Day 4 · Beginner journey
Heart Chakra (Anahata)
Day 4 opens the Anahata, the Heart chakra at the centre of the chest. Anahata means 'unstruck' or 'unheard' — the untouchable core of who you are, the place you point to when you say 'I'. Today's chest-opening poses, like Fish Pose, help this centre feel spacious and open.
The Heart chakra sits at the centre of the chest. Anahata means 'unstruck' — a part of you that stays whole and untouched. Chest-opening poses are traditionally used to work with this centre and to cultivate a sense of openness and compassion.
Follow the video into gentle backbends and chest openers such as Matsyasana (Fish Pose), lying down and lifting the chest to broaden across the collarbones. Breathe into the space you create — the theme today is opening the heart.
Today’s practice
- Warm the spine gently before backbending
- Follow the video into chest openers such as Fish Pose
- Broaden across the collarbones and breathe into the chest
- Rest afterward and notice the openness across the heart
Reflection
What would it feel like to meet today with a more open heart?
Video transcriptIn this session, the teacher explains the Anahata (heart) chakra and has Anisha demonstrate Matsyasana (Fish Pose) to open the chest.
Om Namah Shivay! Welcome to Yoga & You. We are here today at 136.1 Yoga Studio. So, the last time we covered the Manipura Chakra, which was in the navel, and today we'll cover the Anahata Chakra, which is in the chest area, in the centre of the chest. Anahata means unheard.
So, there's a part of you when you say "I," you always point here. You don't point here. So, there's always an "I" here, and that part of you is something which no one can touch, your heart. So, to activate this chakra, we have certain asanas, and out of that, chest-opening asanas affect this chakra. So, I'll show you the Matsyasana today. So, for that, Anisha will demonstrate.
You need to lie down. Keep taking both your hands and tuck it under your body. Make sure the elbows are straight and your neck straight, feet together. Now, when you inhale, I want you to first come up and just look at your toes. Inhale, come up. Exhale, thrust your chest out, roll your head back.
Okay, now 80 to 90% of the weight should be on the elbows, and very little or none at all on the head. Breathe deeply. So, in this, you can see the chest is completely open. And I want you to focus on the middle of the chest when you're breathing. Take two to three deep breaths.
Okay, now when you inhale and come up, you'll use your stomach muscles. And then exhale and lie down. Relax in Shavasana for a bit.
So that's how we cover the Anahata Chakra. Thank you.