Shatril
February 4th, 2006, 09:11 AM
*Disclaimer* I do not expect anyone to do these exercises if they are physically incapable of performing the moves. Never begin an exercise routine without consulting your physician.
What does Namaste mean? What does it say the meaning is? How does it relate to the heart Chakra? Do you see the relationship? Check this website to find out. http://www.yogajournal.com/newtoyoga/822_1.cfm
The exercises for this chakra all open up your chest cavity and stimulate your heart. These are designed for any type physical condition. They are yoga poses, and should be done with a slow smooth motion. Hold the poses as long as possible without great strain.
Open your chest (This is easy to do at the office)
Sit near the edge of a chair and interlace your fingers behind you, with your palms facing your back. Leaning slightly forward, lift your arms and rest them on the back of the chair. Inhale and lift your chest. Exhale and relax your shoulders away from your ears. If your hands do not reach the top of the chair, clasp the sides of the chair back and pull your chest forward, relaxing your shoulders and opening your upper chest. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths, feeling lightness in your heart. With an exhalation, slowly release your hands and bring them down by your sides.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/471_1.cfm
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) http://yogajournal.com/poses/472_1.cfm
Salabhasana (Locust Pose) http://yogajournal.com/poses/789_1.cfm
I will not give instructions for these poses here, as it is given much better on this sight.
One of my favorite methods of opening my chest is to stand up lean slightly back and drop my hands out to the side. You will feel your chest open up, and just breathe deeply into the chest. This relaxes and refreshes when stress is mounting up.
It would not hurt to do these exercises in combination with other poses for the other chakras. It might even be good to make a chakra routine.
Breathing Exercises
Here is a website that discusses the importance of breathing. Please take the time to read this before performing the exercises listed below. http://www.holistic-online.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breath_home.htm
This is also on this sight and needs to be read prior to doing the breathing exercises. http://www.holistic-online.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breathing_safety.htm
Practice any or all of the breathing techniques listed here. You will be surprised at how they make you feel. The can relax or energize and are good tools for everyday life.
Activity for the Heart
Any aerobic exercise is good for the heart. If you are an athlete just keep it up. If you have not done aerobic exercise in a long time start out with walking. It is cheap, just the cost of a decent pair of athletic shoes, and your time. This will help with lung capacity, strengthen the heart, lower cholesterol, and improve digestions. If you are just starting, start slow. Just 10 minutes the first few days, then increase to 15 for a few days, and continue increasing until you reach 30 minutes. This should be down at least 4 days a week for good benefit, but more won’t hurt and it will help. Give this at least a month to really show you how good your heart will feel. The idea isn’t how far you walk but how long. As you gain strength, you will want to start pushing a little to increase your heart rate. However, don’t push so hard that you become significantly out of breath. Sweat and breathing a little hard is good and required for benefit, once you have built up your strength.
Aroma Therapy
Marjoram (Origanum Marjorana, Majorana hortensis,(Sweet) Thymus mastichina (Spanish)
Orange (Citrus Sinensis)
Rose Otto (Rosa damascena)
Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)
Methods for dispersing are in hot melted candle wax (unscented candle of course). Don’t get oil in flame, just drop on top of melted wax. Oil diffuser on low wattage lamp, or on low wattage lamp bulb itself. In simmering (not boiling) water.
Light Meditation
Get comfortable. Either lie on the floor with hands at a 45° angle to your body, in a recliner or lying in bed. While playing soft music and with one of the aroma therapy methods defined above begin the meditation. Take a slow deep breath in through the nose for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 7, and exhale slowly for the count of 8. Your tongue should be touching the roof of your mouth right where the teeth and gums come together. Repeat this for the count of 4. While inhaling visualize that you are drawing in nice clean, relaxing air. While holding the breath visualize the nice clean relaxation circulating through your body. While exhaling visualize that you are releasing all of the negativity and tension from your body. Return your breathing to normal. Tell your body to relax. Pay close attention to the jaw line, brow, and shoulders. Notice any areas that are painful and tight and breathe into them while you feel them relax and release. When you are relaxed breath normally. Tune into the beat of your heart. Keep trying; you will feel it more than hear it. Now as you feel the beat of your heart, visualize a lotus coming up out of your spine, and blossom just in front of your chest. http://www.victoria-adventure.org/lotus/galleries_main.html (I’m not good at images without something fresh in my mind. So here are some pictures you can look at) Now visualize a pink lotus. Watch as it begins to spin clockwise. Visualize it open to its first flush of full bloom, (we don’t want it past its prime, as in too open). It is open and strong. Visualize a green light forming around the pink lotus, protecting it from outside negativity. Now watch it spin, and feel the strength of your heart grow as the spinning continues. Is spins at a steady pace about the speed of your heartbeat. Relax and feel it spin and the strength flow………. When you are finished breathe deeply and feel the energy of the breath revive you and energize you.
Don’t have meditation music, and can’t afford to buy any. Go here for free music: http://www.crystalinks.com/medmusichakras.html
What does Namaste mean? What does it say the meaning is? How does it relate to the heart Chakra? Do you see the relationship? Check this website to find out. http://www.yogajournal.com/newtoyoga/822_1.cfm
The exercises for this chakra all open up your chest cavity and stimulate your heart. These are designed for any type physical condition. They are yoga poses, and should be done with a slow smooth motion. Hold the poses as long as possible without great strain.
Open your chest (This is easy to do at the office)
Sit near the edge of a chair and interlace your fingers behind you, with your palms facing your back. Leaning slightly forward, lift your arms and rest them on the back of the chair. Inhale and lift your chest. Exhale and relax your shoulders away from your ears. If your hands do not reach the top of the chair, clasp the sides of the chair back and pull your chest forward, relaxing your shoulders and opening your upper chest. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths, feeling lightness in your heart. With an exhalation, slowly release your hands and bring them down by your sides.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/471_1.cfm
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) http://yogajournal.com/poses/472_1.cfm
Salabhasana (Locust Pose) http://yogajournal.com/poses/789_1.cfm
I will not give instructions for these poses here, as it is given much better on this sight.
One of my favorite methods of opening my chest is to stand up lean slightly back and drop my hands out to the side. You will feel your chest open up, and just breathe deeply into the chest. This relaxes and refreshes when stress is mounting up.
It would not hurt to do these exercises in combination with other poses for the other chakras. It might even be good to make a chakra routine.
Breathing Exercises
Here is a website that discusses the importance of breathing. Please take the time to read this before performing the exercises listed below. http://www.holistic-online.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breath_home.htm
This is also on this sight and needs to be read prior to doing the breathing exercises. http://www.holistic-online.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_breathing_safety.htm
Practice any or all of the breathing techniques listed here. You will be surprised at how they make you feel. The can relax or energize and are good tools for everyday life.
Activity for the Heart
Any aerobic exercise is good for the heart. If you are an athlete just keep it up. If you have not done aerobic exercise in a long time start out with walking. It is cheap, just the cost of a decent pair of athletic shoes, and your time. This will help with lung capacity, strengthen the heart, lower cholesterol, and improve digestions. If you are just starting, start slow. Just 10 minutes the first few days, then increase to 15 for a few days, and continue increasing until you reach 30 minutes. This should be down at least 4 days a week for good benefit, but more won’t hurt and it will help. Give this at least a month to really show you how good your heart will feel. The idea isn’t how far you walk but how long. As you gain strength, you will want to start pushing a little to increase your heart rate. However, don’t push so hard that you become significantly out of breath. Sweat and breathing a little hard is good and required for benefit, once you have built up your strength.
Aroma Therapy
Marjoram (Origanum Marjorana, Majorana hortensis,(Sweet) Thymus mastichina (Spanish)
Orange (Citrus Sinensis)
Rose Otto (Rosa damascena)
Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)
Methods for dispersing are in hot melted candle wax (unscented candle of course). Don’t get oil in flame, just drop on top of melted wax. Oil diffuser on low wattage lamp, or on low wattage lamp bulb itself. In simmering (not boiling) water.
Light Meditation
Get comfortable. Either lie on the floor with hands at a 45° angle to your body, in a recliner or lying in bed. While playing soft music and with one of the aroma therapy methods defined above begin the meditation. Take a slow deep breath in through the nose for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 7, and exhale slowly for the count of 8. Your tongue should be touching the roof of your mouth right where the teeth and gums come together. Repeat this for the count of 4. While inhaling visualize that you are drawing in nice clean, relaxing air. While holding the breath visualize the nice clean relaxation circulating through your body. While exhaling visualize that you are releasing all of the negativity and tension from your body. Return your breathing to normal. Tell your body to relax. Pay close attention to the jaw line, brow, and shoulders. Notice any areas that are painful and tight and breathe into them while you feel them relax and release. When you are relaxed breath normally. Tune into the beat of your heart. Keep trying; you will feel it more than hear it. Now as you feel the beat of your heart, visualize a lotus coming up out of your spine, and blossom just in front of your chest. http://www.victoria-adventure.org/lotus/galleries_main.html (I’m not good at images without something fresh in my mind. So here are some pictures you can look at) Now visualize a pink lotus. Watch as it begins to spin clockwise. Visualize it open to its first flush of full bloom, (we don’t want it past its prime, as in too open). It is open and strong. Visualize a green light forming around the pink lotus, protecting it from outside negativity. Now watch it spin, and feel the strength of your heart grow as the spinning continues. Is spins at a steady pace about the speed of your heartbeat. Relax and feel it spin and the strength flow………. When you are finished breathe deeply and feel the energy of the breath revive you and energize you.
Don’t have meditation music, and can’t afford to buy any. Go here for free music: http://www.crystalinks.com/medmusichakras.html