Learning for May 4-8: Mindfulness of the Heart

Here are some Yoga activities to try this week!

"Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees" 
B.K.S. Iyeng

Yoga Asanas (poses)



Great for hips and spine sequence

You can also use these exercises before you try any arm balancing poses 

My favorite Yoga video this week: Cats interrupting Yoga 😹

Yoga Breathing

Lions Breathe is a fun and silly way to boost your energy and help build confidence at the same time. Don't be shy, just give it a try!

Yoga links for virtual classes

1.  This yoga class with Christina is a fusion of yin yoga and vinyasa yoga. This class combines both dynamic movements and passive yin poses (length 45:40). 

2. This class features a nice slow yoga warm up followed by a flow of exercises focusing on the chest, upper back and shoulders. This is a great stretch if you have any sore muscles or aches in these particular body parts. 

3. Enjoy this flexibility class with Travis Eliot. This 60 minute class is a power yoga class helps increase strength, muscle tone and flexibility (length 1:02:24). 

Other Yoga Activities

1. Mindfulness of the Heart

What is Mindfulness of the heart? It is also known as Heartfulness. Heartfulness is purposefully awareness of what is happening in the heart in the present moment. Heartfulness is also the act of perceiving the world through the heart and includes the experience of feeling gratitude, kindness, joy, feeling compassion, empathy and forgiveness for self and others.

Awareness from the heart differs from awareness of emotions and relates to love and the feelings of connectedness to self and others. It is often expressed as a physical feeling at the heart center. The practice of Heartfulness is important because happiness and kindness is contagious.

With an open and connected heart you would likely:

• Show affection towards others
• Laugh often and smile easily
• See the good in people
• Be open to new experiences

Heartfulness Exercise

1. One of the easiest ways to practice mindfulness of the heart is to send kind wishes to yourself or:

• Someone in the room (face to face)
• Someone you know and love (silently)
• Someone you don't know but would like to know (silently)
• Someone you know that challenges you (silently)

2. Sending wishes:

• Sit in mindful position and close your eyes or look down
• Take three breaths or until you feel calm and centered
• Bring to mind someone you know and love. It could be a person or an animal.
• Imagine this person or animal doing something simple that makes them happy
• Pay attention to how you are feeling in your heart while you silently send them the same following four wishes:

1. I wish for you to be healthy.
2. I wish for you to be happy.
3. I wish for you to be peaceful.
4. I wish for you to have joy in your life.

Imagine they can feel you sending your wishes and you can feel them getting happier and happier.

*Information from Heather Johnson