“Let your heart be as big as it can possibly be.”
― Swami Chetanananda

I wonder how often you’ve heard a teacher say, ‘Open the heart’ or ‘This is a heart-opening pose’ in your yoga class. I’d wager a fair number of times. What is ‘heart-opening’ anyway? And why would this be something we would wish to do?

Closing Down

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been experiencing the unsettled energies of fear and vulnerability and a yearning to find courage in personal and collective uncertainty and change. I’ve craved the ability to stay open to experience when, at times, all I’ve wanted to do is close down, curl up into a ball and live in denial and avoidance.

Perhaps this is why I’ve gravitated to many of the natural heart-opening (mostly back arch) poses this month in my asana practice to counter and explore these challenges when I find myself on the mat.

Natural Protection

When so much of life’s reactions seem to be governed by fear, I can understand why we might naturally adopt a position of chronic protection. Think of a boxer who hunches and fiercely shields the front body from the potential stun of a painful blow. Opening the chest to the elements can feel frightening - exposing the vital organs of heart and lung to ever-present danger.

Practising back arches and deliberately opening the chest can be challenging and counter-intuitive, depending on where we’re at, our past experiences and our everyday reality. These days, the blows I fear personally aren’t from physical punches but rather from the fear of rejection, disappointment, loss and self-doubt.

So why bother to open up and take the risk at all?

Why Open the Heart?

Once you open the heart space physically and energetically, you do risk it all. You open yourself up to everything - pleasure and pain come your way; hurt, as well as joy.

When I open the chest, open the heart, I choose to be vulnerable, despite the risk. I learn through practice, again and again, how to trust. Not trust that I won’t get hurt (none of us can avoid that), but trust that even if I take a hit, I’ll be okay and remain willing to stay open. To choose not to close down to people, life and experiences - good or bad.

Listen to your Heart

To be sure, the energetic heart is symbolic - there lies the power to move us emotionally and spiritually. Its nurture is connected with growing compassion, joy and abundance and is often described by regular practitioners of yoga-asana and meditation.

In my own felt experience, when the heart is open, not only do we feel more at peace, but we can begin to listen in as a deeper part of ourselves starts to speak. As we connect to the wisdom and intuition of the heart, it begins to ask for as much respect as the more dominant mind and demands to be heard - impacting our thoughts, words, choices and actions.

In The State of Love

Heart-opening ultimately helps us engage in the world from a place of love and deep security. The open-hearted stance, rather than exposing us to risk, starts to lend a protection of its own, that comes from within.

I’m reminded of one of my favourite quotes, which I try to assimilate the best I can into daily life,

“In the state of love, no matter what you do, it’s going to be good”, Paramahansa Yogananda.

It’s hard to stay in a state of love when suffering and unease are palpable. However much I practise, fears still come. But, I and we have an opportunity to face them, using a remarkable tool of Yoga - inspiring the heart, in amongst life’s troubles, to keep wide open.

♥

Let’s practise.