Open Heart Posture
Materials Needed
Feeling
Excluded
How to Do It
Sit or stand with your chest open, shoulders back, and chin lifted slightly. Place your hands on your chest in a gesture of openness and breathe deeply into your heart space, focusing on feelings of love and connection.
Why It Works
This posture counteracts the tendency to close off when feeling excluded, encouraging an open-hearted attitude that can help shift your emotional state toward feeling more connected and inclusive.
Guided Practice
Sit or stand comfortably and take a few deep breaths, feeling the weight of your body supported by the ground. As you breathe, notice any sensations of tightness or discomfort. Imagine your breath moving into these areas, creating space and softness.
Slowly open your arms out to the sides, palms facing forward, as if you were preparing to embrace the world. Feel the stretch across your chest and the openness in your heart space. Notice any sensations that arise — perhaps a gentle pull in your shoulders, a warmth in your chest, or a lightness in your breath.
As you hold this open posture, focus on your heart center. Visualize a light radiating from your chest, expanding outward with each breath. Feel the energy of this open heart — perhaps a sense of vulnerability, a feeling of expansiveness, or even a touch of anxiety. Allow yourself to stay with these sensations, noticing how they shift and change with each breath. Notice if any images, symbols, or memories arise — perhaps a memory of love, a belief about openness, or an image of a blooming flower. Stay with these images, letting them deepen your connection to your heart space.
Imagine each breath filling your heart with light and warmth. Feel this light expanding, reaching out to the world around you, connecting you to the people and experiences in your life. Notice how this visualization affects you — perhaps bringing a sense of peace, a feeling of connection, or even a sense of resistance. Allow yourself to explore these feelings, knowing that all experiences are welcome in this space. Consider what it feels like to have an open heart, and notice if any insights or realizations arise — perhaps about your capacity to love, your willingness to be vulnerable, or your desire to connect.
When you feel ready, gently bring your arms back to a neutral position and take a few deep breaths, feeling the openness remain in your chest. Notice how your body feels now — perhaps more expansive, more connected, or simply more aware of your own capacity for openness. Gently open your eyes, carrying this sense of an open heart with you into your day, feeling more ready to embrace whatever comes your way with a sense of compassion and presence.