODATION IN BOCA CANGREJO was by far the most inspiring, peaceful, and idyllic place I stayed in throughout the Canary Islands. It quickly became my favorite. I had my own private entrance via the roof terrace, with an outdoor toilet, shower, and kitchenette, which added an extra touch of authenticity to the experience. The neighborhood itself was wonderful; one of my neighbors would often play the guitar, and on some days, a woman would sing along. Their music, carried by the wind, became the perfect backdrop as I sunbathed or read on the roof.
Being right next to the ocean, I fell asleep each night to the soothing sound of waves (and the occasional gust of wind!). It was pure bliss.
My host wasn't around during my stay, but his mother, an elderly French woman named Brigitte, came by a couple of times to greet me. She was so sweet and even showed me her favorite swimming bay, just a 5-minute walk from our house. To enter the bay, we had to climb down a ladder attached to the side of the cliff, which made me a bit nervous at first. The waves crashing into the bay seemed big, and I worried about being thrown against the rocks.
Once I was in the water, I quickly swam away from the cliffs to avoid the risk of being slammed into them. When I reached the middle of the bay and felt more confident, I put on my goggles and started snorkelling. The underwater world, as always, amazed me. Time flew by, and by the time I was ready to come out, Brigitte was already sunbathing, and the water level had risen. The waves had also become stronger, making it a bit tricky to get back. I held onto the ladder tightly, waiting for the right moment to climb up slowly and carefully.
After that experience, I decided not to return to the bay, though I often saw local kids jumping off the rocks during low tide!
Brigitte later invited me to visit her finca up in the mountains. The temperature dropped by 10 degrees Celsius during the 30-minute drive, as we climbed higher into the pine forests, about 1,000 meters above sea level. We stopped in what I believe was the Esperanza Forest (Bosque de la Esperanza), where the air was thick with the most incredible, rich, earthy pine smell. It was an experience like no other, a blend of several different plant fragrances all at once.
As we took a short walk toward the middle of the forest, I noticed wild oregano and eucalyptus growing along the road. Brigitte suggested we pick some, and we gathered plenty on our way. She encouraged me to take the oregano home to dry and use for cooking. The scent was absolutely delicious—it lingered with me for the rest of the day!
I spent a day and a night at Brigitte’s home, where she proudly showed me around her impressive garden—though “yard” might be a more fitting word for what she had! It was filled with all sorts of plants, fruits, and herbs. I was excited to pick lemons for the first time in my life at Brigitte’s request, and later we made fresh lemonade to enjoy alongside our omelet.
She also had a bee house and a wooden cottage tucked away in a more remote part of the yard, furnished minimally and rented out to holiday guests. The atmosphere was completely different from the sunny coast—humid, chilly, and darker. The clouds brushed the tops of the trees, and distant bird calls echoed through the quiet, giving the place a mystical vibe. It felt greener and lusher up here, a sharp contrast to the coastal landscape. You can see the difference in the photos below!
How did I come up with the idea to visit Tenerife?
The first time I heard about Tenerife was about 10 years ago when my then-boyfriend showed me a photo of himself on the island. He was standing in front of a lush, jungle-like background, and the image left a lasting impression on me. I knew then that one day I’d visit Tenerife. That idea stayed in my mind for a long time, and in the spring of 2016, when I had 10 days off, I finally pulled that idea out of the box and flew to the island.
From the moment I arrived, I fell in love with Tenerife. What I adored the most was the weather and the overwhelming sense of peace and love. Living in London, I constantly craved sunlight and blue skies—both of which were plentiful in Tenerife. The island made me feel so free and happy that I returned in August for a 20-day stay. During that time, I began to feel my heart heal.
I found my accommodation—a charming roof terrace in Boca Cangrejo—so idyllic that when it came time to leave at the end of summer, I was heartbroken. I felt a strong sense of belonging here. My soul protested returning to cold, damp London and the busy city life, where no one was waiting for me. I cried as I left.
At that time, I wasn’t yet aware of the chakra-island connection. I had no idea that Tenerife was linked to the Heart chakra, but something must have intuitively drawn me to a golden bracelet in a souvenir shop at the airport that had the word "LOVE" on it. I don’t usually wear jewelry, especially not gold, but I’ve worn that bracelet every day since I bought it. It cost about €28, but its value to me is priceless. I loved seeing it on my wrist—it was a constant reminder of the beautiful feelings I had experienced during my time on the island.
The following year, when I learned about the chakra-island connection, I was amazed by the power of the island's energies. It made me realize how fortunate I was to have been open enough to let all those wonderful feelings in.
Tenerife is the most visited of the Canary Islands and is full of contrasts. You’ll find beautiful parks, fruit gardens, desert-like landscapes, a variety of beaches (golden sand, black sand, rocky, and cliffside), big cities, tiny coastal villages, abandoned mountain houses, and even caves. La Laguna, the university town, attracts many young students from the smaller islands. In some areas, you might see locals riding horses on the steep, winding roads, while professional cyclists from abroad come here to train. The island has a mix of German and Italian residents, in addition to the Canarians. In Radazul, I met quite a few Americans and French visitors, many of whom came for scuba diving.
The locals, especially in the smaller villages, are open and friendly—everyone says "Hola!" as you pass by. Even though I don’t speak Spanish and couldn’t always communicate with the locals, it didn’t bother me. I easily found everything I needed, like bus stops, supermarkets ("Super Mercado"), cafés, and beaches.
Thank you for reading! ♡
The next island is Gran Canaria - Throat Chakra.