In honor of Valentine’s Day today, we’re focusing on the benefits of heart opening poses, like the Open Heart and Eagle Arms video on www.amazenu.com.
What it is: Chest opening poses help counteract the increasingly common hunched over posture we all have from sitting at a computer. Moving the shoulders back and lifting the heart helps to lengthen the front of the body and relieve shoulder tightness and back pain.
Why we love it: Opening the chest symbolizes opening the heart and experiencing a connection to the people around you and in the world. Physically, these postures help to tone the spine, increase lung capacity and blood flow.
How to do it: Active chest openers can be done standing or sitting.
Open Heart:
Breathe in, stand up tall and reach your arms behind you like a cape.
Stay here in Open Heart Pose for two more breaths.
For more stretch, clasp your hands behind your back and stretch your knuckles toward the floor. One, more breath.
Breathe in, lift your heart up. Breathe out bring your hands to your sides.
Watch Open Heart and Eagle Arms 1 (younger students) or Open Heart and Eagle Arms 2 (older students) if you would like to watch the entire sequence.
If you’d like to try something more restorative, roll a blanket and lay it on the floor. Position yourself so you are sitting on the rolled blanket. Lie down with the blanket vertical along your spine and supporting your neck and chest. Your arms can open to the side. This is a great pose for days when you’ve been stuck driving your car long distances.
Happy Valentine’s Day!