Valentine’s Day is a reminder that love is all around us. With all of the stress, grief and fear that is happening in the world right now, it is easy to literally close down, making it harder to be open to love when we need it the most.

Having practiced and taught yoga for many years, I have seen both in my own body and with my students, that the upper body, the heart area, can close up in an attempt to prevent emotional or physical pain. This can be an energetic block or in some cases physically manifest as stiffness and pain in the upper back, shoulders and chest area.

Personally, I was told by several doctors that I had two vertebrae in my upper spine that were fused together, probably from birth, that did not allow my back to have full flexibility. Although I was experiencing physical pain, this diagnosis was even more concerning to me, as at the time I was studying the 7 Chakras. The affected area was in the 4th Chakra, also called the Heart Chakra. I certainly did not want to be limited in my heart area and I wanted to be open to giving and receiving love.

The yoga remedy to open the Heart Chakra is to practice backbends!

Well, backbends can be difficult and scary. Even though I was doing my best practicing Wheel, Camel, Bridge and Fish pose, they were very hard for me and my back limited my ability to reach the area of my spine that needed more flexibility.

So, back in the day, (the late 80’s) I commissioned a local artist, David Rudolph, to design a wooden back-bender, called The Whale. It is a beautiful piece that allows you to lie back over a large curve and gently open your back. I spent many hours contemplating life while lying over it and allowing my spine to gently shift and change. It was also a cool addition to have in our yoga studio and our students were eager to try it out when class was not in session. My kids were little at the time and they loved to use it as a slide! Unfortunately, it was not readily available to my students when they needed it and it took up too much valuable space in the studio. However, when the creative genius BKS Iyengar, (the famous yoga teacher who introduced props to the yoga world) suggested using folded blankets as props in a variety of yoga poses we were blown away how easy and accessible the Supported Fish Pose became. He suggested simply using two blankets positioned under your back to lie over.  Our yoga community was thrilled to introduce the Supported Fish Pose to our students. We were so grateful to have this efficient and accessible variation that most everyone could use.

What a wonderful, easy, gentle way to practice the Fish Pose. It allowed the student to remain in the pose long enough to create more flexibility in the spine, get into those hard-to-reach areas  and let go of tension (and emotions) held in the chest/heart. To change the intensity of the pose one could  simply use one, two or three folded blankets depending on the individual needs.

In our Let It Go Yoga Therapy Teacher Training we teach a meditation called the Heart Journey that is practiced while lying in the Supported Fish Pose. This is a very powerful way to release tension and emotions that build up in this area of the body. You can practice some of the principles of the Heart Journey yourself. After you have set yourself up for the pose and adjusted the props so that you are comfortable, focus on your Heart Chakra (wherever you perceive that area to be), close your eyes and bring your loved ones to mind. One at a time, as you think of each person, wish them well. Send love in their direction. Say to each person “I love you, thank you”. If anyone comes to mind who causes you any pain or stressful thoughts, be sure to send extra love their way!

Once a student told me that this practice was too easy and he needed something harder than this to work for him. He maintained that his aching back was chronic and he had been experiencing upper back pain for years! I understood that he was used to the no pain, no gain method but assured him to just try the Supported Fish Pose for 15 minutes on a regular basis. He agreed to give it a try. After a month he brought me a bouquet of flowers and told me that his back pain had completely disappeared! As an added bonus, he was now talking with his estranged daughter who he hadn’t spoken with in years! Wow!

For me, I can’t even total up the many times I have spent in this pose. Each time I have learned something more about myself. Sometimes tears flowed, sometimes I let go of past grudges and injustices, sometimes I came away filled with loving kindness. Physically, I worked through my back pain and have not felt it for years. When I had my spine x-rayed a few years later, it did not show any vertebrae fused together! The doctor said he didn’t know what the other doctors were talking about! My spine was perfectly fine!

My extra bonus: my posture has improved and I am more aware of how I hold my upper back, shoulders and chest. Also, during stressful times, the Supported Fish Pose helps me ward off anxiety and depression. It helps calm my nervous system and leaves me feeling uplifted, more loving and more loved.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, love and good health, I suggest this heart opening pose for anyone who would like to give and receive more love. Take a little time for yourself, set up your props, lie back, open your heart and send love. Each of us can make a difference within ourselves and others.

I’d love to hear how the Supported Fish Pose works its magic for you.

Sue Anne Parsons 500 EYT, CYT – owner of Let It Go Yoga since 1986; photo credit – Jim Parsons

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