Open your heart because the very centre of your heart is where life begins. Have you ever thought, why do we close our eyes when we pray, cry, kiss or dream? Because the most beautiful things in life are not seen but felt only through heart - most beautiful place on earth.
Breathing and Meditation are some tools given by our Yoga Gurus to enhance one’s energetic and emotional capacity in terms of subtle expressions to feel through heart such as love, compassion, acceptance and gratitude. And the world is very much in need of these expressions at this stage. To enhance the subtle energies in oneself, physical exercises are also mandatory which can play a bigger role in building a healthy body to fight back viruses and what not!
Some heart opening postures in yoga can affect the structure of the chest (layers of tissue, bone and muscle) where the heart resides. And if those postures are done correctly and regularly, not only we get better posture, we get calmer, wiser, strong and energetic beings.
Include any or all of the below yoga postures in your workout to benefit your heart and overall well-being -
1. Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist) -
Great opportunity to open the front of chest, realigns the spine, hydrates the spinal discs and massages abdominal muscles and organs
1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent.
2. Bring your arms out wide and in line to your shoulders. Allow your shoulders to press into the mat.
3. Draw your knees into your chest and begin to let both knees slowly fall over to the left side. Let them fall comfortably towards the mat.
4. Allow your head to gaze in the opposite direction of your knees. If this is too much, keep your gaze looking up or look in the same direction as your knees.
5. With every exhale, make an effort to deepen the twist.
6. Hold for several breaths before switching sides.
For the purpose of heart opening, concentrate on keeping both your shoulders on the ground as much as possible. This may cause your knee to come away from the floor, but that’s ok. You can even imagine a yoga instructor pressing gently on your shoulders to encourage them to relax.
2. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) -
One of the pose done in the steps of Sun Salutation. Stretches chest, improves spinal flexibility, helps ease pain of sciatica and reduces stress and fatigue
1. Lie on the floor on your belly and place your hands close to your shoulders.
2. Allow the tops of your feet to rest on the mat and keep your legs just a few inches apart from each other.
3. Keep the elbows hugged into the body and begin to lift your chest up slowly.
4. Roll your shoulder blades down the back and lengthen up through the crown of your head.
5. Softly bring your gaze upwards and lift higher up. If you are a beginner you can keep your gaze ahead and keep chest lift shorter. Just feel the stretch.
6. Hold for several breaths before slowly releasing back to the mat.
3. Ushtrasana (Camel Pose) -
Excellent pose for tight shoulders. Creates space in chest and lungs as well as increases breathing capacity
1. Begin in a kneeling position with your knees relatively hip distance apart.
2. Softly press the tops of your feet into the mat.
3. Bring your hands or fists on your lower back tailbone.
4. Begin to tilt your chest back gently. Keep your chest broad and open.
5. To further advance the pose, reach your hands back to grab onto each heel. If this is too much, you can lift the tops of your feet so that your heels are raised off the ground.
6. Keep your hips directly over your knees with the thighs staying perpendicular to the ground.
7. It is not necessary to bring the neck all the way back. If it is comfortable, let the neck come back softly and stop at the point that feels good to you.
9. To release, come out slowly with your head and neck last.
4. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) -
Excellent pose to stretch chest, neck and spine. Stimulates abdominal organs, lungs and thyroid
1. Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and with your palms face down on the mat.
2. Bend your knees and bring the backs of the heels closer to your sit bones. Align your knees with your ankles.
3. Keep the feet relatively hip distance apart and press into your feet.
4. Squeeze the core muscles and begin to lift the hips up towards the sky.
5. Keep your neck elongated with your chin slightly tucked in towards your chest.
6. Stay in the pose for several breaths before slowly releasing your hips back down to the mat.
5. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) -
Beneficial for people who sit or stand for long periods. Improves posture and spinal flexibility
1. Lie on your belly with your arms by your sides.
2. Bend your knees and bring the backs of your heels closer to your glutes. Keep your knees about hip-distance apart.
3. Reach your hands back and grab your ankles.
4. Squeeze your quad and inner thigh muscles as you lift your legs upwards.
5. At the same time begin to lift your chest, upper torso, and shoulders upwards.
6. Keep your pelvis and tailbone rooted to the mat.
7. Gaze forward softly. Stay with your breath and hold for several breaths. Feel your upper body expand.
8. To release gently bring your legs down and allow the arms to release resting by your sides.
Always remember to do a counter pose after performing a deep back bending pose.
Please note, all the above yoga postures are guidance only. Make a judgement call on your own flexibility and capacity and get medical advice in case you have any concern.
“Allow things to come and go, keeping your heart as open as the sky”
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