Make your heart smile
As another Valentine’s Day passes us by it’s seems all too apropos to talk heart openers; yoga poses that breathe life into your chest and find space through the front body. So, here are 6 asanas to do just that.
Heart Bench
This one does require the use of yoga blocks, but I couldn’t write a post on heart opening postures without including heart bench. It is a wonderful, passive, and restorative posture. Position one block on your mat with the long side perpendicular to your spine on its medium height. Lay back so this block is positioned right under your scapula (if you wear a bra, it should hit right about where your bra does.) Take a second block and position this one under you head. This block can be at any height depending on how intense you would like the posture to be. The lower the block, the more intense. Allow your arms to extend out into a T shape and legs can either extend out long as they would in savasana, fold into a butterfly shape or Baddha Konasana, or plant the soles of the feet about mats width distance and let the knees fall into each other. When you are ready to come out, simply roll off the blocks to the fetal position on whichever side is calling to you.
Sphinx/Salamba Bhyjangasana
Lay on your belly and as you inhale, lift your chest off the mat positioning your elbows under your shoulders. Your forearms should be parallel to one another and the long edges of your back. Engage through the lower abdominal muscles so you are not dumping into the back and press the mat away with your palms. When you are ready, exhale to release and lower yourself back to the mat.
Locust/Salabhasana
Start laying on your stomach with your arms by your sides, palms face down. Pressing into the tops of your feet, take a deep inhale and peel your chest off your mat keeping the shoulders rolling down the back. Let your gaze fall to where your mat meets the floor to stay long through the back of the neck. Breathe here then when you are ready to lower back to the mat do so on an exhale.
Bow/Dhanurasana
Similar to Locust pose, start laying on your stomach with your arms by your sides, but this time palms face up. With an exhale, bend your knees so your feet come in towards your glutes with your big toes touching. Reach back to grab onto the tops of your feet or ankles and as you inhale, lift your heels away from your glutes. This in turn will lift your chest up off the mat. Keep your big toes touching and knees no wider than your hips. Hold for a few breaths then exhale to release back to the mat.
Puppy dog/Uttana Shishosana
Begin in a tabletop position with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. As you exhale, slowly walk your hands forward, lowering your chest towards the mat. Let your forehead rest on the mat as you would in child’s pose or for a more intense variation engage through the back of the neck, so your chin is resting on the floor. When you are ready to move out of the posture, simply sit your hips back towards your heels to settle into child’s pose.
Camel/Ustrasana
Camel can be a very intense back bend so be sure you are nice and warm before attempting this asana. Standing on your knees with your shins parallel to the long edges of your mat bring your hands to your lower back. Gradually start to arch up and back, eventually releasing your hands to your heels. Lift your sternum to the sky and breathe into the stretch across your chest and shoulders.
You don’t have to be in a romantic relationship to celebrate love or Valentine’s Day. Remember the most long lasting and important relationship we keep is with ourselves. Need some refreshers on how to love yourself? Circle back to our Fall in Love With Yourself post for some ideas.
