Heart Yoga by Andrew Harvey

Author:Andrew Harvey [Harvey, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-58394-291-8
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Published: 2010-09-07T04:00:00+00:00

To give to others in a healthy way, you need to be grounded in yourself. Similarly, in this pose, to offer yourself in love you first sink your roots down deep into your feet and into the earth. From that grounded security, firmly centered in the immanent, you can fully open yourself in love to the transcendent.

The asana is itself the manifestation of the Sacred Marriage. It gives us a sublime and practical key to entering the fullness of the marriage: establish yourself in the depths of your body as you simultaneously open your whole heart, mind, and being to Love. A tree cannot grow into its full majesty unless its roots are entwined deep into the earth.

Doing the pose with this awareness will awaken you to the vibrant balance called for by a life of authentic love. When you open yourself to the infinite wellspring of love energy that is always flowing within you, loving others comes naturally.

Explore this pose as an offering from the core of your heart and body, rather than trying to push into it as a test of your will or endurance. As Iyengar writes, “When you do the asana correctly the Self opens by itself; this is divine yoga.”12

Experiment carefully with this intense backbend. Lying on your back, bend your knees and place your feet parallel and hip width apart near your sitting bones. Bring your hands underneath your shoulders, fingers pointing back toward your heels and turned a bit to the outside. Your hands can be placed slightly wider than your shoulders, so that your elbows will stay over your hands when you rise up.

Rock your pelvis, moving your tailbone toward your pubic bone; then your pubic bone toward your tailbone. On an exhalation, curl your tailbone up, letting this subtle movement initiate the rising of your hips off the floor. Move down into the earth through your hands and arms, and draw your shoulder blades into your body, lifting your chest. You may wish to first lightly rest the crown of your head on the floor, being careful that you don’t compress your neck.

Engage your shoulder blades into the back ribs, and your arm bones firmly into your shoulder sockets. Make sure your feet and legs are parallel and hip width apart. Strongly press down through your hands and feet, and unroll into a full backbend. Stay for a few breaths, then slowly and mindfully release down. Repeat a few more times, practicing rolling your spine up rather than forcing it up into your body.

Move down through your legs, and open the fronts of your hips and thighs. Lift your tailbone up, releasing your sacrum deeply into your body and elongating through your lower back. Allow your spine to curl into an even roundedness, supported by the strength of your arms and legs. Keep your belly soft, your heart lifting, and your breath easy and flowing.

Come down to the floor whenever you feel ready, resting and then repeating the pose a few times.

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