Opening Up

There are certain things we do that instantly connect our bodies with our emotions. Stretching up wakes me up. When a baby is placed in my arms, my body starts to rock. When I hit a bump, my hand shoots out to protect my passenger (whether there is one or not). Our bodies and our emotions are intuitively linked.

But we don’t have to wait for instincts to kick in to utilize this connection. We can choose to move our bodies in ways that are designed to tap into this link.

One great example of this is a heart opening stretch. Clasping hands behind and stretching the heart (chest) forward, signals to our heart emotions to relax and open up. It may not be as instinctual as rocking a baby, but the connection is there if you choose to allow yourself to feel it. It can be even more intense if you bend back and close your eyes during that heart opening stretch.

Yoga calls this link a chakra. A psychologist would call it psychophysiology. A therapist would call it mind-body therapy. A holistic healer (acupuncture, reiki, etc…) would say

energy centers. Clearly the idea that our body can connect with our emotions crosses multiple disciplines, and is well researched.

So if you have a personal desire to open up your heart, why not start this Valentine’s weekend? You don’t need anyone but yourself (and a quick google-search of some heart opening stretches). Who knows, maybe opening your heart can lead to softening it, clearing it, healing it.

That seems a lot to ask of a simple body movement! Then again, a hug is also a simple body movement, and look at the power in that.

Until next time,

Laura