Chakra Yoga Series: Part 4, Heart Chakra

This week we have journeyed up to the centre of the chakra system and found ourselves at Anahata Chakra, commonly know as the Heart Chakra.

This Chakra is in the centre of the 7 main yogic chakra’s and as such is the meeting point of our more intellectual, physical beings and our more spiritual selves. This chakra is associated with unconditional love, towards ourselves and others, so it’s been a much softer week compared to our Solar Plexus journey.

Opening the heart

This week our practice focused on:

• Expanding the chest through pranayama (breathwork)

• Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana)

• The Krama breathing technique Anuloma (Thanks to Anodea Judith for this inspiration)

• Asana which opened the heart and chest

• Poses like Anahata, or Puppy pose which soften the heart to the earth

• Strength through the legs, softness through the arms.

Finding strength in letting go

This weeks practice invited us all to be vulnerable, be it through posture, breathwork (trying something very new) or with the use of a rather unusual mudra which sometimes didn’t work, so we accepted and adjusted. Making space for ourselves just as we are. And a yoga teacher it also asked me to be vulnerable, to be more open about how my own heart leads me in my teaching each week.

Well rooted we rose

I’m really enjoying exploring the chakras in this way and really noticed in this weeks practice how having a strong connection to the chakras we’ve explored so far really supported the opening of the heart. Feeling rooted, through a sprinkle of Root Chakra poses helped us feel grounded and ready. Being more creative with well know asana’s helped us to soften and flow like our Sacral Chakra week and with last weeks self confidence boost at the Solar Plexus to lean into we really could soften the heart.

And my favourite manifestation this week was

“I love myself the way I am, not the way I was or could be, and I extend this love to others.”

Essential Oils from the Heart

This week we started our essential oils and yoga practice with an oil I love, Laurel (Bay). This oils continues on really nicely from last weeks self confience supporting oils as it’s inspiring notes boost the self esteme and help to renew our belief in our own boundless potential.

Our second oil, was Rose. Love, trust, self acceptance and emotional wellbeing are at the root of the energetic properties of this oil and I really couldn’t think of a better oil to support our open hearted journey through alternate nostril breathing and savasna.

Join me for a class, workshop or CPD training

My joy is in sharing my two great passions, yoga and aromatherapy and I would love to have you come on this journey with me.

I teach yoga classes in Sussex, run yoga workshops monthly (sometimes more) and have a wonderful community of yoga teachers who have been on my Essential Oils for Yoga Teachers CPD training and are passionate to learn more about how to safely incorporate essential oils into their workshops and classes.

Next week

We’ll be journeying up the Sushumna Nadi to the Throat, Visuddha chakra and exploring our thoughtful communication and expression - I can’t wait!

Sources and Inspiration

The themes explored in this class were informed by my own knowledge of traditional yoga philosophy and aromatherapy as well as inspiration from:

• Anodea Judith’s Chakra Yoga, published by Llewellyn Books

• Aromatherapy for healing the spirit, Gabriel Mojay, published by Healing Arts Press

• Mudras for Body, Mind & Spirit by Gertrud Hirschi, published by Tarotdeck

These sources often inform the framework I use when designing themed yoga classes that integrate movement, breath, subtle energy and essential oils.