Hatha yoga heart opening sequence 20-Min Class

In Yoga teacher training we’re taught about the chakras. Many people think they are pseudoscience, while others fully believe they are energy vortexes in the body. Whatever you believe, there is no doubting that movement changes our mental, emotional and physical state. Is it magical mysterious unblocking of chakras? Or simply muscle and fascia releasing its grip? Explore your 4th chakra in this 20-minute hatha yoga heart opening sequence.

This is a 20-minute class for the heart chakra. This slow and gentle flow will guide you to exploring low lunge, twists, and Camel Pose, Ustrasana. Open your heart, let it shine to the Universe for love and abundance.

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Hatha yoga heart opening sequence

We begin this hatha yoga heart opening sequence in seated. Takings this time to ground yourself into the practice. Notice the quality of your heart space. Is there any restriction with the breath, or how your body moves with the breath? From here, come to all fours for cat and cow.

From all fours, bring the right knee forward, placing the left hand in the center of your mat. With the right hand behind the head rotate the heart center to the right. Repeat for a few repetitions exploring the twist, then hold. Either keep the hand behind the head or let the arm rest behind you trying to reach the right hand to the left front pocket.

Pause in the twist for approx 3-5 breaths, before yourself back to all fours, then rest in child’s pose for a few breaths. Repeat the twist to the other side. Notice if you have more rotation available on one side. Or perhaps if the shoulder feels more fluid on one side.

Heart opening sequence

It’s no surprise that this yoga flow has downdog in it. My yoga teacher mentor used to joke that it’s not a real yoga class until you’ve done downward facing dog. So take a few breaths in downdog. Maybe pedal the feet a little before settling for a few breaths. Then lift the left leg into 3-legged dog.

Sweep the leg through transitioning into a low lunge. Take your time setting up the lunge. Let the arms come to cactus/goddess arms. If it feels comfortable explore having the arms across the back body. Hold onto opposite wrist, forearm or elbow.

This motion of reaching back, allows openess through the front body. It allows the back to extend into a small backbend. Pause for a few breaths before returning the hands to the floor, and stepping back into down dog. From dog, float into plank, and lower to the floor. Then lift into cobra.

After repeating all that on the other side settle into child’s pose. From child’s pose rise to all fours and come into kneeling. Maybe the hands come again into cactus/goddess. Or, can you explore the arms behind the back body. You will have the option of leaning back into camel pose.

Think less about leaning back, and more about opening the heart up to shine into the Universe. Showing you are ready and open to give and receive love. Return to all fours for some cat-cow before settling into child’s pose. Repeat camel. From child’s pose return to a seated position. Lean forward to lengthen the back body. Rest in seated for three breaths.

Interested in more yoga classes with me?

Questions

• Do you believe in the chakras?
• Have you experienced emotional releases in movement?
• Do you express your emotions freely?