Heart and Chest opening
- angelilacyoga
- Jul 31, 2025
- 2 min read
🧘♀️ PHYSICAL HEART OPENING
How:
Physical heart opening involves postures or movements that stretch and expand the chest, shoulders, and upper back. Examples include:
Backbends: Cobra, Upward-Facing Dog, Wheel, Camel pose
Shoulder openers: Thread the Needle, Cow Face arms
Chest openers: Warrior 1, reverse table top
These movements counteract the slouched posture many people develop from sitting, phone use, or stress.
Why:
Improves posture and spinal alignment
Increases lung capacity and breathing efficiency
Stimulates the heart chakra (in yoga philosophy)
Releases stored tension or emotional stress in the chest and diaphragm
💗 EMOTIONAL/SPIRITUAL HEART OPENING
How:
This refers to becoming more emotionally available, compassionate, and vulnerable. Ways to open the heart emotionally include:
Therapy or inner child work
Journaling about feelings, especially grief, love, or forgiveness
Meditation, especially loving-kindness (Metta) meditation
Breathwork or somatic practices
Deep connection with others through authentic conversation
Acts of compassion or service
Why:
Fosters deeper relationships and empathy
Helps heal from emotional wounds
Increases a sense of connection to life or spirituality
Enhances overall well-being, joy, and resilience
Can lead to a greater sense of purpose and self-acceptance
In Summary:
How? Through movement, mindfulness, emotional vulnerability, and self-inquiry.
Why? To heal, grow, connect, and live more fully from a place of love rather than fear or defence.
🧘 PHYSICAL HEART-OPENING PRACTICES
These help release physical tension and create spaciousness in your chest and shoulders, often leading to an emotional release as well.
🔹 1. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
How:
Kneel with knees hip-width apart.
Place hands on your lower back or heels.
Lift the chest and gently press hips forward as you arch back.
Why: A powerful heart and throat opener that can stir strong emotions. Go slow and be gentle.
🔹 2. Bridge or Wheel Pose
These backbends activate the heart centre. Hold for a few breaths and focus on lifting the chest.
💗 EMOTIONAL/SPIRITUAL HEART-OPENING PRACTICES
These help you soften inner defenses and connect more deeply with yourself and others.
🔹 1. Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta)
How: Sit quietly and repeat phrases like:
“May I be safe.”
“May I be happy.”
“May I be healthy.”
“May I live with ease.”
Then extend these wishes to someone you love, a neutral person, someone you’re struggling with, and all beings.
Why: Builds compassion, dissolves resentment, opens emotional space.
🔹 2. Heart Journaling Prompts
What am I protecting my heart from?
What am I longing to give or receive?
When did I last feel deeply connected to someone?
Why: Brings awareness to unconscious emotional walls and desires.
🔹 3. Gratitude + Vulnerability Practice
Each day, consider or write down:
One thing you're grateful for
One thing you're afraid to feel—but willing to explore