“The secret of love is in opening up your heart,” – James Taylor

This is a theory that most will agree with, yet opening our heart can sometimes be a challenging task.

The yogis call the heart center: Anahata Chakra. The name Anahata translates to un-struck, un-hurt, un-beaten. The wheel of the un-struck note.

I like to think of Anahata as a lotus flower.

In the sunlight, the flower opens its petals and blooms unconditional love.

Yet, in the darkness, the petals can symbolize obstacles that close and block off this center of love.

Part of being human is to experience pain, disappointment, confusion, anxiety, and jealousy (to name a few). And, when life reveals things like say, pandemics and rampant social injustice, it can be difficult to reside in a place of unconditional love.

In fact, often our response to protect or save is to harden and close up, which can create walls of tension and stress in the body.

Then, we find it hard to move through the rigid layers that can form around our heart and access our love.

Enter: Yoga.

Yoga helps erase those obstacles, or hardening, in the thoughts and body.

When we reside in the moment and within our heart center (Anahata Chakra), infinite possibilities are presented.

Time stands still and the heart space, where we give and receive love, frees us from our fears and the things that the mind will never understand.

We get to choose moments to be on the mat, feel the things that need to heal and reconnect with what matters.

Moments to tap into the heart center.

Become a note un-struck. Un-hurt.

Breathe in the unconditional love that is the key to being in the moment.

The key to enjoying this ride of life.

A gentle breathing exercise:

To help access the boundless feeling of love and soften the layers that can form around the heart.

· Sit or lie down.

· Close your eyes and take 3 deep breaths.

· Soften and relax your body and let your attention go inside of you.

· Gently fill your chest with breath and let it rise and empty.

· Now visualize your heart as a lotus flower.

· Keep relaxing and be interested in what is stirring inside.

· Without judging, notice your thoughts and feelings.

· Imagine the thoughts and feelings that keep returning, as petals around your lotus flower heart.

· Have a deep breath into each thought and feeling.

· See the lotus petal softening and opening with each breath. Obstacles falling away.

· Breathe right into the center of the flower, the center of your heart space, and notice any sensations.

· Notice the feeling of love that you are tapping into.

· The feeling of tenderness and kindness that is growing with each breath.

· The feeling of love that is extending out from the center of your heart space.

· Your beautiful lotus flower, open, and blooming the radiant and unapologetic love that is you.

Namaste.