How to Perform Heart Opening Exercises in Yoga
If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, you’ve more than likely heard the teacher speak of “opening the heart” or “opening the heart center.” This refers to the area of the body where your physical being unites with your mental and spiritual beings. Though most of the postures in yoga focus on this area of the body, there are a number of poses that are better equipped to open and balance the chest and heart. The three exercises described are some of the easiest to perform, and can be sequenced into almost any practice.
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Instructions
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Yoga chest fly
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1
Sit on your yoga mat with your legs crossed in front of you. Straighten your back and lengthen your spine.
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2
Raise your arms out to your sides until they are in line with your shoulders and parallel to the floor. Shift your palms so they are facing front.
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3
Exhale and draw your hands together in front of you, making sure that your arms are straight throughout the motion. As soon as your palms are about to touch, stop and hold this position for a brief moment.
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4
As you inhale, draw your hands away from each other until your arms return to their original position, out to your sides.
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5
On your next exhalation, draw your hands together again until the palms almost touch.
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Continue to work with these two movements—drawing your hands away and drawing your hands together—for between 60 and180 seconds.
Ustrasana
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7
On the mat, position yourself on your knees, which should be about hip-width apart.
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8
Draw your hands back to just behind your hips and press your palms into your buttocks, with your fingers pointing toward the floor.
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9
Press your hips forward, keeping your buttocks soft, and roll your shoulders back, opening your chest.
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10
Reach your hands down and back to your heels, arching your back and opening your chest further. When your hands come into contact with your feet, press your palms firmly into your heels.
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11
Let your head fall back, keeping your throat soft, and hold this position for 30 to 120 seconds.
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
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12
Lie down on the mat with your knees bent toward the ceiling and the soles of your feet planted on the floor, positioning them so they are parallel to one another.
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13
Bring your arms down to your sides, with the tips of your fingers touching your heels.
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14
Press the soles of your feet and your arms into the mat, and lift your pelvis off the floor until your heels are directly below your knees.
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15
Grab the yoga block and slide it under your sacrum (the triangular bone located at the base of your spine, just above your tailbone.)
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Lower your pelvis so that your sacrum comes to rest on the block, and return your arms to your sides.
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17
Roll your shoulders back slightly and lift your chin away from your chest, still keeping it in line with your sternum. Hold this position for 30 to 120 seconds.
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