What better way to celebrate love this February than to enjoy a yoga pose with someone special. And, really, yoga is all about love, because it’s all about connection! Yoga highlights the link between the body (through asana or postures), the breath (via pranayama or breath-work) and the mind (using concentration techniques, such as dhyana or meditation).
Once glimpsed, this connection encourages yoga-lovers to cultivate qualities of self love, acceptance and compassion. Yoga is perfect to share as it’s non-competitive and adaptable for a range of different bodies, abilities and ages. Sharing yoga with a loved one can also activate a positive ripple of feel-good vibes — and let’s face it, what the world needs now is love, sweet love!
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Back-to-back breathing is a simple and beautiful way to connect and experience yoga together. In this double-act pose, two backs lean into one another, giving and receiving physical support equally, while gently elongating each spine. By tuning into the breath, you and your partner silently establish a united rhythm, with successive breaths naturally becoming longer, slower and deeper. With this, physical tensions soften, busy thoughts unclench, emotions steady. Aahhh … who wouldn’t want to share that goodness? (As a bonus, warmth from the partner’s back delivers a lovely sense of comfort and a reminder of what it is to be human.)
I encourage you to share the love this Valentine’s Day via this fun yoga-inspired pose built for two. Grab someone (a friend, your kid, your honey) and give back-to-back breathing a try. Here’s what to do:
- Sit back-to-back in an Easy Cross Leg position (sukhasana).
- Ensure you are both comfortable; sit on a folded blanket or cushion, if desired.
- Lean into the support of your partner’s back; acknowledge how you keep each other tall and steady.
- Place your hands in your lap or hold hands with your partner.
- Close your eyes and tune into your breath.
- Simply observe the breath moving in and out of your nose.
- Broaden your awareness — can you sense your partner’s breath?
- Count seven breaths and notice if you’ve started to breathe in sync.
- Continue breathing here for as long as you like.
- When you’re both ready to finish the practice, take a moment to observe how you feel, and thank your partner.
