Opening The Heart Chakra
backbend
OPENING THE HEART CHAKRA
Opening the heart chakra is not simply about reaching deeper into a backbend. Matt reminds us that this space is rooted in love, balance, and connection, both with ourselves and with others. It reflects how we relate, how we receive, and how we respond. When we approach this work through the body, we are not just stretching the chest. We are learning how to support openness with structure. The heart chakra asks for both strength and softness, and the bridge between the two is breath. Thoracic breathing becomes essential here. It allows the chest to expand without collapsing the lower back, creating space that is supported rather than forced. When we learn to organize the breath and body together, the heart can open in a way that feels sustainable.
CHROMATIC 50Hr. CERTIFICATION
GLOBAL 50Hr. TRAINING
- 50hr Certification Program
- For Yoga Teachers, Pilates Instructors, and Fitness Trainers
- Anatomical Sequencing
- Masterful Verbal Cues
- Effective Visual Demonstration
- Teach Bio-mechanics Without Breaking the Flow
- Join the Global Community of Chromatic Teachers
- American Yoga Council & Yoga Alliance Continued Ed
HALF CAMEL POSE MECHANICS
Half Camel becomes the first entry point into opening the heart chakra with clarity. Matt guides us into a supported variation with the toes tucked and one hand reaching to the heel. Rather than leaning back immediately, we send the ribs forward while lifting the abdomen through activation of the transversus abdominis. This action shifts the breath into a thoracic pattern, expanding the side ribs and chest instead of the belly. The shoulder rolls back and the opposite ribs lift, creating a diagonal opening through the torso. The key here is that the heart lifts upward before any depth is added. Half Camel teaches us that backbends begin with structure and breath, not with range. It sets the tone for how we approach deeper shapes.
WATCH THE VIDEO
OPENING THE HEART CHAKRA: A BIOMECHANICAL APPROACH TO BACKBENDS
WILD THING AND SIDE BODY EXPANSION
Wild Thing builds on this foundation by introducing rotation and side body opening. As Matt guides us into the shape, the emphasis remains on pressing through the supporting hand and foot while allowing the hips to lift and open. The chest rotates upward, and the shoulder moves into a cactus-like position, encouraging space across the front body. Thoracic breathing continues to support the posture, expanding through the ribs rather than collapsing into the lower back. The side body becomes an important pathway for opening the heart chakra, allowing the breath to travel into areas that are often restricted. Wild Thing reminds us that heart opening is not only about extension, but also about rotation and expansion through multiple directions.
200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE
- Deepen your yoga practice
- Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
- Learn foundational class structures and templates
- Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
- Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
- Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
BOW POSE WITH SUPPORT
Bow Pose, supported with a bolster, offers a more compassionate approach to deeper backbending. Matt starts us with the chest already lifted, reducing the initial load and allowing us to focus on coordination. As we reach for the ankles, we roll the shoulders back and begin to kick the legs into the hands. This action draws the chest forward and upward rather than compressing the lower back. Maintaining a gentle abdominal lift encourages thoracic breathing, keeping the breath in the chest and side ribs. The bolster allows us to repeat the movement with less strain, making it easier to explore the relationship between effort and support. Bow Pose becomes less about intensity and more about direction and control.
300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING
GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER
Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!
- Get 500 hour certified
- Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
- Expand your teaching skills
- Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
- Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
- Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
BREATH, REPETITION, AND CONNECTION
Opening the heart chakra becomes clearer through repetition. Matt shows us that moving in and out of these postures reveals patterns. We begin to notice where we hold back and where we overextend. Thoracic breathing becomes the anchor that keeps us balanced between effort and ease. With each repetition, the body learns how to coordinate strength and softness together. This is not about achieving the deepest backbend, but about understanding how to create space safely. Over time, the practice reshapes both the body and the way we approach openness. When breath, structure, and awareness align, the heart has the support it needs to expand.
Matt’s upcoming 50Hr. Chromatic Certification is an opportunity to take our practice and journey as a Yoga Teacher to the next level. Register today to reserve your spot.
The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date
Article by Trish Curling
Video Extracted From: Chakra Vinyasa Immersion
ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE
- Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
- Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
- Appropriate for both teachers and students
- Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
- Demystify yoga poses and transitions
- Release aches and pains
- Learn how to avoid common injuries
- Caters to all levels with modifications and props
- 20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
- 20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
- Lifetime access
Continue Learning
5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga Teachers
5 Visual Demonstration Techniques for Yoga TeachersYoga TeachersVisual Demonstration This is often confused with “teaching from the mat.” Teaching at the front of the room can be useful at the right time and place, but that is not what we are referring to here. In...
Awakening Solar Plexus Strength
Awakening Solar Plexus Strengththird chakraAWAKENING SOLAR PLEXUS STRENGTH Awakening solar plexus strength invites us into the centre of transformation. Matt reminds us that this third chakra, Manipura, is our fire, our willpower, and our ability to take action. It...
Hip Flexor Stretch Mechanics
Hip Flexor Stretch MechanicsALIGNMENTHIP FLEXOR STRETCH MECHANICS Hip flexor stretch mechanics begins with understanding that stability and length often come from opposing actions. In the first demonstration, Matt cues the back inner thigh to lift upward, which tips...
A Yoga Treatment For The Shoulders
A Yoga Treatment For The ShouldersSTABILITYA YOGA TREATMENT FOR THE SHOULDERS Shoulders tend to speak up when stability is missing. Matt reminds us that building strength isn’t about aesthetics, it’s about support, resilience, and keeping the body working as one...
Reverse Tabletop Strength
Reverse Tabletop StrengthMECHANICSREVERSE TABLETOP STRENGTH “Solid” implies strength, yet in yoga, we can easily lose sight of how intentionally building the back body supports everything we do. Reverse Tabletop may look simple, but it asks a lot from the posterior...
Focus On Eagle Pose Legs
Focus On Eagle Pose LegsMECHANICSFOCUS ON EAGLE POSE LEGS When we focus on Eagle Pose legs, it’s tempting to assume the bind is a flexibility test. But this posture quietly reveals something more nuanced: timing, joint mechanics, and how efficiently the legs organize...
THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK
When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to
- the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
- exclusive online course discounts
- exclusive blogs and videos
0 Comments