The Heart Protector and Triple Heater stretch belongs to a collection of exercises of meridian stretching developed by Shizuto Mazunaga, founding father of a type of shiatsu.
According to traditional Chinese medicine the meridians are paths in which the energy of the body flows. Regularly doing all these meridian stretch exercises may help remove tensions and blocks. In particular, the Heart Protector and Triple Heater stretch is able to tone the muscles, improves flexibility, blood circulation and the immune system. A more efficient blood circulation is able to remove all toxins that tend to accumulate inside the body.
We start with some preparatory exercises. Sit on the yoga mat, legs out straight and torso up.
Exhale and bend forward, grab your left ankle and raise up your torso. Your left foot is now close to your body, one hand takes the ankle and the other hand the knee. Start rocking your leg. Begin slowly then, if you don’t have pain, you can increase the rhythm. After some minutes, bring the leg back on the yoga mat and repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Sit on the yoga mat, bend the legs and bring your feet towards the pelvis, the soles of your feet should touch each other while the knees spread and go close to the floor. Your hands grab the toes of the feet or the ankles. Start flapping now the legs up and down like the wings of a butterfly. The movement is slow, then, if you don’t have pain, you can increase the rhythm.
Let’s start with the meridian stretch. Sit cross-legged on the yoga mat, the left foot should be closer than the right foot to your body. The left arm goes on the right thigh, the right arm goes on the left thigh, the palms are facing up.
Exhale and bend forward, relax neck and head. Close your eyes and stay in this pose for some breaths.
Raise your torso again and change the crossing of your legs, now the right foot should be closer than the left one to your body. The right arm goes on the left thigh and the left arm on the right one, the palms of the hands are facing up. Exhale and bend forward, relax the muscles of neck and head. Stay in this pose for some breaths, then return to the initial pose.
