“I’m not interested in being a ‘lover.’ I am interested only in being love.” – Ram Dass
Weekly Focus: Anahata Chakra (heart chakra)
Anahata is the heart chakra; this chakra relates to the ‘feelings’ of the heart. Chakras are part of the energetic body systems in Yoga. Anahata invites us towards unconditional love inviting us towards more oneness with all life.
In Sanskrit, Anahata means ‘unhurt,’ ‘unstruck’ or unbeaten.’ This is the center of love for one’s self, for others, for empathy, compassion and forgiveness. It is through Anahata that we develop unconditional and devotional love. A bridge between the spiritual and the earthbound.
This week in our yoga practice we are invited to call love, compassion and empathy into our hearts. When Anahata is balanced and healthy, we develop deeper relationships and connection. This is not a romantic love or a love attached to material possession. This is a loving awareness for all beings, beginning with the Self. When our love is kind and open, we shift from an emotional state of love to a devotional state of love, acting for the overall greater good. In many ways this relates to our attachments. When we are attached to the material world and our material possessions or titles, it becomes challenging to let our love flow fluidly and kindly towards all beings equally. It confuses our awareness of what is and what is not love. As we often do in Yoga, we are reminded to release these attachments to experience a freer sense of the word “love.”
As the summertime calls us towards social engagement and interaction, how can we keep this invitation of loving kindness open? Are we inviting loving relationships into our sphere? Are we acting with loving awareness as we engage or are we simply seeking pleasure? How can we invite engagement and connection that elevates every individual involved?
Inviting loving awareness and kindness everyday is an act of taking our yoga practice from the mat to the real world. ✨
Passive Pose of the Week: Parsva sukhasana (seated side stretch)
Side bends stretch out the abdomen, the back and the heart space. This is a movement that allows us to move with grace and to feel more open on on the other side.
- Begin sitting on the floor in a comfortable cross-legged position.
- Inhale and reach your arms up overhead.
- Exhale and lower your right hand to the floor. Stretch your left arm alongside the ear leaning to your right.
- Breathe deeply into your left ribs
- Hold for 3 – 5 breaths before lifting through center and switching sides.
Sometimes when we lean into a lateral bend it’s easy to dumb into the shortened side of the body and feel a reduction of space. Our goal is to keep as much space in the body as possible, to feel free and clear for energy and breath to move! Rather than allowing yourself to bend and fold at the waist, think about lifting yourself up and over a big barrel in the side bind. To aid in this action, we like to put a yoga block underneath of the bottom hand. Push into the block to lift the ribs away from the floor and then reach away with the top arm. How does this change the feeling of the pose for you?
Active Pose of the Week: Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose)
Setubandha Sarvangasana is a front body stretch that engages a lengthening back bend from shoulders to hips. This pose greatly expands and broadens the heart space on the front of the body.
- Begin lying on your back.
- Bend the knees and plant your feet firmly on the ground about hips-width distance apart.
- Push down through your feet, breath in and as you exhale lift your hips towards the ceiling.
- Hug your inner thighs together.
- Walk the shoulders behind the body so that the chest begins to lift. Press down through the back of the arms to support the lift of the chest.
- Hold for 3 – 5 breaths and slowly lower down.
Bridge pose is often taken at the end of our yoga practices, it is a fairly common back bend. Sometimes the poses we visit the most can get a little stale. To experience something different in the pose, try squeezing a yoga block between your inner thighs. How does this change your relationship to the pose? Release the block and take another round of bridge, this time wrapping a yoga strap around your thighs tightly and trying to press the strap open. How does this change the pose from the first variation? What do you feel here? Finally, take a third round and see if you can replicate some of the sensations you found with the props. What is that experience like for you?
Join us in class this week to practice connecting with Anahata Chakra. See the full schedule HERE.
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