I have found myself saying this alot recently, mainly during my yoga classes.
More than just simplified anatomy, it's a physical action. It's about finding 'room' in the chest, the intercostal muscles (in-between the ribs) and also releasing the 'tucked away' thoracic spine, the space opposite the heart in-between the shoulder blades.
During modern daily life, it becomes very easy to start collapsing in the upper chest. Shoulders starting to stoop forward over a computer, reaching for the handlebars or steering wheel on transport, and not sitting upright, are just a few of the common ways this can happen. Over time this can contribute to bad posture, tension in the thoracic spine and a reduction in lung capacity. These are just the physical manifestations. On a spiritual and energetic level, it can mean; feeling protective over your heart/ not wanting to let people inn, a blockage in the heart chakra and/or the throat chakra and, energy blockages in the lungs/ respiratory system.
Being able to release this area literally helps to bring joy into the heart (in my experience), a scene of being able to breathe properly and deeply, purification and stimulation of charkas, and also releases tension all the way around the upper chest.
Here are some postures to help with this releasing process. I recommend warming up the body first, more specifically around the upper-chest and shoulder area. For example, from seated; simple twist, eagle arms (both sides), cactus arms, and reaches up and down. From Tabletop; cat & cows, arm to opposite leg reaching and knee to elbow touches, thread the needle (both sides), and melting heart pose.
Fish Pose
- Lye down on your back
- Hide your arms as much as possible underneath your body, palms facing down (under the thighs)
- Point out through your toes, engage through the legs.
- Press your forearms fully into ground, bend the elbows and lift head gaze toward your feet, puff out through the upper chest (pigeon chest)
- Place the crown of the head on the floor. Try to keep your elbow drawn in.
Please note your crown may not come down to floor fully, especially if your very tight through the shoulders. Not to worry at all!
//Supported version
Using two blocks or one brick.
This one is simply blissful and you can stay here for a lot longer, using more of a yin approach to the pose. You will be able to release the fascia and connective tissues, in this variation.
- Place the 2x blocks or brick horizontally on the matt so that when you come down the props will be behind the shoulder blades, have enough room for your head to come behind the prop/s
- Start off with the knees bent and soles of the feet down on the floor slowly come down and make sure that the props are in the correct positioning
- Take the crown of the head back onto the matt, and cactus through the arms. Note if the shoulders are super tight then the arms can come along side the body instead.
- Legs can stay the same, lengthen out long, or butterfly through the legs (soles of feet together knees dropping out the sides)
- Make sure that this is comfortable to hold & Stay for 1.5 - 7 mins...ENJOY! :)
