Please use this forum to ask any questions you may have about yoga in general or Yin Yoga in particular, or to discuss anything you have discovered that may be of general interest. Note, spam will be removed and the user deleted, and this includes putting website in your posting that are purely commercial.
I'm wondering if anyone might be able to help me out?
I had a student in class last week who said that as she came out of Caterpillar she had this ball of extremely hot energy in her chest, at the heart space, that was actually a bit painful and then it moved out of her chest and shot down her Right leg before dissolving away.
I asked if she had a history of acid reflux/heartburn, but she said it wasn't that kind of burning. She said it was very concentrated and felt like "a hot ball of energy".
The class theme that evening was a centered on the Heart and Aanahata Chakra. We began class with a Heart Meditation followed by a gentle/supported backbend to open the heart. The next pose was Easy Pose with Gomukhasana arms (using straps) to help further expand the chest space and stimulate the Heart line. Next came Caterpillar to counter-pose the backbend and to give students time to come into their own heart space and reflect on what their hearts truly needed/were asking for in their lives.
This is where my student experienced this mysterious "hot energy" in her heart space.
(Class continued with Anahastasana, Happy Baby, Reclining Twists, & Savasana.)
Any thoughts on what this might have been? Thank you for your help!
The experience you describe is fascinating as it contains many of the classic elements often described in meridian chi theory.
One possible explanation is your student had a chi discharge from the Anahata chakra. There could be other explanations but considering:
The class was Anahatta oriented and the postures are intended to stimulate the heart center.
The heart and small intestine meridians (yin/yang) partners both are connected to the heart chakra and flow through the arms.
The triple warmer/heater meridian (sometimes called San Jiao) responsible for regulating the systemic heat distribution and its yin partner the heart constrictor meridian (also known as circulation sex) are also connected to heart chakra function and both flow through the arms.
Chi is often described as heat when a sufficient enough charge accumulates in a particular center or point.
and classic polarity therapy identifies the right arm as the emitter + and the left arm as a receiver -. (although I personally tend to think of them more as dynamic...)
Nevertheless since so much of the experience you described has these classic elements - that I would say there is a high probability that your student experienced a chi discharge after activating their heart center
If you have the opportunity, try to assess if your student is Anahatta type. Which would explain why their heart chakra is so active. Sometimes you can put your hand over (not on) the chakra back and or front (about 6 inches away) and feel the heat radiating.
There are many references if you want to dig in deeper. Dr Motoyama is one of my favorites, especially if you want a deeper understanding of the connection between charkas and meridians. A variety of Chi gong guides will reference chi sensations and heat....
Ok Hope that helps point you toward some resources to dig deeper...
best,
John
I am very interested in digging deeper for sure! For my own knowledge as well as for my student.
I spoke to her after class this week- letting her know that I was still looking into it and she revealed to me that she is working with some other holistic modalities to resolve long held anger issues.
After talking with one of her alternative therapists, she thinks it may have been a combo of things that resulted in an intense release of old anger stored in the body that had been shifted by the practice. According to her (via said alt. therapist) she has anger stored in the muscles of her arms as well as her legs.
So maybe her work with anger coupled with a class devoted to stimulating the heart caused a sufficient enough charge of chi to create the physical sensation in her body- as you said. Makes sense.
Amazing stuff! It is mind blowing how we are so connected in so many ways and on so many levels!
Thank you again for your post and for the references! There is always so much more to learn!
