Practice heart chakra yoga and love unconditionally
The heart chakra, or Anahata meaning unhurt, unstruck and unbeaten from the Sanskrit is so powerful. When this chakra is in balance, we feel like we can achieve anything, nothing is beyond our power, and it is associated with balance, calm and serenity.
To get this deep feeling of equanimity (calm composure with the universe), we can work on anahata or heart chakra yoga to open our hearts, and free ourselves from stress, over-thinking of worry.
One thing many yogis try over many years to overcome is attachment. You might have heard Ashtangis talk about this, aparigraha, as non-possessiveness, non-attachment, as it is the last Yama in Ashtanga yoga. Sometimes, practicing non-possessiveness is really easy, like sharing some biscuits. Sometimes, it’s really hard, like teaching children to share their parent, when a new baby is born, for example. But when we open up the things we ‘own’ to more connections, we invite in more love, more connections and more balance in the heart chakra.
Give love like you give a gift, freely and without attachments or expectations.
Signs the heart chakra is OUT of balance: over-bearing or needy, greedy or detached, the fear of rejection is associated with this chakra being out of balance, as is an inflated sense of entitlement.
Signs the heart chakra is IN balance: warm and loving vibes, a feeling of equanimity with the universe, and unconditional love, kindness and joy.
Symbol: A shaktona (a 6-pointed star representing fire and water, masculine and feminine) inside a 12-petal lotus
Mantra: YAM
Affirmation: I love everything I do.
Colour: Green
In balance: warm vibes and unconditional love
Out of balance: Over-active: over-bearing and possessive; Under-active: needy and detached
Oil: Jasmine
Element: Air
Love unconditionally and open the heart in Hero’s pose
Sit on your knees, heels to sitting bones or to a block or cushion between your feet. Interlace your hands behind your back, pulling them down towards the mat. Try and bring the shoulder blades together to open the chest. Straight spine, growing taller and taller with every inhale.
Reach for kindness and compassion in Warrior III
Start from Warrior I with arms raised. Reach your arms forward and shift the weight into your right foot, keeping your belly pulled in and up and your back leg straight, and lean until you can float the back foot off the floor, trying to bring it horizontal with the floor with your hips square (this means try not to stack your left hip).
Challenge: Bend into the standing leg for a moment then straighten. Warrior III squats!
Modifications: Use blocks, a chair or the wall to help you balance in this pose. It’s tough and takes time to build up the strength in the back and standing leg.
And remember to repeat the movement on the other side!
Lift your heart and mood in Bow pose
Dhanurasana or bow pose is a pretty intense pose AND it’s really fun! It stretches the front body, the chest, the tummy, everything WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY engaging practically every muscle in the back and thighs! Wow!
Begin on your stomach. Bend your knees and reach your hands back to take hold of your toes if you can, or your ankles.
New yogis, knees and feet hip-width apart; advanced yogis, try and keep the feet together.
Now lift up! Kick your feet into your hands and LIFT! Lift up as high as you can! Lift the hands, the feet, the chest – try and lift the thighs up off the floor! Gaze up!
Repeat this dynamic movement for a few rounds of breath, inhale to come up and exhale to come down. Then try to hold it for three to five breaths. Well done!
Challenge: Roll over! From dhanurasana, roll over to the right, keeping the same bow shape all the way from your feet to your neck. Don’t let the head rest on the floor, you’ll lost that awesome spinal extension, instead try and keep it in line with your spine as you gaze back.
Open your heart to new connections and experiences in Ustrasana, Camel pose
I love camel pose! It’s such an invigorating back bend and its super accessible thanks to blocks! Camel pose also has lots going on in the legs, as it’s stretching and strengthening in the PSOAS, hip flexors and quads.
In the centre of your mat, come onto your knees, have your blocks handy. Knees hip-width apart, lift the hips above the knees. Place your blocks on the highest level on the outside of your feet (feet can be flat on the mat or toes tucked under and heels up) and engage your pelvic floor and core by pulling the belly in and up.
- Level 1 Camel
Inhale to raise both arms straight then exhale as you swing your right hand back so the heel of your hand grounds down into the block by your right foot. Inhale right hand up to meet the left, then repeat on the other side. After two or three rounds, rest in child’s pose.
- Level 2 Camel
Remove the blocks! Come down onto your heels, either with the heels lifted and toes tucked (option A) or the feet flat on the floor (option B).
- Level 3 Camel
Let’s add both hands! Inhale both arms up then exhale both arms back. Option to stay for a few breaths, inhaling filling up the stomach and growing the chest, and exhaling, contracting the stomach and pushing the hips forwards. When you’re ready to come up, try to pull yourself up with your core. Take it easy and slow. Rest in child’s pose or reclined butterfly pose (LINK) for a few breaths.
I hope you love these poses as much as I do. Comment below to tell me how you felt after each one!
Have a beautiful week. The winter will end soon. Tet-mas is coming. Deck the halls with pomelos and peach blossoms.
Love to everyone
Lollicorn xxx
