As we continue our heart chakra work, we’re exploring our ACTUAL hearts. I’m sharing 6 super simple mind body practices that you can easily integrate into your daily routine:
1) Rest
We live in this amped up 24/7 society that has us on the go, well, 24/7. Our nervous systems simply aren’t wired for non-stop sympathetic activation so to rewire them for health (reducing stress and anxiety and supporting trauma recovery too), it’s up to us to consciously build in pockets of rest to allow the heart and whole system to rest.
I can’t tell you how much I’ve come to adore this new daily practise even though I didn’t think I could ever make the time) a daily lunchtime yoga nidra (Full Moon and Super Moon members, you should have received your new unique nidra designed to supporting you in welcoming and sending love to your whole self, all your talents and all your parts and it’s available for you in the Exclusive Membership Benefits Area, too).
It could also mean allowing yourself to flop onto the sofa after vacuuming, relaxing in the steam room or sauna (or on the beach) after a swim, hugging the earth after a run.
Even if you only rest for as long as it takes for your heart rate to settle, you’re supporting your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and heart health as well as emotional and mental health.
Read more about the Rest Test and access more ideas around different types of rest HERE
2) Relaxation Response
Discovered by Cardiologist Dr Herbert Benson in the same Harvard lab Walter B Cannon discovered the Fight/Flight Response decades earlier, we can enter this physiological sweet spot supporting deep, restorative healing in as little as 3 minutes.
You can read his delightfully accessible 1975 book, The Relaxation Response for more (or read some of my highlights HERE) or simply choose any quality you’d like more of in your life. Peace? Calm? Love? Abundance? Ease? Pleasure? Good health? and INHALE (peace or your choice) then EXHALE (peace or your choice). Any time your mind wanders, congratulate yourself for noticing and bring your awareness back to your breath as you INHALE your quality and EXHALE your chosen quality. You can do this lying or sitting down OR in a calming yoga pose like a Standing or Seated Forward Fold to support even deeper relaxation as the stretch reflex kicks in telling your whole system it’s safe to relax into the stretch and potentially supporting better focus as you INHALE your quality then EXHALE your quality. You might want to set a timer for at least 3 minutes so you can focus as easily as possible.
3) Touch your toes
Normally, when I teach Forward Folds in yoga, I encourage students and clients to bend the knees for comfort and deeper relaxation.
But here, as a simple and gentle heart health supporting practise, I’m encouraging you to on the floor with your legs outstretched in front of you, toes pointing up and notice if you’re able to touch your toes while keeping the legs strait.
I don’t want you to hold it for longer than a few seconds if this is not genuinely comfortable for you and I also don’t want you feeling badly if you can barely reach your knees. It’s simply information. A study indicates that being able to touch your toes with your legs strait indicates a healthier heart so whether you can or can’t today, you might want to add this simple practise to your daily routine and you’ll notice improvements (GENTLY, please) as well as being able to use the time to send love and care to your heart and legs.
4) Floss your teeth
Again, you might wonder what on earth flossing your teeth has to do with heart health but there’s a correlation between the plaque that builds up in our mouths and in our arteries although may just be that people who floss their teeth take better care of themselves in other ways but it’s a simple (and not necessarily easy. I know that while I’m better at this than ever, my dentist would like me to do it more often and for longer) way to send more love and care to your heart as well as your teeth and gums.
5) Speak up
We’ll be working more with assertiveness and boundaries in a couple of weeks as we move up into the Throat Chakra part of the Love your WHOLE self chakra journey. For now, simply reflect on the times you might actually FEEL your heart contract as you hold onto resentment and hurt instead of speaking out. Your heart deserves to feel healthy and expansive and joy filled. Not contracted against pain. Who are you holding back with? What needs to be addressed in order for you to feel more loving towards this person / these people without it being at your own expense?
6) Prioritise time with loved ones and in community
We heal from trauma and manage life’s stresses better when we co-regulate, nervous system to nervous system in the company (even online) of mammals we trust and feel safe with.
My cats help me. And my humans help me. Notice the people you feel most relaxed with, most yourself with and most happy with and make more time to do more with them. Your heart deserves this.
And find online and other communities to support your different and varied parts and interests. I love facilitating online Circles for the Embodied with Evei online community and am preparing for the Lughnasadh one as I draft this.
I’ll send more details about our September Dark New Moon Circle next week in hope that you can join us as a free or paid subscriber.
In the meantime, you might want to join us in a couple of weeks:
I’m delighted to be joining Dr Karen Ward by facilitating a Moon Mna Circle to help you Reveal Your Inner Goddess from 8-9.30pm (Irish time) on Monday, 19th August 2024
Here’s what Karen says about the Circle plus a link in case you want to book your place.
I am delighted to invite you to join me and wonderful Moon Mná Circle Facilitator Eve Menezes Cunningham to Reveal Your Inner Goddess and capture a soul moment in a very special photograph assisted by an Irish Goddess as she helps you know your true nature.
Explore the concept of your “Goddess within” under the Full Grain Moon on 19th August and gift yourself permission to begin the empowering sacred steps to Reveal Your Inner Goddess. If you have ever wanted to unearth your confident side, your self worth and esteem then this is the time and I am honoured to be with you as Eve guides you through the simple yet powerful steps.
This is so often the highlight of the year for many women and not to be missed! We meet from 8.00-9.30pm (Irish time) in a virtual Circle of international women. This will be recorded if you are not able to attend live, so you will be sent an email a day or two later letting you know that this is available on our website. Also afterwards you have access to a beautiful self-paced ritual in the Course material to perform at home. An abundance at Lughnasadh!
Click for Details and to Book €25.00
Listen to Karen’s interview with me for The Feel Better Every Day Podcast
Or watch
Have you tried a self lymphatic drainage massage?
The latest episode of The Feel Better Every Day Podcast is my interview with the delightful Colleen Kneafsey, an experienced nurse specialising in heart health, diabetes, menopause and health supporting weight loss.
You can also listen (and if you want to subscribe/share/comment/rate/review, please do so) via your favourite podcasting app
le grá,
