Heart health is essential to the quality of everyday life and every breath.
Statistics show that Heart-related diseases have been the number one cause of death globally. This makes heart health one of the most important areas for us to focus on and have a deeper look at.
This begs the question, “what ways can we practice that will support a healthy heart?”
If we have any stored trauma, our inclination is to protect ourselves. We have an automatic response to slouch and cross our arms for protection, which may happen without us even realizing it. This can be caused by pain, lifestyle, work environments, and so on. When the front of the body closes or shrinks, this puts pressure on the heart. This position shortens the muscles and physiologically compresses the vessels carrying blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart area which then affects your breath.
Physically AND metaphorically speaking, keeping our hearts open, as we walk in the world interacting with our relationships, loved ones, and all people in our day-to-day life is vital to our physiological and emotional health. We allow our hearts to open to a deeper level of compassion and acceptance for ourselves and others.
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If we have any stored trauma, our inclination is to protect ourselves. We have an automatic response to slouch and cross our arms for protection, which may happen without us even realizing it. This can be caused by pain, lifestyle, work environments, and so on. When the front of the body closes or shrinks, this puts pressure on the heart. This position shortens the muscles and physiologically compresses the vessels carrying blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart area which then affects your breath.
In this class, we focus on opening the chest and learning to use the body’s muscles in the front and back to support a variety of postures that help you breathe deeper, and get the circulatory system flushing blood through the heart. All while oxygenating the area, and flushing blood into the organs.
If you are feeling low, sad, or a bit depressed this practice will also lift your spirits and help you see from a renewed perspective.
This sequence includes:
Bharadvajasana ( Torso Twist Pose )
Chest Opening Pose with Blocks
Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog )
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ( Upward Dog )
Padangusthasana ( Hand to Big Toe Pose )
Paschima Namaskarasana ( Reverse Prayer Pose )
Tadasana ( Mountain Pose )
Utthita Trikonasana ( Triangle Pose )
Parsva Utthita Trikonasana ( Twisted Triangle Pose )
Virabhadrasana I ( Warrior Pose )
Ustrasana ( Camel Pose )
Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )
Pada Hastasana ( Hands Under Feet Yoga Pose )
Urdhva Dhanurasana ( Wheel Pose )
Salamba Sarvangasana ( Shoulder Stand Pose )
Viparita Karani ( Still Lake Pose )
Savasana ( Corpse Pose )
