Heart Opening Yoga

Work from your heart, not your brain to create harmony” - BKS Iyengar

Backbends are often referred to as ‘heart opening’ poses and their many benefits are pretty clear. Physically – they stretch the hips, open the shoulders and chest, build strength in the legs, arms and back muscles and can even alleviate back and neck pain. Mentally and emotionally they invite courage and vulnerability, help us to face fears and remain calm in the face of difficult situations.

How many times in yoga class have you been told to open your heart, lift your heart, or draw your heart forward? This is a very common cue indicating students should drop their shoulders away from their ears, lift their chest, and bend through the thoracic spine. Including backbends in your practice encourages an even deeper physical opening of the chest and heart center. They also elongate the spine; release tension and stress from the neck, shoulders, and back; create space for the lungs and deeper breaths; and energize your practice, body, and mind. In addition to backbends, focusing on love and gratitude while practicing will open your emotional heart. Opening the heart teaches us to be humble, vulnerable, and lead with our hearts in both practice and life.

Explore the following yoga practices to open your heart, cultivate gratitude and bring more love into your life:

Set up your practice space

Use colors, stones, and essential oils related to the heart chakra in your yoga practice space and on your body. The heart chakra is located in the physical heart and governs love, kindness and compassion. It’s represented by the colors green and pink, the stones rose quartz and watermelon tourmaline, and essential oils of rose and jasmine.

Body Scan

Begin your yoga or meditation practice with a body scan. Sit in a comfortable seated position and check in with your posture. Is your chest collapsed or lifted? If your chest is collapsed, you are physically protecting your heart. Lift the chest and open the shoulders to bring the heart to the front. Then rest one or both hands on the heart. Leave them there for a few deep breaths. Note how this feels.

Breathe into the heart

Focus your breath work on your heart. Imagine you are breathing from the heart and into the heart. Feel the chest rise and fall with your breath. Again take note of any feelings that arise.

Mudras

A mudra is a gesture or seal that channels our life force. Incorporate mudras into your practice to energize the heart. To practice Anjali mudra, bring the palms together at the heart and press the thumbs into the sternum. Use Anjali mudra at the beginning of practice while seated and in Mountain pose (Tadasana). As you grow comfortable with the mudra, use it with different poses throughout your practice.

Mantras

Use a mantra during your practice. The mantra for the heart chakra is “yam” pronounced similar to “young” or in English, “I love.” If using “I love,” think “I” as you inhale and “love” as you exhale.

Bring gratitude into your practice

Lasting, loving relationships are significantly influenced by expressions of gratitude. According to a study published in 2014, gratitude is what holds two people together. The study reported that after expressions of gratitude, participants reported feeling more loving. Gratitude also increases feelings of happiness and well-being. Practice gratitude on the mat to get comfortable expressing thanks to your loved ones. Think of three things you are grateful for at the start or end of your yoga practice.

Asana

When practicing heart opening backbends, it is important to maintain balance by using counterposes. After any deep back-bending yoga pose, neutralize the spine with a simple twist and then counter with a forward folding pose. Backbends energize and physically open, expand, and lift the heart. Forward folds give your heart a chance to recharge and rest. Begin with gentle backbends such as Dog Tilt pose (Svanasana), Cobra pose (Bhujangasana), or Bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana). For a deeper backbend try Camel pose (Ustrasana) or Upward Bow pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana). These backbends bring the heart above the head. This is a physical representation of following or leading with your heart. For more specific asana recommendations, try this heart-centered sequence.

Heart Meditation

Close your practice with a heart-centered meditation. This can be as simple as breathing into the heart and using the mantra “I love” as mentioned earlier. You may also incorporate a mudra here, such as Anjali mudra.

Take any or all of these recommendations and mix them into your daily practice. As you move from your mat and through your day, come back to your intention of love and gratitude.

Six simple ways to declutter your mind

From the desktop p.c., to the laptop, the smartphone and now ‘smart wearables,’ never before has information been so easily accessible. Social media, online messaging, email, streaming services, television, news… all help play a part in subjecting our brains to information overload.

According to a landmark study published in August 2018, people spend on average 24 hours a week online, with one in five spending as much as 40 hours a week online – for some, that’s an entire working week! We consume almost 90 times more information than we did in 1940. Little wonder, then, that we may feel a little frazzled at times.

How do you know if your mind is cluttered?

Do you find it hard to focus on one thing at a time, or that your mind is spinning? Do you struggle to concentrate and often feel restless? Are you easily distracted and feel that there is always somewhere else you should be, or something else you should be doing? Do you sometimes get to the end of the day feeling like you haven’t stopped, yet struggle to recall what you’ve done? If so, it’s likely that your mind could benefit from some decluttering.

What are the benefits of mentally decluttering?

Decluttering our physical space helps us to feel calmer and yes – joyful! The same goes for decluttering our mental space. Clearing out the clutter increases our ability to focus, enables us to concentrate for longer periods of time, and generally helps us to feel calmer.

How can we declutter our minds?

Since the availability and accessibility of information and stimulus (particularly the online aspects of it) is unlikely to decrease any time soon, the onus is on us to manage their impact on our lives. Here are our top 6 tips:

1. Schedule tech-free time

Decide on a cut off point in your day – perhaps 7 or 8pm – where you turn off your computer / put your laptop away, and switch your phone to silent – or better still – off. A great tip from Esther Ekhart is to turn off your wi-fi off at night and don’t turn it on again until the following morning after your breakfast or yoga / meditation practice. That way, even if you are tempted to grab your phone within the first 5 minutes of waking up (as 65% of all adults under 35 do), you won’t be drawn down the online rabbit hole.

Make ‘phone-free’ spaces such as the dinner table or bedroom so that there are at least a couple of times a day where you can be fully present. We also have a phone-free bathroom rule (with two teenagers in the house it’s a necessity!) and a ‘telephone hotel’ that our phones spend every night recharging their batteries in.

2. Connect with nature

Although the physical benefits of exercise are well-documented, taking a moment to truly connect with nature can have a profound effect on our overall sense of wellbeing. (And by ‘connecting’ I don’t mean charging around a forest, while listening to music or a podcast).

In a 2015 study, researchers found that people who had walked in nature showed lower activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that is active when we find ourselves trapped in a repetitive loop of negative thought patterns. Even if it’s a few minutes spent feeling the fresh air on your skin, listening to the birds singing or watching the clouds drift by, nature can have a powerful effect on our mental state.

3. Stop multitasking

When life speeds up, we have a tendency to speed up too – as if spinning seven plates with half an eye on each will help us get more done. It won’t; some of them will get smashed. Even in our so-called downtime, we watch TV or a movie whilst simultaneously scrolling through our Instagram or Facebook feed.

In fact, what is known as ‘multi-tasking’ is more accurately described as ‘task-switching’ because the brain isn’t capable of focusing on two serious tasks at the same time. So try to focus on doing one thing at a time and do only that. Even if we’re browsing social media, it’s much easier to do it mindfully if we haven’t got half an eye on Netflix at the same time.

4. Practise mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice where we give our undivided attention to whatever we are doing at a particular moment, aware of our thoughts and emotions but not reacting to or judging them.

It works a bit like this: if we choose to be totally absorbed and pay attention to what we’re doing (whether it’s skiing or mopping the floor), we actively choose to be more ‘alive’ in that moment and are more likely to enjoy what we’re doing. Practising mindfulness can also improve the efficiency of our minds, helping us get to the point of what we’re doing or thinking about, rather than allowing a cycle of constant worry to take over. If you’re new to this, try our Introduction to Mindfuless meditation

5. Scroll responsibly

The average person now spends a staggering four hours of their day on their mobile phone and though much of this is as a result of clever algorithms designed to take advantage of our ‘dopamine-driven’ desires, we can take back some control. The iphone has a setting which allows you to monitor how much time you’ve spent on apps. For Android, you can download an app (the irony) which does the same. 

Another simple tip I’ve found really helpful is to move apps that you use a lot off your home screen and ‘bury’ them in a harder-to-access folder. Better still, remove them altogether. However, perhaps the best thing I’ve done is to delete all notifications from my phone – that way, I can be more mindful of when and how often I check my messages – rather than at the behest of a tiny, red notification bell.

6. Embrace boredom

Research has shown that even just a few minutes of downtime can aid learning and helps us retain information. Not only this, but as the saying goes, a relaxed mind is a creative mind: Mental idle time may “foster a particular kind of productivity,” according to Jonathan Schooler, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He says overcoming impasses  often happen when people’s minds are free to roam.

In a society that values ‘busyness’ and ‘productivity,’ it can be difficult to give ourselves permission to pause, let alone stop for long enough to get (gasp) bored. Yet, not only is there evidence to suggest boredom sparks creativity, a greater capacity for insight and aids problem solving, but that it’s simply good for our mental health. It allows the body and mind simply to process life. If you cannot recall the last time you let yourself STOP, try this practice with EkhartYoga teacher, James Reeves, and embrace the life-changing magic of doing nothing.

Structuring your week using ayurvedic principles

As you know, we are huge fans of Ayurveda, you don’t just eat Ayurveda you live Ayurveda. 

Did you know that different days of the week are governed by and embody the energy of different Doshas. By re-structuring our activities and eating to be in harmony with the Dosha and corresponding energy of different days of the week, we are able to live in more alignment to be more efficient and live with a greater sense of  grace and ease. Making small changes in our daily routines has the ability to completely change the flow of our lives.

As you read on you will see that how to generally structure your week to be in alignment with these energies.

Sunday

Sunday is governed by the Sun, therefore, this means that the Pitta Dosha dominates which encompasses energy, passion, and power. Take the opportunity to use this increased energy on Sundays to go for a run, a hike in nature or a strong yoga practice.

Pitta also governs our digestive fire, so making use of this to catch up with friends for Brunch or a picnic is also a nice way to enjoy this energy. As pitta is fire, try not to overload your body with foods and beverages that are hot in nature, so leave red meat, chilli, and alcohol for Saturdays instead.

Monday

Moon Monday, Monday is governed by the Moon which encompasses cooling, soothing and nourishing properties dominated by Kapha and Vata. Although in our society today Monday is seen as the day to rev up your energy and get things done, according to Ayurveda those actions are seen to be very harmful. Instead, take the initiative to incorporate some journalling when you wake, a stroll on your lunch break and a little extra time spent meditating in the evening.

Undertaking a yin yoga class is a wonderful way to embrace the moon energy on Mondays. Keeping this moon energy in mind, when it comes to your diet on Mondays it may help to stick to liquids via a smoothie for breakfast, soup for lunch, vegetable broth for dinner and lots of our juicy goodness in between.

Tuesday

Mars is said to govern Tuesdays, which embraces Pitta characteristics – fire, anger, and courage. Using this energy wisely, it’s a mighty fine day to commence one of our cleanse programs if we say so ourselves. On Tuesdays, we like to use this fire to work through more challenging projects that require a little more courage and stamina. When it comes to exercise, channel this fire into a spin class, some boxing or weight training.

Wednesday

Humpday is governed by the planet Mercury and is influenced by all three doshas, providing more balance and harmony. Wednesdays allow all that you have worked on the past two days to flow seamlessly, however, do not step back, keep working at a steady pace to reap the rewards. Take Wednesdays as a time to reflect on where you can improve going forward through the simple practice of journaling.

Thursday

Jupiter governs Thursday, where Kapha takes a stand to provide some much-needed grounding.  On Thursdays, try to incorporate some plyometrics, pilates or vinyasa yoga to keep your kapha in balance to avoid becoming stagnant and naturally heavy. In regards to food, you might like to eat a bit lighter – enjoy a little more juice today plus a wholesome salad.

Friday

Friday is governed by Venus which is influenced by Kapha and Vata. This means that Fridays are for creativity to stimulate all of your senses. This could look like wearing more colorful clothing, a walk in nature, mix up your look with bold lipstick and listening to music. Friday is a time to get creative, so if you have followed the principles that we have mentioned so far, you shouldn’t need to order pizza, wine, and a Netflix marathon.

Saturday

It’s the weekend, which calls for movement, passion projects, hobbies, and creativity. As Saturday is governed by Vata it provides the perfect opportunity to dive into all that defines you away from work. A balanced Saturday could look like a morning walk and breakfast with a friend, a ceramic class before lunch and a yin yoga class in the afternoon. It is really important that you don’t skip meals on Saturdays, as Vata requires a lot of grounding, so make sure you emphasise wholesome meals on Saturdays.

Disconnect to reconnect - Our guide to a digital detox

Are you struggling to control your digital habits? Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling, only to realise hours later that time has been wasted? Take back control and create a more mindful approach to integrating technology in your everyday life. In this article we will discuss the effects of technology on your life and ways to improve your relationship with it.

How Technology Impacts Our Lives

The day I realised I relied too much on technology was when my phone died and I was in the middle of Melbourne. With no Google Maps and no way to call anyone I simply stopped, confused.  

 “Ok think, what do people do without Google maps?”

It was then I realised how aimlessly I moved around in this huge city with no real idea where I was going just absently staring at a screen waiting for my next instruction. Lost, anxious and helpless, all because my phone was dead.  How did I get to this point where a piece of technology was my key to survival? And not just my survival but also my main source of entertainment. The only reason my phone was dead was because I had spent the last  hour watching Netflix on the train, and before that I was listening to music in the shower, and before that I was scrolling social media while I ate my dinner. I began moving through my day step-by-step and couldn't find a time that hadn’t revolved around my phone or some sort of device. It was then I knew I had a problem.

The Benefits Of Technology

Before we get started I do want to say I am not anti-technology. I agree that technology has created new worlds of opportunity for our generation and now we are able to do stuff that would have seemed impossible only 30 years ago. With new technology we are able to hear sounds which have previously escaped human ears, see loved ones who live on the other side of the world, send people up into space and even create prosthetic limbs with 3-D printers. There are so many ways in which technology is advancing humankind.

The Effects Of Technology On Our Health

But what I do not love about the world we live in today is the way we unconsciously use technology.  We live in a time where we have the world at our fingertips, you can find the answer to any question in a matter of seconds with just a few clicks. Yet, I think it’s safe to say the average person is not using technology to expand their knowledge but rather technology today is used mainly as our greatest pastime. And don’t we pass the time. Hours and hours spent just scrolling, not really paying attention. I cannot tell you how many rabbit holes I have fallen down. It would start by watching a video of a cute old grandma and a baby dancing together, then that video would roll onto the next and then the next, then somehow I would end up on a clip of a dog in a bubblebath - 1 whole hour of my life I will never get back. And many of us are guilty of this, the mindless habitual mooching around on our phones. 

Habitual scrolling is a real problem for some people; a 2019 study showed that on average US teens were spending just under 7.5 hours a day on entertainment through digital media[1]. Another study which claimed some adults can even peak at 11+ hours a day. Needless to say, this amount of screentime is very detrimental to our wellbeing. Studies show that more than 2 hours of screen time a day can have a negative impact on our sleep, our bodies and our mind. But it's not surprising that many of us have fallen into this trap. You see, our brains are directly impacted by this constant sensory overload all coming from our devices. They have even found that using technology for recreational use such as gaming or social media can result in our brain producing dopamine which is a chemical reaction that relates to pleasure or enjoyment and is often associated with addiction.

 So this is the problem, but what is the solution? I propose a digital detox. 

What Is A Digital Detox?

You might be wondering: “What exactly is a digital detox?”, “How can I possibly go on a detox from technology?”, “I have to work so I need my laptop, my phone is my alarm, I get google alerts to remember appointments, it is not practical for me to give up technology, and so on and so on”. 

But the digital detox outlined below is not the complete abstinence from technology but rather a reduction in the amount of unnecessary time spent on our screens, and instead focus on our real-life social and physical interactions; a way to get off the screens and into the present. By not using technology as a habitual distraction we can bring mindfulness into everyday activities. Follow these easy steps below and you will soon find your mind calmer, your sleep longer and your awareness heightened.  

7 Ways To Start Your Digital Detox Today

The most important part of any detox is establishing a time frame and sticking to it. If it is your first time trying this detox you can always start small. Even if it's one hour, you can always work up longer and longer each time. So first set yourself a goal and let's get to it.

1. Put your phone on airplane or silent mode to turn off notifications.

This brings back your control over your device - it does not command your attention rather you look when you're ready. Allowing you to continue doing other activities without being constantly distracted, thus allowing you to get lost in your other non-digital projects.

2. Have technology-free hours or activities.

Have a designated ‘no technology time’. For many of us the first thing we do when we open our eyes in the morning is check our phone.  This starts our bad habits from the minute we wake up and will likely continue throughout the day. So instead, try waking up and having a whole hour to establish a set routine before you even think about checking in with the digital world. Also it is good to have certain activities such as cooking or reading where you completely detach from your devices and put all of your attention into what is in front of you to reconnect to the present moment.

3. No screens just before bed.

This may be the hardest as many of us love scrolling or watching a movie before we drift off to sleep, but by turning off you would be giving yourself the greatest gift - a good night's sleep.  Studies show the detrimental effects the blue lights and stimulations from screens have on our sleep. It messes with our natural day and night rhythm through artificial simulation of daylight. By letting go of this unnecessary use before bed you will find your body more relaxed, falling asleep will be easier and you will reconnect with your natural body clock.

4. Delete unnecessary apps from your phone.

This action step is actually very liberating. It's so tempting when you have apps on your homescreen so removing the temptation will really make things easier. It doesn't mean you have to delete your accounts but rather make it harder for you to access them. Either access through a browser where you have to log in each time or put the app in a folder in a folder in a folder, thus when you go to open it you have an opportunity to think with each click if it's worth your time.

5. Put a timer on when on certain devices or apps.

If you don’t want to completely remove yourself from the digital world a trick to stop you getting lost in them is setting timers. Enjoy your time while it lasts and when the buzzer goes you let go of the attachment and move on to your next activity. On iPhones you can set a limit per app and after the set amount of time you will get a reminder to either close the app or extend your screen time. You decide how much energy you want to give a certain device or app and set the time appropriately. This will also bring a conscious element into your technology use, you will learn to use your time wisely.

6. Have mindful alternatives activities ready.

The key to success in this detox is having alternative activities to fill the time.  Most of us only use our devices either out of habit or out of boredom so by having set tasks or activities ready allows us to find our pleasure and entertainment elsewhere. Replacing technology with mindful practices such as reading, playing an instrument or meditating is an amazing way to transform a spare hour in the day into something wholesome and beneficial for our minds.

7. Ask for support from family or friends.

It's a good idea to have a friend or a family member as an accountability buddy who is ready to undertake this challenge together. Also ironically there are apps that exist to help you reduce screen time and technology use, this can be super helpful as you will be able to see your improvements as you go along.You do not have to do this alone, it's always easier to do something challenging with support.