January 2021 - Heart Opening

In 2021 I am creating a different theme for each month, for my classes. Each class will, as always, be a full body flow, but with a little extra focus on our monthly theme.  These are for my in person classes in Poole, when permitted, and on-line.  My online members library will be able search on our monthly tag of heartopenings or backbends

For January our focus will be Heart Openings.

So - what are ‘heart openings’? Quite simply they are back bends, but, to keep the balance and also ‘open’ the back of our hearts we also need to include forward bends to round/open the back of our rib cage.  So expect lots of ribcage movement as we get our thoracic spine moving.
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In Yoga heart openings can lead to improved connection to our heart & mind, energetically balancing ourselves allowing us to be more compassionate & to give more compassion.  Leading to greater peace & harmony with ourselves & to others.  We have our Heart Chakra, Anahata, (green).  Heart openings can also lead to a greater sense of relaxation & peace as our posture improves.  Our breath moves deeper into our lungs & works on our parasympathetic (rest & digest) nervous system & slowing our heart rate, moving us out of a shallow breath & our sympathetic nervous system (fight & flight).

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Heart Meditation ​

Here is a simple heart meditation that you can do anytime.  5 minutes is a good amount of time, but maybe start at 1 minute & then with practice build your time up.  If one day your mind just wanders - don’t worry, try again, & the next time & it might be easier.  Meditation, like anything, takes practice.

• Sit or lie comfortably.  You can sit in a chair or on the floor, with a cushion or not.  Lie in your bed if you prefer (try not to fall asleep though!).  If you are sitting, try to sit tall.
• Relax your forehead, eyes, mouth, jaw & shoulders.  Close your eyes if that works for you.  Lips are closed & your teeth slightly parted, your tongue rests to the roof of your mouth.  Try to breath through your nose as much as possible.
• You can hold your hands in preyer (Anjali Mudra) or rest them in your lap, or on your legs.
• Now, over a few breaths try to slow your breath down & make it as quiet and as gentle as you can. Can you slowly increase your inhale to a count of 5 & your exhale to a count of 5.
• Can you try to make your breath as quiet & as gentle as possible?
• Your Mantra to repeat to yourself is ‘I trust my heart’
• Whenever your mind wanders - simply some back to either repeating your mantra or counting your breath in & out.

 Heart Openers in the Movement & Exercise World

In the movement world we see heart openings as mainly backbends or back extensions but to get back extension we need to mobilise our spine in all its directions so we need to  include forward bends (flexion) side bends & rotations.  In other words thoracic mobility.  Improved thoracic mobility will also lead to improved breathing & posture.
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Taking your practice off your mat

Ways to carry your heart openings with you during your day to day life:

• Keep a gratitude journal.  Each morning or night write down 3-5 things that you are grateful for from your previous day.
• Remember to say thank you to a person for a task well done
• Notice your posture & try to feel like you are growing tall from your hips
• Maybe take a picture of yourself at the beginning of the month in a heart opening back bend & then again at the to see if you have any visual changes?

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