by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP – Living in Natures Love Lifestyles @insideawareness.com
Heart Chakra
Located in the human heart region, the Heart Chakra connects and balances the upper chakras of spirit and the lower chakras of matter – meeting of spirit and body.
It is associated with the heart, thymus, circulatory and immune system.
Read more on subtle Chakra Energy Centers
The guided patterns in Awareness through Movement® lessons can increase available movement and enhance ones ability to cope. One can enjoy higher levels of tolerance by recruiting more body parts typically not used. The gift of these patterns are that the held patterns in ones posture can be released without necessarily having to put stories to past conditioning. An example of this in movement-action is in the heart region location itself. The Heart Chakra is located inside the right and left rib cages and along the spine. Opening the chest to widen the ribs and alternating movement to close and narrow them supports a healthy nervous system. This results in a calmer and more peaceful state of being. The stuck pattern of the ribs could be due to any manner of past emotional, mental or physical conflict or trauma however opening and closing the chest increases rib movement which supports healthy spinal movement stimulating ones nervous system. Employing more movement in this region increases range of motion, deepens exhalation and inhalation and creates new movement habits while releasing years of constraint without having to put stories to it!
Like diet the emotional grouping in the picture beside can be eased by Awareness through Movement® Lessons that focus on freeing up: arms, shoulders, neck, ribs, spine and pelvic movements and incorporating a more 3 dimension experience through rotation.
Try this example experience of 7 steps to get in touch with your somatic awareness capabilities:
- Start in a sitting position and begin to notice your breathe. Check in to notice movement during your inhalation and exhalation cycles. As you breath in there is potential for an expansion and as you exhale there is potential for a contraction.
- Let it go and begin to synchronize a pattern following your in-breath. As you breath in begin to take your upper arms and shoulders together towards your spine. As soon as you stop breathing in, let it go and drop your arms and shoulders back into a natural hanging at your sides. Repeat for 8 to 9 breaths.
- Pause and rest for 4 or 5 breath cycles.
- Come back now once repeating last movement pattern and notice any changes.
- Now focus on your exhalation and soften your sternum and front ribs by bringing your arms and shoulders away from your spine. Allow your upper ribs soften and sink towards your spine in the back. Repeat 8 or 9 times following your exhalation.
- Pause and rest noticing any changes before coming back.
- When you come back to the movement pattern begin to alternate you’re in and out breathes with taking your shoulders towards and away from your spine. Let you front ribs, sternum, neck head and pelvis take part in the movement. Release any holding and simply notice what wants to join in. Repeat 8 or 9 times and let it go
This is a small example of waking up to conscious awareness through movement that is available when you explore the Feldenkrais® Method of Somatic experiencing. Movement in the area focused upon in the above steps is most commonly known as the startle reflex and typically is held firmly without any signs of resilience or flexibility. What is the opposite of the sternum? The spine and nervous systems.
For more information on #yyj Feldenkrais® opportunities visit
Renee’s business webpages @ Inside Awareness
Renee has been sharing Feldenkrais® professionally since 2007 through personal session called Functional Integration® and in group workshops called Awareness through Movement® Lessons.
Connect to explore Feldenkrais in one of these ways or host your own retreat experience
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- Awareness through Movement for the 6th & 7th Chakras
- Awareness through Movement for 5th Chakra
- Awareness through Movement for 3rd Chakra
- Awareness through Movement for 2nd Chakra
- Awareness through Movement for 1st Chakra
Recommended Reading:
- Books by Moshe Feldenkrais
- Awareness through Movement
- The Potent Self
- Body & Mature Behavior
- Moshe on Kindle
- Thinking & Doing
The Crown Chakra, also known as the 7th chakra and is associated spirituality, loyalty, the divine and love. It is located on ones crown. It increases insight and supports heightened intuitiveness. It influences calm and personal peace.
The Brow Chakra, also known as the 6th chakra is associated with ones consciousness, perception and everyday awareness. It increases insight and supports heightened intuitiveness.
The Heart chakra, also known as the 4th chakra connects and balances the upper chakras of spirit and the lower chakras of matter – meeting of spirit and body. It reflects growth, healing, selfless love, tranquility, harmony and hope. It represents balance, serenity and calms nerves.
The Solar Plexus Chakra represents patience, tolerance, contentment, happiness, wisdom and mental energy. It is associated with new horizons, intellect, will-power, self-confidence and fulfillment.
Located: between pubic bone and belly button
An earlier post on 
Living in Natures Love 