Breathing Life Back In

Have you ever experienced that sensation of your emotions being confined within your chest, weighing you down following a heartbreak, loss, or significant disappointment in life? The aftermath of a broken heart can leave us feeling emotionally stagnant, disrupting our ability to process our experiences, progress and cultivate genuine relationships where we feel secure enough to be open and vulnerable once again.

In the realm of yoga psychology, the chest, where Anahata Chakra is located, is a symbol of vulnerability and love. When we undergo heartbreak, grief, or loss, this area often tightens as a defensive mechanism, physically manifesting our emotional pain. Some refer to this as “broken heart syndrome” or “emotional guarding”.

Practicing movements, postures and breathing techniques that counteract this bodily attitude by stretching and softening the muscles around our chest can be an effective strategy to alleviate both physical and emotional tension and help us move forward. Below are five asana and pranayama tools you can try to support this process.

Please remember, this practice requires patience and self compassion, so if anything doesn’t feel right you can always skip it or explore different variations until the intensity of the stretch and emotional release is appropriate for you.

1. Kneeling Lunge (Anjaneyasana) With Cactus Arms

This pose helps you stretch your whole front body, from your chest to your hip flexors, and strengthens your back and legs, promoting a sense of openness and confidence.

• ·Start in a kneeling lunge position, one foot forward and the other knee resting on the ground. • Bend your elbows at 90º in line with your shoulders, bringing your forearms parallel to the ground and creating a cactus shape with the arms.
• Gently shift your hips forwards, lift your spine upwards and reach your chest backwards, creating a smooth and balanced arch and evening out the sensations in your upper, middle, and lower back.
• Maintain this pose for 5-10 breaths and, if you wish, use the exhalation as an opportunity to widen the space between your elbows and stretch your pectoral muscles further.

2. Slow Bhastrika Pranayama With Arm Movements

Traditionally, Bhastrika is used to increase energy and mind clarity, as it involves rapid inhalations and exhalations, often synchronised with arm movements. The suggested version below is instead slower and more gentle, in order to both promote a sense of expansion in the heart centre and induce a sense of tranquility and focus. Bhastrika is best practiced on an empty stomach (wait for two hours after a meal) and is not recommended for people who are pregnant, have uncontrolled hypertension, epilepsy, seizures, or severe anxiety.

• Find a comfortable seated position and lightly place your hands on the sides of your ribs.
• Breathe in through the nose allowing your belly, chest, and arms to expand sideways; breathe out through the nose, allowing your lungs to empty and your hands to come back in touch with your chest. Imagine you are mimicking the movement of your chest with your hands, allowing them to float like light feathers.
• You can begin slowly for 10 rounds, then take a break to breathe naturally, observing what you are feeling. If you wish, take two more rounds slightly increasing the amplitude of the movement, the speed and number of repetitions (feeling a bit dizzy is normal, but please slow down or take a break at any point if that becomes uncomfortable).