Dear John, In yoga, we talk a lot about opening and expanding. Ever wonder what this means? Language is a powerful tool. Opening and expanding reference both body and mind in this practice. For example, we can “open” the chest – muscularly – in what we often call “heart opening” poses. This physical action creates softness across the front of the body which we tend to contract in subconscious self-defence (or hunching over our devices!), and therefore space within the ribcage for the lungs to fully inflate. This, in turn, more generously oxygenates the entire body bringing clarity to the mind… and Voilà: Open heart, open mind, greater sense of connection with the self and the world. Within that expansion, we become conscious of our breath, sensations in the physical body and the powerful energy moving in and around us. And when we're able to tap into this ... well, we can move mountains! Let’s move together this week through five new The Joy of Yoga practices and a live class with David Lurey this Friday! Love, Esther and the team | 
