5 Yoga Poses for Nourishing the Heart
Heart Opening
Pile 2 bricks (one on the top of the other) and place a neatly folded blanket on the top of it. Have a bolster placed crossing the mat and close to the brick 'structure'. Leave a comfortable gap between props - that's where you are going to release your shoulders. Sit in front of the bolster and lay down the back of the torso over the bolster. Release your shoulders and arms in the gap between the bricks and bolster and head and neck fully propped with the brick/blanket props. The head is not 'tipping back'. The neck is lengthened. The knees can remain bent or legs lengthen down. Soles of the feet together and knees apart are always welcome as well.
Notice that this pose is a backbend. If needed, place a folded blanket or yoga foam block under the pelvis for better support in the lower back. Hold the pose from 2-to 5 minutes. Rebound resting the back of the upper body on the floor and knees bent.
Legs up the Wall
Place the mat against the wall. Lay down on the floor, having your glutes 'touching the wall', 'sitting on the wall'. Roll the back of the torso to rest it flat on the mat and at the same time you 'swing' your legs up the wall. Very often, when you do this maneuver you end up with the pelvis a bit far from the wall. Make sure to adjust it and have your sitting bones 'touching the wall'.
You can always place a folded blanket under the pelvis to 'cushion' the area. You can have the feet apart (photo) or legs straight up the wall. You can use a yoga belt around the ankles (feet apart) or around the thighs (to support the legs). Arms can rest alongside the body, in cactus or hands can rest over the front of the body. Optional: have the lower legs resting on a chair or bed. Hold the pose from 2 to 15 minutes.
Dragon/Low Lunge - Supported Variation
Kneel on the mat and step one foot forwards. Make sure the front shinbone/lower leg is vertical to the floor/Knee and heel aligned. You can opt to use a folded blanket to support the 'back' knee and the back thigh with a bolster. Otherwise use only the yoga bricks under the hands. It's very important to observe the alignment of the body in this pose and making sure the neck does not 'sink' between shoulders. Keep the shoulders opened.
Hands are positioned aligned with the shoulders. They rest on the bricks, not gripping. Adjust the props to fully support your body. Hold the pose for 2 minutes. Slowly release and approach the other side.
Shoelace / Gomukasana
Sit on the floor. Legs lengthen in front of you. If your pelvis doesn't feel stable and keeps tilting back, consider adding a folded blanket or a yoga foam block under the pelvis. Cross the legs and the full pose requires the knees stacking. If needed, approach a different variation respecting how the hips / pelvis are functioning at the moment. Use folded blankets and/or blocks and bricks to support the body. It's important that both sitting bones are resting on the floor.
Make sure you're not sitting on one heel as this brings the pelvis to be positioned in diagonal instead of balanced on both sides. Take a couple of deep breaths and use the exhalations to 'forward fold', approaching the chest to the inner leg. You can use a stacked bolster or bricks to rest the forehead. Hold the pose from 2 to 3 minutes. Remember you can release from the pose if you feel your body needs to. Uncross the legs, 'roll' them in and out to reset the hips and approach the other side.
Side Opener
Rest the side of the ribcage on a bolster. Make sure you are not resting your armpit on the bolster. A brick and folded blanket can be used to support the head and neck. Leave a gap between the bolster and brick so you can comfortably release the shoulder and arm in this space. Extend the top arm overhead, alongside the ear, and the hand can rest on a brick.
Legs can rest fully extended (more active) or knees can bend. Take deep calming breaths with the intention to expand the sideline of the body. Hold the pose from 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly release the arm alongside the body. Rebound into sitting for a couple of breaths and approach the other side.
