Melting Heart

Sanskrit Name:	Anahataasana
Category:	Seated & Floor
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Category:	Yoga Lesson Planner
Sub Category:	Seated & Floor
Types:	Animal, Hip Opener, Prone, Seated & Floor, Strengthen, Stretch
Anatomy:	Arms & Shoulders, Core, Hips, Knees, Lower Back, Wrists & Arms
Chakras:	Sacral Centre
Therapy:	Confidence Building
Drishti:	Tip Of Nose
Dosha:	Kapha, Pitta

From all fours, knees a little wider than hip distance apart, lower down onto your elbows. Keep your hips in line with your knees, and straighten your arms in front of you, one after the other. Place your chin or forehead on the floor, allowing yourself to soften in the pose. If you feel pressure on the top of your shoulders, bend your elbows, spread them to the sides and place your forehead on your hands. You are looking for opening sensations in the front body (chest, ribs, front of the shoulders, and belly) and a mild compression in the upper and middle back. Hold. To release, gently bring your hands towards your shoulders and lower your hips on your heels, coming into a Child Pose.

Stretches inner thighs, groins, hips. Opens chest, shoulders.

A) Blanket under knees. B) Hold a block between the heels of your hands. C) Against a wall. D) Child Pose. E) Extended Child Pose.

Knee injury.

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Melting Heart Pose Teaching Tips (Anahataasana)

Knees
Makes sure your knees are below the hips.

Use The Breath
Breathe into any tight areas as you hold the pose.

Slow Breaths
Take long, slow, deep breaths.

No Forcing
Don’t force your body into a deeper stretch than it’s ready for.

Yoga Blocks
Bring forearms onto yoga blocks.

Release I
To release, slide your knees closer together and go into the tabletop position.

Release II
Exit by sliding your feet together on the mat and pressing the hips back into a wide-kneed variation of Extended Child Pose.

Modifications

Bolster Under Stomach
Use a bolster underneath your stomach (if you need some support).

Bolster Under Hips
Place a rolled-up blanket or a bolster under your hips to support your body as you work to increase the flexibility in your inner thighs.

Feet Further Apart
Slide your feet a bit further apart to see if that intensifies the stretch.

Cushion
If your ankles need cushioning, place a folded blanket underneath them.

Palms Pressed Together
Slowly lower down to your forearms with the palms either flat on the floor or pressed together.

Against A Wall
Place the short-end side of your mat a few centimetres away from the wall. Sit on your heels. Place your hands on the wall a comfortable distance apart. Allow your chest to dip down, head resting against the wall or gently hanging.

Hold A Block
Hold a block between the heels of your hands.

Melting Heart

Melting Heart Pose Teaching Tips (Anahataasana)

Modifications

Video

Follow Up Poses

Bow

Cobra

Locust

Sphinx

Upward Plank

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog...

Knee To Chest

Plank

Crocodile

Prone Leg Raise

Shoulder Pressing

Kneeling Superman I

Kneeling Superman II

Downward Facing Dog...

Kneeling Superman...

Preparation Poses

Cat

Cow

Child

Extended Child

Crocodile

Cat Cow

Frog

Counter Poses

Child

Extended Child

Extended Puppy