Open your Heart Centre this Valentines Day
Eros - one of my favourite statues in London, Piccadilly Circus. With Valentines day approaching I got to thinking of images and symbols of love. I adore this statue because the chest is so open but the ribs are not flared, the collarbones are wide and there is a confidence and strength in Eros’ body.
When our chest collapses and our head drops and the shoulders droop there is a feeling of heaviness, sadness, melancholia from the body. This type of posture literally brings us down whereas the open chest with a spread heart centre gives us wings.
In yoga terms , we call the heart centre the Anahata Chakra - the colour associated is green and the image is very beautiful. These ancient symbols speak to our heart centres in ways words cannot.
This month of February I’m teaching heart opening poses - here are two of my favourites, the first with the towel rolled under the heart centre is a total bliss out.
The second pose is a bit more intense but the heart opening factor is very high so well worth it. As with all poses go easy and keep breathing. Yoga doesn’t mix with tension.
The Breath of the Heart
You can use your breath to open your heart. I simply love this meditation - sit or lie comfortably - ditch the phone in another room.
Draw inwards and relax. Begin to connect with the journey of the breath in through the nose, down through the throat and into the heart centre. Complete a few cycles of this breathing and then visualise a green heart in the centre of your heart centre. As you inhale inflate the heart so it fills your chest. As you exhale don’t let it deflate. On your next inhalation bring the heart to the size of your body - so you become all heart. Stay here for a few breaths. Next inhalation bring the heart to the size of your room. Remain here for a few breaths. Inhale to the size of the house. Stay a few breaths. Inhale to the size of your village - stay awhile. Inhale to the size of Ireland - take a few breaths here. Inhale to the size of Europe - stay a bit. Inhale to the size of planet Earth - this one is really cool stay a while. Inhale to the size of the universe. Stay and experience the infinitesimal size of the heart, its capacity goes on and on and on.
When you’ve had your fill of this huge heart opening - use your exhalation to bring you back down to size - go slowly in the same increments as how you went into it - size of earth, europe, ireland, village, house, room, body and back to normal size heart centre. Take your time. Savour and enjoy.
Warning you will be a much nicer and happier person for this practice. You are raising your vibration by working with the heart centre.
If you are interested in practising yoga with a heart centred theme join me in Kinvara, Co Galway . I run small classes for all levels in my studio by the sea https://www.suziedodd.com/iyengar-yoga-classes
Or join me for a weekend in Inishboffin in June 2020 - the perfect place for a bit of me time https://www.suziedodd.com/yoga-retreats/inishbofin-iyengar-yoga-weekend-lj6b8-hbpcn
Or come for a day retreat in March https://www.suziedodd.com/yoga-retreats/marchretreatwithsuzie