Opening the chest unlocks the spirit within. Practicing backbends takes you along previously untravelled paths, challenging you to overcome fear and frustration, teaching you to move with ease and grace and to live with an open heart and a passion for life and love
Back bends also energize, refresh and invigorate the body- opening the chest, encouraging inhalation, an action associated with embracing life.
On an anatomical level, backbends stretches and releases the muscles of the chest allowing circulation to flow freely to the heart and lungs. The nervous system is stimulated, building heat and stimulating metabolism. The abdominal muscles receive a stretch, as does the digestive system. The kidneys and adrenals are squeezed, further enhancing this cleansing action, while releasing adrenaline, which can feel like a buzzy rush, although for many there can also be a fear response.
Many people are not comfortable or encounter fear in back-bends. Although they can be initially very challenging, practicing backbends can help to increase energy and counteract depression, as well as breaking down ‘body armor’.
Bending backwards turns the body out to face the world, often from a different perspective. Backbends can move blocked energy through all the chakras, when I’ve been feeling sluggish, tamasic and in a rut, I’ve found that backward bends can shift this energy, leaving my mind clearer and more focused. Often after backbends I feel invigorated, empowered and free and as though I have expanded boundaries , realizing that those self created boundaries do not need to exist
Join me March 16th as we explore the many benefits of backbends.
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