Backbends: Opening the ❤️

It's one thing to do backbends. Another thing is to “feel” backbends. And a completely different thing is to teach the subtleties of backbends to future teachers. That was the focus in our yoga teacher training last Friday.

When I think of backbends I always think of heart openers. The heart center. I also think of deep-slow breaths. I think of releasing tension, creating space, expanding, opening. Overcoming challenges. And I also think of surrendering. I think of the qualities of the heart, kindness, compassion, and love being expanded, being shared. Getting out of my head and opening to something greater. For me, all of these qualities are symbolized and embodied in backbends, when they're done properly.

Backbends are not all about flexibility and being open, but also about being strong, rooted. After we did our backbends “intro” last Friday and we went for dinner with some friends and students, we all noticed how our postures were more upright and lengthened. And our chests were fully open. That’s another great benefit of doing backbends correctly: they improve your posture.


It was a tough week, and many of us shed tears at one point or another, each of us for our own personal reasons. But that night we all felt a little more open, more receptive to whatever life is offering us these days.

Maybe that’s another benefit of backbends. After all, opening the heart is not something that happens only in the physical body.

Adrian Molina is a yoga teacher, writer and meditation practitioner living in New York City. He developed the Warrior Flow style of yoga and teaches at Equinox fitness centers, in private sessions, and at retreats. He shares inspiration and teachings frequently on his web site Warrior Flow, his Facebook page, and his Twitter feed.