Hi %%FIRST_NAME%%,
Welcome to Day 12 of Chakra Vitality. Here’s the link to right click and download the MP3.
How did you get on with yesterday’s video?
As you may have noticed, the physical aspects of clearing and balancing the heart chakra are all to do with opening up and stretching the chest area.
A tight, constricted chest is often a symptom of blocked energies in the heart chakra.
Of course, if you have shoulder and upper back problems, please go easy with any physical exercises in this area.
However, regular releasing of tension in the upper back and chest will help everything flow more easily.
The type of yoga I practise (Dru Yoga) is heart-centred. It focuses strongly on freeing up the energy flow through the spine and opening up the energies of the heart (and rest of the body) to be clearer and more healthy. So I particularly enjoy the heart-based exercises in the Chakra Vitality routine.
Freeing up the chest and upper back muscles can also help with breathing.
If we are used to breathing from our upper chest, rather than the abdominal area, then we tend to be using the chest muscles to breathe, rather than the diaphragm. This leads to tension and back pain. Anything that helps to release this will have a positive impact. It can also reduce your stress levels. Belly breathing allows the body to have more oxygen and to work more efficiently. Upper chest breathing can trigger the body’s stress hormones, including adrenalin. The heart chakra exercises, following on from the solar plexus work, can make a real difference.
How are you getting on with the heart chakra / upper chest work?
What differences are you noticing so far?
Here’s today’s forum link – we’re talking about the impact of the Chakra Vitality routine on stress and tension:
Namaste,
Clare
P.S. Here’s a video that shows how it all fits together so far:
MP3 Audio