3 Poses to Keep Your Heart Open
“…If your chest is caving in, your heart and mind are probably going along with it.” – Martin Booe
In February we hosted our second yoga challenge on Instagram: #FollowYourHeartYIY. For ten days leading up to Valentine’s Day, our teachers shared their favorite poses to “open the heart.” These are poses that stretch the chest and back and activate the heart chakra. When this energy center is closed or blocked, we have a hard time connecting with love and compassion (self-love and self-compassion included). Additionally, according to Ayurveda, when this chakra is closed we’re more likely to experience associated physical illness and disease. Practicing heart openers can better enable us to connect with others, give and receive love – acts that promote well-being from the inside-out.
The Benefits
Our bodies store our “issues in our tissues.” Heart openers are helpful for releasing emotions that may consume us or cause us to retreat from connecting with others or loving ourselves, like anger, grief and frustration. If an emotional response arises, breathe and explore it rather than trying to contain it. Literally get it off your chest.
Physically, expanding the upper body and rib cage promotes better circulation of blood and oxygen. Heart openers help to counter some of the effects of our modern digitally-driven lifestyles. We’re constantly hunched over our desks or devices, rounding our shoulders forward and hearts inward. These postural imbalances can inhibit range of motion, making it more difficult to breathe deeply.
Heart Opening Yoga Poses
A new month may be upon us, but you can keep your heart open all year long by incorporating a few of our faves into your daily practice!
For an invigorating start to your day: Tall Mountain with Side or Back Bend
A gentle bend in Tadasana supports deeper breathing, stretches the side body and promotes spinal flexibility. If you spend your day at a desk, these are all compromised by those long periods of sitting and slouching!
Begin with your feet hip-width apart, core strong and breath engaged. Raise one arm toward the ceiling, lengthening up and over toward the other side of the body until you feel a stretch on the side of your raised arm. Practice this pose on both sides. Alternatively, raise both arms, press the hips and chest forward as you allow the gaze to gently fall back for a slight backbend. In either variation, be sure to stand firmly in both feet with the shoulders away from the ears. Kandace Stewart has a few additional cues and ways to modify the “peaks” of your tall mountain here.
To help you unwind: Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana is a great pose to include in your evening yoga routine as it can reduce symptoms of stress and fatigue. To practice it, start on your belly with your legs extended behind you and the tops of the feet on the mat. Place your palms underneath your shoulders with the fingers forward, or walk the palms further away from and wider than the body. Press into the tops of the feet, thighs and toes as you inhale and lift your head and chest. Try to keep the ribs and pubic bone connected with the mat and shoulders down. Gaze off the tip of the nose. Check out Kim McGee’s Cobra Pose tips here.
To connect with your strength: Fish Pose
Matsyasana not only opens the heart chakra, but opens the throat chakra and fires up the low belly as well. It’s no wonder that ancient yogis dubbed this pose “destroyer of diseases.” To begin, lie on your back with your legs extended and arms by your sides. Press into your elbows (keep them close to the ribs) to lift the head and shoulders. Gently tilt the head back and place the crown on the mat. Keep pressing into the arms to avoid straining the neck, or if you’re experienced with this pose, extend the arms 45 degrees, interlacing the fingers with the index fingers released. You can also lift the legs 45 degrees as well, rotating the thighs inward and pointing the toes. Focus on the breath, not the backbend. Becky Paulk offers additional tips and modifications for Fish Pose here.
Open Your Heart with Us
While these poses are accessible for your home practice, share the love by connecting with your YIY community in the studio. Check out the schedule to come practice with our #FollowYourHeartYIY teachers (Kandace, Kim, Becky, Gene and Libby). If you’re recognizing more strength and consistency in your practice, check out our Tuesday evening intermediate-level Community Class with our newest teacher Paula Pilgrim. For a mid-week restore and recharge, flow with Amy Ulmer at 12:15 pm.