An Open Heart

Recently, I have been getting in touch with my heart. I have discovered upper body rounding and hunching. I teach and/or practice Yoga daily. I know the importance of posture and alignment. As a graduate of etiquette school and a former dancer, I cannot begin to count the amount of times I was reminded to maintain my posture. Lately my upper body has been ignored. My shoulders and neck have become exceptionally tight. These signs are telling me that it is time to work through my body and listen.

In effort to combat my discomfort and physical restrictions I have assessed my lifestyle. I ride my bike to work and school daily. The weight placed on my wrists travels up my arms and creates tightness in my shoulders. Leaning over my bike handles has caused me to round forward and change the muscle formation in my upper body. After looking at my biking position and my Yoga asanas. I noticed my upward-facing dog was not as open and that there was more pressure in the heal of my hands. I also noticed that I could correct my asanas to strengthen muscles between my shoulder blades. I started bringing my shoulder blades together during decasana and upward-facing dog. My chest has slowly opened and my back's increasing strength has helped to open my chest. Along with working on my upper back strength I continued to draw through my lower abdominal region in order to avoid low back sway.

The upper chest opening has helped me to change my biking posture and encourage my students to open their bodies. The change in upper body alignment has made a significant difference on my vynyasa practice and enhanced my balance. The confidence that comes from an open chest or heart posture is invaluable. Upper body posture has brought a new light to my practice and life. It is always important to continue to re-assess your body's alignment and posture. Things get forgotten and we can get into routines that change our bodies without notice. Namaste