Put a little love in your heart
The physical structure of the body, the energy we have, the way we perceive the world, the thoughts, and emotions we have, are all intricately tied together. It is impossible to affect one without the other. In yoga we focus on how poses, breath and meditation affect the body internally (thoughts, emotions, and energy) and externally (behaviours and appearance).
Yoga attempts to remove blockages that prevent us from understanding ourselves and relating to others. Back bending postures are some of the most effective ways of working to removing blockages in or around areas of the centre of the chest and heart. Many of us develop a shield around our hearts which could have been be caused by bad posture and challenging emotional or damaging experiences. This shield also prevents us from relating to one another, from showing our true selves, from feeling love, compassion, empathy and gratitude towards ourselves and others. Back bends affect both the physical body (the area around the centre of the chest and upper back) but also the energetic and emotional capacity (compassion, acceptance, and gratitude). The energic heart centre is in the centre of the chest and requires a good supply of prana to stay stimulated and be kept in balance.
Our poses this month will expand, extend, and lift, as well as adding more mobility and space to the chest, which will soften the shield, encourage more prana; we may even experience a release of emotion. We can begin to balance the influence of our heads on our hearts and on our thoughts and emotions. We may find we experience fewer challenging times, fewer blockages and a smooth and easier time achieving goals and desires. Heart opening has the power to positively affect the way we see ourselves and the world around us.
To bring more a more heart centred approach into your yoga practice and life, bring an awareness into the centre of your chest. Lift the chest, be proud, keep the shoulders down and observe how it changes your life both on and off the mat.
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