Bending Over Backwards For Yoga

Back-bends, also known as a ‘wheel-pose’ in yoga is beneficial for many reasons. It opens up your chest, helps to tone the spine, increases the breathing capacity of the lungs, relieves tightness in the back and shoulders, and prevents back pains. Additionally the wheel-pose opens up and stimulates the energy flow in your heart. It achieves this by stretching the heart and relieving tensions stored in the muscles that help send off natural pain-killers. It’s a great idea to do back-bends after finishing a stomach work out as this will give you a nice stretch.
Opening this area allows oxygen and fresh blood to enter the entire area and increases the energy in the heart chakra. The heart chakra corresponds to the colours green and pink, and it deals with issues of the heart; forgiving oneself and to both give and receive love freely. A blocked or weak forth chakra can make it hard for you to let go, respect yourself or have emotional detachment.


Another thing you can do to increase your strength in this chakra is to meditate. Yoga and meditation really goes hand in hand, because they are both so much about the breathing. If you're ever feeling stressed, take a few long deep breaths and just focus on your breath. Fill yourself with air then breath out and let it all go. It's very calming, and gives you energy to deal with whatever it is in a new light. Kind of like a little fresh start.


Photography by CEBB