for the Heart heart-centered yoga practices to strengthen and open your heart

Contents EXPLORING YOUR HEART THROUGH YOGA 3

YOGA PRACTICES TO OPEN YOUR HEART 6

YOGA HELPFUL FOR HEART HEALTH, LOWERING BP 10

YOGA: GOOD FOR YOUR HEART 15

HEART CHAKRA 101 20

THE ART OF PRACTICING SELF-COMPASSION 24

HEART CHAKRA MEDITATION 27

TOP YOGA POSES & MANTRAS FOR A GRATEFUL HEART 31

THE BEST YOGA POSES FOR YOUR HEART 34 EXPLORING YOUR HEART THROUGH YOGA

By Kathleen Bryant

How do you regard the human and connection, and a heart—as a scientist or as a wellspring of spiritual potential. romantic? Yoga teaches us that “Open your heart center” is a these perspectives are not common cue during yoga classes, mutually exclusive. Yogic and being informed about the traditions view the heart as a key energetics and physiology of the to good health, the source of love heart will help you to do just that.

PAGE 3! Tere are many ways to explore levels, blood pressure and body and experience the heart through mass. yoga. First, a quick review of the heart’s physical anatomy: As the Yes, we can heal the heart—but the heart can also heal us. Te center of the body’s circulatory system, the human heart’s four “heart words” we use to describe our feelings (heartsick, soft- chambers create a double pump hearted, broken-hearted, etc.) about the size of a closed fst. Te heart recirculates about 1,250 have scientifc basis. Te heart secretes behavior-infuencing gallons of blood each day through 100,000 miles of blood vessels. hormones such as oxytocin, nicknamed “the love hormone,” Te right atrium and ventricle for its positive effects on social circulate blood to and from the lungs; the left, to the rest of the bonding and its ability to counter cortisol, a stress hormone. body. Te heart is cradled between the lungs, and during deep yogic Furthermore, the heart’s electromagnetic feld is several breathing, its apex, level with the ffth or sixth rib, is massaged by times larger than the brain’s, and it can be sensed several feet away. the diaphragm. Ages before scientists evaluated Healing heart disease through biofeedback and yoga has been the human heart through cardiograms or angiography, sages increasingly accepted in the West since the 1990s, when Dr. Dean used deep yogic practices to tune into the body’s energy centers or Ornish and yoga teacher Nischala Joy Devi co-designed an effective chakras. Te rishis shared their knowledge in ancient texts and program for patients recovering through oral tradition, associating from heart attacks and other coronary issues. Recently, a study the chakras with colors and symbols to help students visualize confrmed that yoga is as effective as aerobic exercise when it comes the energy body. Te heart center, called Anahata (Unstruck Sound), to improving heart health is symbolized by a 12-petaled measurements like cholesterol

PAGE 4! lotus, and within it is a yantra of two overlapping triangles representing Shiva and Shakti, the divine masculine and feminine energies. Te Sanskrit word for heart is hridayam, hrid meaning “center,” and ayam, “this.” At the middle of the seven chakras, Anahata is where individual concerns (survival, food, sex) become selfess—and open into connection and love.

Ramana Maharshi, one of India’s greatest yogis, center, as can practicing japa mala described the heart as the nucleus with the heart’s mantra, Yam. of the universe, saying, “It is Bhakti Yoga—sometimes called neither inside nor outside the the yoga of love—encompasses a body.” From to meditation, range of practices highlighting we can explore and expand the compassion and devotion. metaphysical heart in a myriad of ways. Heart-focused Te rhythm of the heart include , which stretch accompanies our journey from the front torso and create more inside the womb until life’s last room for the heart and lungs, moment. Its metric is both an which in turn creates an uplifting inner guide and a source of love emotional effect. Hasta and compassion for all. How has such as Anjali and Hridaya yoga helped you grow to know Mudra can help energize the heart your heart?

PAGE !5 YOGA PRACTICES TO OPEN YOUR HEART

By Hali Plourde-Rogers

How many times in yoga class spine. Including backbends in have you been told to open your your practice encourages an even heart, lift your heart, or draw your deeper physical opening of the heart forward? Tis is a very chest and heart center. Tey also common cue indicating students elongate the spine; release tension should drop their shoulders away and stress from the neck, from their ears, lift their chest, shoulders, and back; create space and bend through the thoracic for the lungs and deeper breaths;

PAGE !6 and energize your practice, body, tourmaline, and essential oils of and mind. In addition to rose and jasmine. backbends, focusing on love and gratitude while practicing will Body Scan open your emotional heart. Begin your yoga or meditation Opening the heart teaches us to practice with a body scan. Sit in a be humble, vulnerable, and lead comfortable seated position and with our hearts in both practice check in with your posture. Is and life. your chest collapsed or lifted? If your chest is collapsed, you are Explore the following yoga physically protecting your heart. practices to open your heart, Lift the chest and open the cultivate gratitude and bring shoulders to bring the heart to more love into your life: the front. Ten rest one or both Set up your practice hands on the heart. Leave them there for a few deep space breaths. Note how this Use colors, stones, and feels. essential oils related to the heart chakra in your Breathe into the yoga practice space heart and on your body. Focus your breath Te heart chakra is work on your heart. located in the Imagine you are physical heart and breathing from the governs love, kindness heart and into the and compassion. It’s heart. Feel represented by the the chest colors green and rise and fall pink, the stones with your rose quartz and breath. watermelon Again take

PAGE 7! note of any feelings that arise. you love or focus on feeling grateful. Mudras A mudra is a gesture or seal that Bring gratitude into your channels our life force. practice Incorporate mudras into your Lasting, loving relationships are practice to energize the heart. To signifcantly infuenced by practice Anjali mudra, bring the expressions of gratitude. palms together at the heart and According to a study published in press the thumbs into the 2014, gratitude is what holds two sternum. Use Anjali mudra at the people together. Te study beginning of practice while seated reported that after expressions of and in Mountain pose gratitude, participants reported (). As you grow feeling more loving. Gratitude comfortable with the mudra, use also increases feelings of it with different poses throughout happiness and well-being. your practice. Practice gratitude on the mat to get comfortable expressing thanks Mantras to your loved ones. Tink of three Use a mantra during your things you are grateful for at the practice. Te mantra for the heart start or end of your yoga practice. chakra is “yam” pronounced similar to “young” or in English, Asana “I love.” If using “I love,” think “I” When practicing heart as you inhale and “love” as you opening backbends, it is exhale. important to maintain balance by using counterposes. After any Set your intention deep back-bending yoga Intention sets the stage for pose, neutralize the spine with a practice. It’s a moment where we simple twist and then counter consciously express why we are with a forward folding pose. practicing. To open your heart, Backbends energize and offer your practice to someone

PAGE !8 physically open, expand, and lift (Svanasana), Cobra pose the heart. Forward folds give your (), or Bridge pose heart a chance to recharge and (Setu Bandhasana). For a deeper rest. Begin with gentle backbends try Camel pose such as Dog Tilt pose () or Upward Bow pose (Urdhva ). Tese backbends bring the heart above the head. Tis is a physical representation of following or leading with your heart. For more specifc asana recommendations, try this heart-centered sequence. Heart Meditation Close your practice with a heart- centered meditation. Tis 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.

PAGE !9 YOGA HELPFUL FOR HEART HEALTH, LOWERING BP

By Rose Keyes

Te United States leads the world battle with no end in sight. But in heart related ailments, there is hope. In a number of including heart disease and high medical trials yoga, meditation, blood pressure. For people and have proven suffering from these and related effective in treating and in some illnesses, such as diabetes, cases even reversing many heart treatment may feel like an uphill conditions. An exciting new study

PAGE 10! published in the 2016 European blood clots. While these Journal of Cardiovascular treatments do provide relief, it is Nursing reinforces the benefts of often only temporary, with yoga for heart health. symptoms recurring over time.

Te study focuses on atrial Eighty patients, all suffering from fbrillation, a disturbance of the paroxysmal atrial fbrillation, were heart rhythm characterized by invited to participate in the study. irregular, fast, or slow heartbeats. Te group was divided in half, People suffering from atrial one to receive yoga therapy in fbrillation report symptoms of addition to standard treatment, dizziness, shortness of breath, and and the other to act as the chest pain. Other symptoms control, receiving no yoga based include heightened stress and therapies. Both groups were given anxiety and a low quality of life. tests to evaluate and establish a Tis condition is caused by an baseline for quality of life, as well irregularity of blood circulation as blood pressure and heart rate. between the upper and lower atria After 12 weeks both groups were of the heart. Tere are three types tested once more and the fndings of atrial fbrillation: paroxysmal, revealed overwhelmingly that the persistent, and permanent. Once group receiving yoga based a patient reaches the permanent therapies had lower heart rates as stage there is no way to reverse well as decreased levels of systolic the problem. Currently, and diastolic blood pressure and conventional treatment includes greater quality of life. medications to regulate heart Tis study reinforces the fndings rhythm and prevent blood clots, discussed in another article and medical procedures such as catheter ablation and published in the Spring 2015 issue of the Journal of cardioversion. Reported side effects from both medication and Arrhythmia. Te patient base was similar: all people suffering from physical treatments include paroxysmal atrial fbrillation, nausea, dizziness, infection, and

PAGE !11 although this study Supported Setu was unique in that Bandha (Bridge) is the patients acted a gentle inversion as their own that helps to re- controls. For three circulate the blood months they all and reclined engaged in standard supported Supta medical approaches to treat the illness, is an excellent followed by three heart, chest, and months of yoga hip opener. Other classes. At the end poses and specifc of the study all heart focused patients practice sequences experienced greater quality of life can be found here and here. as well as heightened physical, Although atrial fbrillation, heart mental, and emotional health and a reduction in all the symptoms disease, and high blood pressure continue to increase at alarming associated with atrial fbrillation. rates, there is a great deal of hope Both of the studies utilized a to be found in the results of these mixture of Hatha and relaxation studies and many others like focused yoga therapies in their them. For thousands of years, classes. Tere are a number of yoga has consistently proven to be yoga poses that are benefcial to a powerful healing resource, the heart that can be incorporated bringing the practitioner into a daily practice. Tese increased physical health and include gentle neck rolls, side vitality, as well as a greater sense stretches, and shoulder shrugs to of overall balance and well-being. release tension and open the So whether you are suffering sides, front, and back of the body from one of the heart ailments to promote greater blood discussed here, or something else circulation and lung capacity. entirely, try some yoga!

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Japa MalaPAGE !14 Beads YOGA: GOOD FOR YOUR HEART

By Kelly Golden Practitioners of have greatly beneft heart failure long praised the ability of the patients. practice to calm the mind and heal the body. Te great teacher Heart failure is defned as a BKS Iyengar came to his teacher chronic disorder that limits the TKV Krishnamacharya to heal his efficiency of the heart preventing ill health. Now, scientists at it from pumping a sufficient Emory University in Atlanta, GA amount of blood through the have supported this observation body. Tough the study is with new evidence that the preliminary, the initial fndings are physical practice of yoga asana can very positive. Medically, the study

PAGE !15 concluded that an eight-week in maintaining health and course of yoga can help reduce the lowering depression in chronically infammation that is linked to ill patients, an accessible program death in heart failure patients, and is of great signifcance. when done wisely, is completely safe. Tere was also signifcant Drawing awareness to the importance of the mind-body difference in the main biological connection is a gigantic step in markers between yoga participants and traditionally treated patients. bridging the gap between treating the symptoms and healing the Participants in the study experienced a 26 percent decrease whole person, which has been an ongoing criticism of traditional in symptoms based on a quality of western medicine. Almost anyone life assessment, compared to only a three percent drop of those who who has ever practiced hatha yoga can attest to the mental and were treated on traditional medical therapy. In addition, the emotional enhancements that occur as a result of practice. Even doctors conducting the study referenced the immense benefts those who come to the mat for purely physical reasons usually feel of the body-mind connection in a sense of mental ease and healing and quality of life. steadiness following even the most Heart failure patients often demanding practice. So, at last the experience difficulty in exercising medical community is beginning due to fatigue and shortness of to recognize the truths that so breath, and the study found that many practitioners have known all as an exercise, hatha yoga was along, and it’s always nice to have completely accessible to these scientifc proof for what we patients. It touted the benefts of already know! the mild aerobic exercise of hatha Many of us are aware that our yoga due to the strong emphasis on the breath linked with more emotional health has a direct effect on our physical well being. gentle movements of the body. As I myself, during an extremely exercise is of utmost importance

PAGE !16 stressful period in my life, related to our emotional health, developed a stomach ulcer as an the state of our mind can have a effect of stress. So it is no surprise great impact on the severity or that even if the cause of the dis- healing of our physical issues. In ease in the body isn’t directly the recent past, a visit to the doctor would result in a stack of prescriptions to deal with your individual physical symptoms, but the root cause of the suffering might be overlooked. Te process has been to treat the symptoms and you will feel better. But treating the symptoms doesn’t often treat the cause of illness, which can frequently be traced back to this mind-body connection. As humans, we are not sets of independently functioning systems that have no connection with each other, instead we are a complex connection of interwoven, interrelated organs, systems, and structures that enable us to survive and be healthy. When one of these systems is defcient or stressed, the other

PAGE 17! systems suffer. One of the everyone in the class must be insights from this study is the young, strong, and fexible. In his importance of maintaining whole defense, most of my students do health when fghting dis-ease in fall in to one or more of the the body. Another study out of previous categories. As a teacher, it Yale suggests that this whole is fun and challenging to have a health approach can also help class full of physically ft prevent the occurrence of heart practitioners eager to learn. But, dis-ease and its markers. is there not a greater reward in gearing our classes to the specifc As a practitioner and teacher of needs of a group of students in a hatha yoga, the biggest challenge I way that would greatly improve see with these fndings is their quality of life? encouraging those who have never practiced yoga to come to the mat. Tis is not to say that wherever Especially for those who have a you are reading this you are not view of yoga as contortion, “only already teaching or taking one of for fexible people,” or have these types of classes. Te majority trepidation about bringing of classes out there, though, are awareness to themselves. We now being modeled after the aerobics have the research to back our craze of the 70’s and 80’s; big constant claims that yoga can classes of skinny, sweaty people. beneft your health, but we still So now, science is showing us have the hurdle of fear of the evidence of deeper and more unknown to overcome. So how do profound health benefts as well as we begin to bring people to the earnest mental and emotional mat? Well, studies like this one connections. In the classic provide a strong support, as do tradition of hatha yoga, teachers gearing classes toward a specifc taught in a way that addressed population. My father suffers each student’s needs specifcally from heart disease and would not and effectively. So now, as western even consider yoga as an option medicine begins to bridge the gap due to the fact that he thinks between mind and body, those of

PAGE !18 use who experience and teach the benefts of hatha yoga should begin to take these fndings into the classes at the studios and gyms where we teach. We may fnd that once we do, the work of hatha yoga will open up a whole new experience to both the students and the teachers, and to both body and mind. One of yoga’s biggest effects is that it begins to unfold awareness of our bodies and our unhealthy patterns. Many yoga practitioners attest to the experience of whole life changes as a result of beginning a hatha yoga practice. Possibly for yoga practitioners who come to the mat with an experience of di- ease, the awareness can be the most effective healing tool that yoga can provide.

Ultimately, when we can begin to see the ability of hatha yoga to affect the whole person, then maybe we can begin to address our sharing of hatha yoga on a more individual basis.

PAGE !19 HEART CHAKRA 101

By Timothy Burgin

Anahata Chakra, meaning “not unconditional love for self and struck,” is located at the heart others. (center of the chest). It is symbolized by the color green and Traditional symbology: In the center of Anahata's twelve- a lotus with 12 petals. Its issues are love, acceptance, and trust. petalled lotus are two interlacing triangles, which form a hexagon; Anahata is the center of this is the yantra of the air compassion, and a positive balance in the heart chakra would be element. At the center of the diagram, there is a candle fame, showing sensitivity and

PAGE 20! which symbolizes the Physiological association: consciousness and the individual Anahata chakra is associated with soul. Traditionally there is often the heart and lungs, the an image of a four-armed deity respiratory system and the riding a black antelope, circulatory system. It is also representing the symbol of related to the thymus that is alertness. At the bottom is located in the chest. Te thymus written the mantra Yam. plays an important role in the

PAGE !21 immune system, and areas where Affirmation: we help to fend off stress. May I be free to feel my true Psychological qualities: Love, feelings, desires, and passions and compassion, empathy, a deep sense be at home in my heart. of peace and centeredness. Yoga Poses to Activate this Balanced expression of Anahata Chakra: chakra: Fish Love is the basis of all actions. Feeling compassion, being tolerant Standing yoga mudra and demonstrating kindness to Pigeon oneself and others. An overarching feeling of joy and Camel happiness, at ease with oneself, Half Camel content in our surroundings and with the people in our lives. Standing backbend Example of when Anahata Prayer twist chakra is out of balance: Yoga Practices to Activate this When the Anahata chakra is Chakra: over-active a person is overly ruled Mudra: Hridaya and Anjali by emotions; sadness, hurt, unexpressed grief can sit in this Mantra: Yam area, jealousy, possessiveness or being too self-critical. When Meditation: Heart Chakra Anahata is under-active, a person Meditation may be demonstrating shyness, Yoga Path: Bhakti withdrawn, feeling unloved or unappreciated, and generally fnding it hard to let people in.

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By Kathleen Bryant

According to the Yoga Sutras action to alleviate another’s pain (1.33), one way to purify the mind or sorrow. Forgiveness, according and increase serenity is to practice to some, is the ultimate expression compassion (karuna) in the face of of compassion. But the true test of suffering. Compassion means compassion may be whether or “shared feeling,” a level of not you can extend it to yourself. sympathy so deep that it inspires

PAGE !24 Practicing yoga presents us with humanity, sharing the same fears many opportunities for exploring and yearnings as well as the same self-compassion. Te very frst of potential for greatness. When you the yamas or ethical guidelines practice self-compassion, you that Patanjali gives in the Yoga accept the ego’s failings and move Sutras (2.30) is ahimsa or non- on, guided by the light of presence harming, encompassing words, within. thoughts, and actions. Most of us learned this golden rule while still In the third chapter of the yoga sutras, Patanjali discusses on the playground, and yet even in a yoga class, we create struggle samyama or integration, which combines concentration, and inner confict, striving for our meditation, and Samadhi—the idea of the perfect pose or competing with other students sixth, seventh, and eighth limbs of yoga. Samyama is often and ourselves, trying to top our “personal best,” as though asana understood to be the source of yoga’s “superpowers,” but it can was a contest or performance. Even if failure doesn’t result in also be simply defned as recognizing the macrocosm within physical harm we can injure the microcosm: As above so below. ourselves with feelings of envy or lack or self-dissatisfaction. How you do asana refects how you do life. And how you treat News fash: Being unforgiving yourself ripples outward. As toward yourself is not a sign of Marianne Williamson has said, admirable self-discipline but of “Your playing small does not serve ego. In the yogic sense, ego the world.” consciousness (ahamkara) is not Self-compassion is not merely a so much about pride or self- puffery as it is about separation. state of being or quality; it’s a practice, and we learn it through Te ego mind identifes with personality, not presence. True experience. During asana, pranayama, meditation, and other humility is recognizing that each yoga practices, we learn to observe of us is a drop in the ocean of

PAGE !25 and befriend the body and mind effective to soften the restrictions —developing self-awareness and with a spirit of self-compassion? discernment. Over time, we discover when we need to be frm, One of the simplest ways to develop self-compassion is and when we need to surrender. We begin to realize how our through breath awareness. Te ego often lies to protect itself, but the experiences in the microcosm— breath honestly mirrors the mind shoulder tightness in Parsvottanasana, for example— and emotions. Practical and accessible, this lesson is one we relate to the macrocosm. Does forcing the shoulders back truly can take from the yoga studio into the world beyond. open the heart? Or is it more

PAGE !26 HEART CHAKRA MEDITATION

By Timothy Burgin

Tis heart chakra meditation is a the palms together and lightly simple technique to release press the knuckles of the thumbs sadness and fear and to bring into the sternum at the level of compassion and love into your life. your heart (you should feel a little notch where the knuckles Sit in a comfortable position, magically ft). Breathe slowly, either cross-legged on the foor or smoothly and deeply into the belly in a chair. Sit up tall with the and into the chest. Soften your spine straight, the shoulders gaze or lightly close the eyes. Let relaxed and the chest open. Inhale go of any thoughts or distractions

PAGE 27! and let the mind focus on feeling the shoulders relaxed and the the breath move in and out of chest open. Feel or visualize the your body. Once the mind feels green light love energy fowing quiet and still, bring your focus to out of your palms and into the the light pressure of the thumbs world. You can direct it towards pressing against your chest and specifc loved ones in your life or feeling the beating of the heart. to all sentient beings. Keep this focus for one to fve minutes.

Next, gently release the hands and rub the palms together, making them very warm and energized. Place the right palm in the center of your chest and the left hand on top of the right. Close the eyes and feel the center of your chest warm and radiant, full of energy. See this energy as an emerald green light, radiating out from the center of your heart into the rest of your body. Feel this energy fowing out into the arms and To end your meditation, inhale hands, and fowing back into the the arms up towards the sky, heart. Stay with this visualization connecting with the heavens, then for one to fve minutes. exhale and lower the palms lightly to the foor, connecting with the After you feel completely soaked earth. Take a moment or two with heart chakra energy, gently before moving on with the rest of release the palms and turn them your day. outwards with the elbows bent,

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join YogaYOGAINTERNATIONAL.COM/SIGNUP International PAGE !29 Click here to check out Shakti Fest Click here to check out Shakti Fest Click here to check out Shakti Fest Click here to check out Shakti Fest Click here to check out Shakti Fest Click here to check out Shakti Fest Click here to check out Shakti Fest Click here to check out Shakti Fest PAGE 30! TOP YOGA POSES & MANTRAS FOR A GRATEFUL HEART

By Timothy Burgin Expressing gratitude, gratefulness, awesome that we have a national and thankfulness feels really good, holiday dedicated to giving and research shows it is good for thanks, but research in positive us. Te practice of gratitude psychology has shown that to “allows for positive attribution, increase your levels of happiness a which has been shown to protect daily practice of gratitude is against stress and depression” and essential. Fortunately, the many gratitude can also increase one’s paths of yoga give us several overall life satisfaction. It is

PAGE !31 techniques to bring an attitude of already use these poses, try gratitude on to our yoga mats. holding them for a few more breaths than you normally do. You Te simplest approach to can also supercharge these asanas incorporating more gratitude into by remembering and focusing on your yoga practice is to use a your gratitude sankalpa while sankalpa or intention. Creating an practicing them. intention of feeling and expressing gratitude at all times, and across Two mantras to cultivate all situations, can be a powerful gratitude guiding force in your yoga One of the most powerful ways to practice. If you need something activate gratitude, gratefulness, more concrete and accessible, you ཨ་མ་ཎི་པdེ་hྂ THE TIBETAN MANTRA OM MANI PADME HUM can also start or end your practice and thankfulness is through by refecting on three recent life chanting a mantra. Tere are two experiences that you are thankful mantras you can use with mantra for.Another easy way to add some meditation or you can chant a few gratefulness to your hatha yoga rounds of either of these mantras practice is to incorporate more as an invocation for your asana upper body opening poses— practice. Te Tibetan mantra Om especially asanas that activate the Mani Padme Hum is difficult to heart and throat chakras. If you translate, but chanting it will

PAGE 32! cultivate compassion, kindness, power of the practice if the mala and gratefulness. Te Sanskrit you are using is made with a mantra Om Lokah Samastah gratitude gemstone. Stones that Sukhino Bhavantu is usually are said to promote gratitude are translated as “may all beings green garnet, green jasper, green everywhere be happy and free” and aventurine, blue tiger eye, and encourages feelings of gratitude, green apatite. kindness, forgiveness, and peace. Ending your yoga practice by Traditionally mantras are chanting bringing the hands into Anjali with one’s full attention and focus Mudra (prayer pose) in front of and repeated in sets of 108. Mala your heart and gently bowing your beads are often used to count the head is a wonderful way to close mantras, and you can boost the your practice with a sense of gratefulness and thankfulness.

Te 8 best yoga poses to cultivate gratitude

COBRA POSE CAMEL POSE EXTENDED WARRIOR DOG POSE SEAL

PRAYER SQUAT UPWARD FISH POSE SUPINE BOAT BOUND ANGLE

PAGE 33! THE BEST YOGA POSES FOR YOUR HEART

By Timothy Burgin

Because of their effects on both function and respiration. Side- the physical and energetic bodies, bending poses open the energy specifc types of yoga postures can channels of the liver, gallbladder be used to control and prevent and heart to help remove physical heart disease. and energetic blockages in the heart and chest. Spine Upper back-bending poses open lengthening poses promote good the chest to improve heart posture to reduce compression on

PAGE !34 the heart and lungs and to Inversions help to rest the heart facilitate proper functioning of the muscle and improve blood heart. (corpse or circulation, but are relaxation pose) is deeply calming contraindicated with unmedicated and has been shown to reduce high blood pressure. high blood pressure in just a few Click on an image or posture weeks, and other calming name for detailed instructions, restorative poses will also help reduce stress and blood pressure. contraindications and modifcations.

Fish Bridge Cobra Setu Bandhasana Bhujangasana

Half Camel Crab Pose Half Bow Ardha Ustrasana Catuspadapitham Ardha Dhanurasana

Sphinx One Handed Tiger Half Locust Salamba Eka Hasta Ardha Shalabhasana Bhujangasana Vyaghrasana PAGE !35 Revolved Head to Gate Extended Side Angle Knee Parighasana Utthita Parivrtta Janu Parsvakonasana Sirsasana

Staff Posture Joyful Baby Extended Dog Pose Ananda Utthita Svanasana

Child Crocodile Supine Bound Angle Balasana Supta Baddha Konasana

Wide-Legged Downward Facing Half Shoulder Stand Forward Bend Dog Ardha Prasarita Adho Mukha Padottanasana Shvanasana PAGE !36 About YogaBasics.com

YogaBasics.com was launched in 2000 to provide a comprehensive online resource for yoga. Since then we have continued to refne and expand our site’s offering of yoga postures, sequences, yoga therapy, and articles covering a broad range of subjects. We hope that you enjoy your time exploring our site and that you fnd valuable information to help you deepen your yoga practice. Mission Statement Our deepest desire and wish is to make the world a better place. Our highest goal is to remove the suffering, misery and unhappiness of the people of the world, and to remove the causes of this suffering. We are here to serve, in our highest capacity, to spread the knowledge and wisdom of the ancient path of yoga to all who desire these tools. We pray that our work helps others to learn, grow and develop spiritually, physically and mentally. May peace, love and joy reside in the hearts of all. Good Business Karma Yogabasics.com is operated using the yogic principles of the yamas and niyamas. We embrace the yogic teaching of Ahisma (nonviolence) in our relationship to the earth. At YogaBasics.com we have a strong commitment to protecting the planet by becoming a carbon neutral and green company. Trough Samtosha and Asteya we practice generosity through contributing over 5% of our profts to non-proft organizations.

PAGE 37! E-book Credits

Yoga for the Heart: heart-centered yoga practices to strengthen and open your heart was created and compiled by YogaBasics.com. All contents are copyright © 2000-2018 by YogaBasics.com Inc. All rights reserved. Tis eBook or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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