4 Yoga Practices That Will Open Your Heart

With Valentine’s Day coming up we’re feeling the love all around us. Kirsty Gallagher, one of the UK’s top vinyasa flow yoga teachers shares some of her favourite yoga poses, affirmations and breathing techniques to open up, help you listen to your hearts calling and invite more love into your life (give us a healthy dose of that!).

Ustrasana (camel pose) is one of the best poses to help you open your heart. It also helps you to be at peace opening and shining your heart out into the world. Start by kneeling on the floor with your legs hip width apart. Press your shins and the tops of your feet down into the earth. Place your hands on the back of your hips. Inhale and slowly begin to lift your heart up from the breastbone and allow your hips to move forward. Draw your shoulder blades down the back as you begin to slowly move as far back as is comfortable. Only when you have practiced this half camel version and are comfortable with it can you then reach the hands down towards your heels. Lift from the breastbone allowing the head to head to drop gently backwards.

Pranayama (breathing) into the heart-full yogic breathing will help you to feel whole and complete. Focus on your heart as you breath and feel your entire being filled with warmth and love. Begin by lying or sitting somewhere comfortably. Focussing on breathing full deep breaths into the belly, then start to move the breath up into the front, side and back ribs and finally all the way up into the collar bone until you are breathing until the full body.

Connecting to the heart: Abhaya Hridaya Mudra (courageous heart mudra) helps you to let go of fear and doubt and live from a fearless heart. This mudra takes you right into your heart space to seek your truth. Bring your hands in front of your heart, right hand closest to the heart, with the back of the hands together and palms facing away from each other. Gently interlace the little, ring and middle fingers and then bring index finger and thumbs together.

Affirmations are wonderful for opening your heart. An affirmation is a word or phrase repeated over and over again, allowing its meaning to seep into your subconscious and shift negative habits and patterns into positive ones. Why not try this one:

My heart is open to giving and receiving love.

I lovingly accept myself as I am.

I give and receive love with an open heart.

I open my heart fully to living.

I am worthy of love.

4 Yoga Practices That Will Open Your Heart
Image: Kirsty Gallagher

Kirsty Gallagher is an internationally recognised Yoga teacher, holding workshops and retreats in the UK and beyond. Kirsty’s style is dynamic vinyasa flow, creating fluid, playful and flowing sequences to open the body, enliven the soul and free the mind.

www.kirstygallager.com