Coming Home to the Heart

September carries the energy of new beginnings. The air feels fresher, the relaxed routines of summer shift towards greater structure as we return to work, study and our yoga practice.

At HeartSpace Yoga, we see this season as an invitation to come home to yourself.

Because HeartSpace isn’t only about the moving our bodies. It’s about cultivating inner peace, living with presence and creating space  to just 'be' -  meeting yourself where you are, with unapologetic self-acceptance and love.

Yoga invites us to develop strength of body, mind and spirit so we can step into the world with awareness, show up for others, walk gently on this earth and honour all living beings.  In essence, it's about union - the very meaning of the word 'Yoga' is to yoke, to bring together, to harmonise. 

It teaches us how to balance opposing forces... effort and surrender, masculine and feminine, grounding and expansion. In our physical practice, we often speak of 'rooting to rise' - a metaphor for finding stability and connection to the earth in order to reach towards a higher version of ourselves.

The heart is the meeting place of the upper chakras, where wisdom and a sense of oneness reside, and the lower chakras, which connect us to our body, the earth and our emotions - hence why it's often referred to as the heart centre!  And within this centre dwell the 12 Divine Qualities, one for each of the lotus petals we see in depictions of Anāhata, the heart chakra.

The 12 Divine Qualities are...

💗 Love – Unconditional, boundless connection to all life
💗 Purity – A clear channel for love, aligned to thought, word, and deed
💗 Clarity – The light of truth that arises from an unclouded heart
💗 Compassion – Tender awareness of the suffering of others, met with loving presence
💗 Kindness – Gentle acts of care that ripple outwards
💗 Patience – Trusting the divine unfolding of our own and other’s time
💗 Understanding – Heart-based wisdom that sees beneath the surface
💗 Forgiveness – The grace to let go and allow healing to arise
💗 Peace – Deep inner stillness and serenity, undisturbed by outer chaos
💗 Harmony – A state of balance, alignment and resonance within and without
💗 Joy – A radiant spark of inner happiness that bubbles up from the soul
💗 Bliss – The soul’s natural state of divine ecstasy and union

These qualities are not abstract ideals. They're lived experiences we can return to again and again. They remind us that the heart is not just an organ of the body or a metaphor, but a way of being in the world,  guiding how we move, speak and connect to ourselves and others.

This September, we begin a year long journey through the 12 Divine Qualities

Our first quality is Ahimsa or  Compassion, the tender awareness of suffering met with presence.

It's often the first tenet of yoga philosophy we encounter when we first come to the practice as it underpins everything that follows.

Hence why we’ve chosen it as the first quality to explore on our heart’s journey.

Ahimsa (अहिंसा) is one of the five yamas, the ethical guidelines of yoga. At its core, it means 'non-harming'.  But it's not simply the absence of violence; it is the practice of compassion in thought, word and action.

As with all things, ahimsa begins within. It asks us to meet ourselves with gentleness...to soften the inner critic...  honour our limitations...cultivating patience with our process.  From this place of inner compassion, we naturally extend the same to all living beings.

Compassion does not mean weakness. It's strength expressed through kindness. It is the heart’s capacity to hold space for pain without shutting down - a guiding light in times of challenge and a reminder of our interconnectedness.

From Philosophy to Embodiment

Each month, our Studio Manager and Senior Yoga Teacher Amanda will be guiding a 90 minute practice dedicated to one of the 12 Divine Qualities - a sacred space to journey beyond philosophy and embody the essence of the theme. These sessions are a chance to deepen your understanding, awaken your heart, and experience the teachings in a way that stays with you long after you leave the mat.

AHIMSA - PRACTICE WITH COMPASSION

 📆 Saturday 13th September 14:00-15:30

As with all things, ahimsa begins within.

This full-spectrum practice including asana (poses), pranayama (breathwork), mudra (symbolic and energetic hand gestures), mantra and meditation invites you to meet yourself with gentleness, soften the inner critic and honour your limitations.

Suitable for all abilities.

BOOK YOUR SPACE HERE - included in HSY monthly and annual memberships, 1 class credit or £19 drop-in.

A Fresh Start, Rooted in the Heart

As we step into this new season, we invite you to let compassion guide your practice. Each breath, each posture, each pause can become an act of ahimsa, a gentle returning home with softness, kindness and love.