Open Heart

A series of flowing movements to allow more space to come into the chest along with mudras to open the heart.

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Kapota Mudra
Seal of the Dove

Begin with palms together. Create space between palms keeping finger tips, thumbs and heels of hands together; hold at the heart.
Benefits: Activates the heart center
Practice Tips: Use when depressed
Contraindications: Headache​

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Padma Mudra
Seal of the Lotus

Place hands together at the heart, keep thumbs and little fingers together, open other fingers and create cup shape between palms.
Benefits: Elevates heart energy, integrates body and mind
Practice Tips: Use yo heal your emotional heart

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Cat/Cow Tilts
Marjaryasana
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Cat: Exhale round the back and drop the head and tail bone towards the floor. 
Repeat with your breath 10 times.
Cow: Begin on the hands and knees, toes pointed. Inhale lift the sternum forward and drop the pubic bone back between the legs to arch the spine. ​

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Crescent Lunge to Runner's Lunge Flow
Anjynasana to Ardha Hanumanasana Vinyasa

Begin on all fours and bring left foot between hands. Inhale sweep arms forward and up to the heart (shown) or overhead pressing pelvis forward. Exhale touch floor on either side of foot as you press pelvis back evenly and extend chest over the straight leg. You may also use blocks under the hands if it is difficult to reach the floor.
Repeat to both sides 5 times with the breath.

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Child's Pose to Extended Hero's Flow
Balasana to Uttita Virasana Vinyasa

Begin in Balasana. Inhale and lift chest, raise hands to heart or the arms up overhead and press pelvis forward. Exhale sit back on heels and fold forward bringing hands beside feet. 
Balasana Variation: If it is difficult to come completely into Balasana, bring the hands in front of the knees and come down as far as you can comfortably and then inahle into Extended Virasana. 
Repeat 5-10 times with the breath.

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Extended Child's Pose to Cobra Flow
Utthta Balasana to Bhujangasana Vinyasa

Begin in Balasana with the arms overhead on the floor. Inhale keep hands where they are and move torso through arms to come first into a knee plank position with the shoulders over the wrists, the torso and thighs in a straight line. 
Then exhale back into Balasana. 
As you inhale a second time, bring the shoulders over the wrists, lift the heart and come into a gentle backbend with pelvis pressing towards floor. 
Exhale return to Balasana. 
Repeat 5-10 times with the breath.

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Downward Facing Dog
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Begin on all fours with hands slightly forward of shoulders. Turn toes under and lift knees off floor. Keep shoulders wide and palms flat, press thighs and sit bones back, scooping belly in as you ground heels towards the floor.
Hold 1-3 minutes, release into Child's Pose.

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Warrior II Flow
Virabhadrasana II

Stand with feet wide apart. Turn left foot out 90 degrees and right foot in 30 degrees. Inhale arms out from shoulders. Exhale and bend left knee. Keep torso upright and do not lean over bent leg. Gaze towards left hand. Inhale drop right hand to right thigh and raise left arm overhead into Reverse Warrior. Return to Warrior II arm position, then release arms and straighten front knee. Repeat t-3 times to one side, then release to center, and repeat to second side.

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Warrior I
Virabhadrasana I

​Begin standing in Tadasana. Step left leg back about three feet keeping feet hips width apart. Keep right toes turned forward and left foot turned slightly out. Turn hips gently towards front foot and balance weight on both feet. Inhale arms overhead. Exhale and bend right knee. Draw belly up and release tail bone towards floor. 
Hold 5-10 breaths then release and change sides.

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Standing Forward Bend
Uttanasana

Stand in Tadasana. Inhale arms overhead. Exhale and bend forward from hips. Engage quadriceps and draw belly in as you press heels into floor, and sit bones upwards. 
Hold up to 1 minute. Release back into Tadasana by drawing hands onto hips and lifting entire torso up as a single unit.

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Supported Bridge with Extended Leg
Salamba Eka Pada Setu Bandha

Lie ​on back with knees bent and feet on floor. Inhale and raise hips off floor, placing block under sacrum. Keep right knee bent and extend left leg placing foot either on a wall or the heel on the ground and lengthen the leg. Hold for 10 breaths, then release and change legs.

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Happy Baby Pose
Anandabalasana

Lie on the back with the knees bent and feet on the floor. Draw both knees into the chest with the knees to the outside of the body. Either hold the backs of the knees with the forearms or hold the outside of the feet with the hands and draw knees towards floor. Keep the pelvis flat on the floor to avoid rounding the back. ​

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Supported Heart Opener
Salamba Uttana Merudandasana

Set up two bolsters perpendicular to mat with folded blanket on the one toward the back of the mat. Sit on folded blanket or on floor facing away from bolsters. Lay back so that shoulder blades and upper back are supported by shorted bolster and the head and neck are supported by the taller bolster. The upper line of the shoulders and arms should fall in between the bolsters. If the elbows to not readily reach the floor, support with more folded blankets. Either straighten legs out to floor or rest knees over bolster.

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Vajrapradama Mudra
Seal of Unshakable Trust

Clasp fingers and open palms toward heart; point thumbs upwards. Hold a few inches away from the chest.
Benefits: Builds confidence, security, opens the heart very gently
Practice Tips: Use when frightened or anxious