A Simple Yin Practise; Heart Chakra

It probably would have been more sensible to start this ‘Simple Yin Practise’ series with the Root, but I’ve always been told (by my mum, lol) that I ‘break the mould’ so why change things up now, ey?

“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is to love, and be loved in return.”

The Heart Chakra, or Anahata, located in the same place as our physical heart, is the fourth energy centre from our Root and governs love, compassion, forgiveness, patience and acceptance.

Anahata translates as ‘unstruck’ and relates to the heartbeat’s unbroken rhythm, an unlimited and infinite sound that invites us to reside in the magic of feelings and experience.

A Heart Chakra led practise will focus on creating an ‘opening’ of the thoracic region but is not limited to postures of extension. We will look to open and expose all four sides of our thorax with extension, flexion & lateral flexion (side bending) in each direction (left and right).

Below you will find a few postures to explore as well as some little offerings for introspection during practise. As always, please take your time, be gentle with your body and kind to whatever may come up.

Always let your breath lead the way.

PROPS - Bolster (or a few big pillows/cushions), x2 blocks (or more pillows/cushions!)

SUPPORTED BUTTERFLY POSE

Time: 4-8 minutes

Begin in supported butterfly. From a seated position bend your knees and bring your feet a comfortable distance from your pelvis. Lower yourself down onto your support (if using pillows try to create a small incline for the spine by using 2/3 for your heads & shoulders and 1/2 for your lower back) and let the knees separate. If this creates a very strong sensation in your hips or inner thighs use blocks or pillows under the upper thighs to provide further support.

Spend a few minutes here arriving in the body and acquainting yourself with your breath. Use these first moments to remind yourself that there is nothing to control, nothing to ‘make happen’, get comfy with simply observing the experience of being as time passes.

ANAHATASANA / PUPPY POSE

Time: 2-3 minutes

Enquiry: Am I able to embrace vulnerability and let go of emotional walls during my practice?

From an all-fours position walk your hands forward to the top of the mat until you are able to let your forehead come to the earth (if the forehead doesn’t come down, use something underneath to support your head) keeping your hips stacked over your knees. This posture can create some big sensations in the upper spine and shoulders. If you require more support bring your bolster, or pillow, underneath your chest to support the extension available in your upper spine.

If you do not reach your edge consider moving the support underneath your elbows/forearms to increase the range of movement in the shoulders.

Spend a short time in child’s pose, or on the front of your body once the pose has come to end to begin experiencing the ‘creep’ sensation in rebound.

Creep - the process of elongated muscles slowly returning to their original length.

SPHINX POSE

Time: 3 minutes

Enquiry: How can I cultivate more compassion and empathy for myself and those around me?

SEAL POSE

Time: 3 minutes

Enquiry: How can I cultivate more compassion and empathy for myself and those around me?

SPHINX: From the front of your, slide your bolster or pillow underneath your chest so you can rest your arms over the support. Let your feet/legs remain a comfortable distance apart and consciously relax any ongoing engagement. You can keep your head lifted, or lowered, the choice is yours. I like to lower my chin (let my head become heavy) and rest my chin or my forehead in my hands for added support.

SEAL: Either stay in sphinx for another 2 minutes, or bring your elbows up onto the support to increase the extension in the spine. Allow your shoulders to shrug up to your ears. You can support your head in the same way as sphinx if you would like.

Consider spending a minute or two flat on the front of your body before moving on. Feel free to create a little pillow for your forehead by stacking your hands on top of one another.

SIDE LYING / MERMAID STRETCH

Time: 5 minutes each side

Enquiry: What self-limiting beliefs or fears can I release to create more space for love and connection?

Set up so that you are facing the short edge of your mat with your bolster or pillows (if using pillows try using a couple to create the same resistance a bolster would) behind you and place either a block, or another pillow, at the top of the mat. Bend your knees and turn your whole body to face one direction. Carefully drape yourself over the support so that the bolster creates a sense of lift in your upper waist and lower ribs. Slide your earth-side arm through the gap between the bolster and block and rest your head on the top support.

You could keep your free arm down by your side, just in front of you, or (as pictured) resting over your head.

You can keep your knees bent, one stacked on top of the other, or (as pictured) slide the top leg away from the bottom leg to target the deeper muscles of the psoas.

Consider any symmetrical position to rebound in between sides to really tap into the differences between each side of the body.

CATERPILLAR POSE

Time: 4-7 minutes

Enquiry: In what ways can I practice self-forgiveness and let go of any lingering self-judgment?

In a seated position slide both legs out in front of you and fold over your thighs allowing your hands to rest somewhere comfortable, if possible with your palms facing up. This will reduce the amount of information your brain needs to process through the sense of touch and encourage your nervous system to remain in its parasympathetic state.

To target the back rather than the hamstrings (our preference for this practise as we are now exposing and targeting the back of the heart space) support the legs by sliding your bolster or pillows underneath the knees. Feel free to support your forehead too!

SAVASANA / RESTING POSE

Time: 5-15 minutes

Savasana can be done in any comfortable supine position. My preference is either to have some support underneath my knees as this helps to create space in the lower back or, if I’m feeling anxious or flighty, to bring something weighty across my pelvis. Weight on the body tends to further stimulate parasympathetic nervous system, bringing down the heart and respiratory rate and encouraging a deeper sense of calm.

I encourage you take up space and to use warmth & comfort in anyway that is meaningful and valuable to you. Spend as long as you can here.

As always I recommend that after practise you take a few moments to sit in whatever space you have created internally and to offer yourself some moments of thanks for coming to mat, particularly if stillness is challenging for you.

Enjoy!

Katie xxx