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Yoga By Koula Kyriakidou
Andros 2022
Follow your heart's beacon
“ In forward bends, one uses the outer mind while in backbends the outer mind is silenced and the inner mind is made to work”.
B.K.S Iyengar
Your heart is your best guide; always listen to it.
Once you can listen to your heartbeat, you can always choose the best course of action.
The ability to listen to your heart is a great thing.
It is aware of when and what to ask.
Your relationship with yourself is the most crucial one.
As long as that relationship is alive, everything has the potential to be great.
Keep your inner self protected.
Keep your heart's light burning, then follow it, and keep following it.
Follow your heart’s beacon - your heart will lead you in the right direction!
Everyone's movement is internal. Straight from the heart. Because that’s where the essence of existence resides; Within the heart.
Listen to your heart. Really listen to what it gently whispers to you in those moments, when your heart sneaks into your dreams and tells you what you truly want, what is truly best for you - for your life!
Your heart will lead you in the right direction.
Follow your heart’s beacon -
When our heart beats inspiringly, its beacon only emits light - clear light which shows us the path to our next journey...
Allow yourself some time to reflect on those moments when you felt joy...fulfilment...harmony...
Yoga is something that one does with one’s body as well as one’s mind. There is an emotional and spiritual component to the practice that some mistakenly think of as just a series of exercises.
So, for instance, the shavasana (corpse pose) is about relaxing completely physically and letting go, and surrendering in the emotional sense as well.
The backbend yoga poses also have certain emotional and spiritual impacts beyond the mere physical.
Backbends are often referred to as “heart opening” poses and their benefits are pretty clear.
They improve body balance which can help prevent falls and also train the body to maintain an erect, healthy posture. Backbends increase flexibility and range of motion. They also help strengthen and reinforce the core muscles of the body, resulting in a healthier heart and faster metabolism.
But even more important are the emotional and spiritual benefits that backbends bring. There is evidence to show that backbends have positive impacts on the brain similar to certain antidepressant medications.
The ‘expansive chest opening aspects’ of these yogic poses were seen to help the body relax and elevate the mood.
Backbends increase the body’s energy levels and release mood-elevating hormones into the blood stream.
At an emotional level, as the body arches up, the mind also does the same, making room in our lives for new emotions, experiences and feelings. It is a physical vulnerability that gives us the courage to become more receptive in our personal relationships as well as other areas of life. As the body curves into various backbend yoga poses, we find ourselves letting go of the negative emotions in our lives – relinquishing sadness, fear, anger. At the same time, we find ourselves embracing joy, harmony, fulfilment, love and compassion. Doing these exercises mindfully, we become aware of our life force and the essential inner being. As the body arches up and outward, we create self-belief and gain faith in our own abilities.
“Work from your heart, not your brain to create harmony”.
B.K.S Iyengar