November is a time of maintaining your strength and opening your heart. This is the month to stand in your empowerment, trust the guiding force of your heart and the intuition it brings, and get inspired by where you are headed right now. The month begins in the midst of Eclipse Season, with the final eclipse of the year occurring in Taurus on November 8th. This Total Full Moon Lunar Eclipse also happens to be the Blood Moon of the year, signifying an empowering, transformational, and somewhat intense time for the collective. Changes and transformations are inevitable this month, but what you do with what is occurring will be the biggest game changer of it all.
Scorpio Season always brings a little more intensity and revelation, however, without this time the world would know no depth. Scorpio takes us to places we need to be and uncovers the mysteries we have been pondering. On November 16th, the energy begins to move into Sagittarius as Venus enters this fire sign. With Venus in Sagittarius until December 9th, love goes on an adventure and is a little harder to grasp for the time being. Venus in Sagittarius loves its freedom and shows us the importance of having fun, living with an open mind and heart, and trusting your intuition first and foremost.
The Sun moves into Sagittarius on November 22nd, and with Sagittarius Season here, this is the time to have a little more fun with life after a heavy emotional time in Scorpio Season and to explore your world. Sagittarius Season is when travel is heavy, the vibes are inspiring, and when perspective is everything. There is a New Moon in Sagittarius the very next day after Sag Season begins, and the more you can focus on the positive opportunities and paths that are opening for you right now, the more that can come. This New Moon is a time of gathering your strength, remaining optimistic, and walking into new doors.
As November comes to a close, Jupiter in Pisces moves out of retrograde and goes direct on the same day of the New Moon, on November 23rd. Jupiter is the planet of blessings and good fortune, and in direct motion, it’s able to bring that. You can expect some positive experiences at the end of the month, and karma coming around to bless the world again. Jupiter in Pisces is all about creativity, compassion, and your belief systems, and by the end of the month, there is more freedom to explore, engage, and live free. November overall is a month to release doubts and trust the process.
Aries Horoscope for November 2022
AriesKyra Jay for xoNecoleNovember is all about overcoming fears, Aries. With Scorpio Season underway, and the Sun currently moving through your 8th house of transformation, there is a lot to process this month. You are uncovering new truths and are also seeing what’s been holding you back in the process. The revelations that are appearing in your life are changing the path ahead for you, and it’s about letting go of what’s leaving you feeling trapped rather than as free as you should feel.
On November 22nd, the Sun moves out of Scorpio and into fellow fire sign, Sagittarius. When the Sun is in the same element as yours, you feel more aligned with what is occurring and there are fewer hiccups on your path toward success. The Sun moves into the adventure zone of your chart, and with a New Moon in this area on the 23rd, you will be leaving this month feeling inspired, hopeful, and with some new plans set in motion.
Taurus Horoscope for November 2022
TaurusKyra Jay for xoNecoleYour guidance for the month is to expect the best for yourself, Taurus. Don’t let fears or insecurities get the best of your mind this month, and remember to take the time to decompress and allow things to come to fruition the way they are meant to. There have been a lot of things happening regarding your love life this year, and this month things are coming to a head here. The more you can focus on what you want rather than what you don’t, the closer you will be to where your heart is.
The Full Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse happening this month on November 8th is occurring in your sign, and you are moving through a major release in your life. This month is all about releasing what doesn’t feel like you anymore and knowing that you are supported in this process. Stand by the decisions you are making for yourself and your growth right now and know that sometimes it’s about you looking out for yourself and putting your goals first.
Gemini Horoscope for November 2022
GeminiKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis is a beautiful month for you, Gemini. Some happy and fortunate outcomes are coming through for you in November, and it’s about time you are given this grace. This is a month to believe in your dreams and your ideas and to move forward with the plans you have set up for yourself this year. Have confidence in what is happening for you, take care of your responsibilities, stretch your wings and fly!
Moving further into the month, the Sun moves into your opposite sign Sagittarius, and enters your 7th house of love. The end of November and into December is one of the most important times of the year for your love life and your relationships, and you are seeing progress and commitment in this area of your life right now. The New Moon on November 23 is a good time to set your intentions for your future in love and what you want to see come about in your relationships. You are love, you are loved, Gemini.
Cancer Horoscope for November 2022
CancerKyra Jay for xoNecoleNovember is a time of exploring your options, Cancer. With the Sun currently in a fellow water sign, Scorpio, you are flowing through this time with curiosity and faith. This is a month of taking a look at where you’ve been, where you are now, and the path you want to create for yourself moving forward. Remember though, the past often looks better in hindsight, and there are so many gifts and treasures to appreciate right here and now that you don’t want to lose sight of.
The Lunar Eclipse this month on November 8th is highlighting your friendship zone, and you are seeing some changes regarding your community, friendships, and social circle. Clarity is coming in, and you are seeing transformations regarding your foundations here so that you feel the true support and connection you are looking for. Anything that comes up for you this month is about acceptance, growth, and letting go; and this month overall is all about finding your balance between what’s been and what is.
Leo Horoscope for November 2022
LeoKyra Jay for xoNecoleYour heart is experiencing some new beginnings this month, Leo. November is a fresh start for you, and your relationships are seeing the blessings of this new beginning. Your heart has been opening to something new, and this is an exciting month for you. Through the journey of self, you have been on this year, you have rediscovered some important insight within that has positively changed the relationships in your life and your view on them. November is your time of seeing something new and positive take place.
With a Lunar Eclipse in your career and reputation zone on the 8th, and a New Moon in your house of romance on the 23rd, you are balancing what you are putting out there, and the love that is coming in. The revelations that are occurring this month are enhancing your life for the better, and your intuition is especially strong right now. Happiness and love are your priority in November, and there are plenty of experiences for you to enjoy this month, Leo.
Virgo Horoscope for November 2022
VirgoKyra Jay for xoNecoleNovember is a month of seeing positive culminations and growth in love, Virgo. You have trusted the process, listened to your heart and opened your mind to a new experience than before. The thing about karma is that it works in your favor when you allow it to be, and this is a month of seeing the tables turn for you for the better. You are sharing the love and receiving it, and the contentment and joy you are feeling in November are worth everything you have been through this year, Virgo.
We have a Lunar Eclipse in fellow earth sign Taurus on November 8th, and this eclipse for you is a time of seeing things in a new light, following through on an adventure, and of spiritual growth. New doors are opening for you this month, and you are on a path of love. Communication is also a prominent factor in your life right now with the Sun in your 3rd house of the mind until the 22nd, and November overall for you is a time of opening your heart and enjoying how far you have come.
Libra Horoscope for November 2022
LibraKyra Jay for xoNecoleNovember is a month of awakening for you, Libra. There are some major changes and transformations that you are moving through, but they are ultimately creating a much-needed breakthrough in your life. Your guidance for the month is to know that it’s not always about what’s happening, but rather about how you are handling it. Remember to show up for yourself and to trust that you do know what you need and what you don’t. The more you can let go and flow with change, the more you can succeed right now.
The last eclipse of the year is occurring on November 8th and is moving through your house of rebirth. Something is transforming in your life on the deepest levels, and your heart is guiding you to safety. Know that what falls away from your life this month will be replaced by something better, and that it’s important to speak up for yourself and how you are feeling this month.
Scorpio Horoscope for November 2022
ScorpioKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis month is all about choosing wisely, Scorpio. You begin the month amid Scorpio Season, and you are making some final decisions on where you want to be for the rest of the year and beyond. You have been moving through a lot of different experiences that have made it harder to choose for yourself and feel confident in your inner knowing. This month is all about giving yourself the power to choose and remembering that no decision is a decision, and get moving on your dreams.
With the Sun in your 1st house of self until November 22nd and a Lunar Eclipse in your 7th house of relationships on November 8th, you are finding your balance between what you need, and what others are asking from you. Notice what takes you away from your center and what keeps you there, and align with what your true values are in life. Things get really interesting once Jupiter moves out of retrograde and goes direct in your house of romance on November 23rd, and you are leaving the month entering a time of positivity and inspiration.
Sagittarius Horoscope for November 2022
SagittariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleNovember is a breakthrough month for you, Sagittarius. You are noticing the mental restrictions that have been in your life recently and are putting the worries and fears to rest once and for all. This is a month to take action on what has been inspiring you, and about being your biggest advocate and supporter. Know that once you decide on something the whole universe conspires to make it happen for you, and with this perspective, you can tap into your inner courage and confidence more.
The second half of the month is all about you and all about shining in your truth and glory. Venus, the planet of love, moves into Sagittarius on November 16th, Sagittarius Season officially begins on November 22nd, and there is a New Moon in Sag the next day on November 23rd. You are seeing previous blocks in your life being lifted, and your path ahead is feeling a lot more abundant and stable than it has been. This is your month to put yourself first, pave new paths, and be bold.
Capricorn Horoscope for November 2022
CapricornKyra Jay for xoNecoleAbundance is yours in November, Capricorn. Patience has been a key theme in your life this year, and this month you are seeing the fortune that comes from this place of confidence. This is the month to nurture yourself, others, and your dreams, and to open up to a blessing. You deserve to feel lavish, to treat yourself, and to enjoy your life in its entirety. There is a sense of feeling extremely grateful for where you are in life right now, and November is a magical time for you.
The Full Moon Lunar Eclipse happening in fellow earth sign Taurus is happening in a romantic, happy, and creative zone of your chart, and this further signifies the exciting month that is ahead of you. The love that is coming full circle for you is everything you have been hoping for, and you have your people around you to enjoy it all. By the end of the month, the Sun moves into your 12th house of endings, and you are closing out a chapter in your life and preparing for a new one.
Aquarius Horoscope for November 2022
AquariusKyra Jay for xoNecoleNovember is a month of seeing growth and progress financially, Aquarius. You have been setting all the right intentions, putting the work in, and focusing on your growth and you are moving through a time of success. Even with the added responsibilities that are on your plate right now, you have everything you need to succeed and you are inspiring those around you to believe in themselves and their dreams as well. Find your balance between work and love, and trust that you can have it all.
Your career zone will be highlighted until November 22nd, when the Sun will enter your 11th house of friendship. Over the past year, you have been making headway in your working life and professional goals, and by the end of the month, you are ready to have some more fun and connect with some new people. There are positive opportunities for connection and new doors opening for you, and November 23rd is a good day to set your intentions and believe in your creative approach. November overall for you is about claiming your blessings, Aquarius.
Pisces Horoscope for November 2022
PiscesKyra Jay for xoNecoleThis is a month where you can take a deep breath, and shine, Pisces. Past challenges and blockages in your life are falling away from your experience, and you have more freedom to move forward right now. There is a lot of activity in your life in November, but you have been looking forward to this type of movement and excitement. This is the month to remember that time is of the essence, to consider where you are heading right now, and to take action on your goals.
One of the most important transits of the month is occurring in your sign on November 23rd, and that is Jupiter moving direct in Pisces, after being in retrograde since July. With Jupiter moving forward in your sign until December 20th, you are entering the luckiest time of the year for yourself, and this time is all about showing up and showing out. If there is anything you are looking to create, manifest, or bring forward, this month is the time to do so, Pisces.
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Featured image by Kyra Jay for xoNecole
On set inside of a mid-city Los Angeles studio, it’s all eyes on Chlöe. She slightly shifts her body against a dark backdrop amidst camera clicks and whirs, giving a seductive pout here, and piercing eye contact there. Her chocolate locs are adorned with a few jewels that she requested to spice up the look, and on her shoulders rests a jeweled piece that she asked to be turned around to better showcase her neck (“I feel a bit old,” she said of the original direction). Her shapely figure is tucked into a strapless bodysuit with a deep v-neck that complements her décolletage.
Though subtle, her quiet wardrobe directives give the air of a woman who’s been here before, and certainly knows what she’s doing. At 24 years young, she’s a “Bossy” chick in training— one who’s politely unapologetic and learning the power of her own voice.
“I'm hesitant sometimes to truly speak my mind and speak up for myself and what I believe,” she later confessed to me a couple of weeks after the photoshoot. “It's always scary for me, but now I'm realizing that I have to, in order to gain respect as a Black woman— a young Black woman— who's still navigating who she is. And you know, I'm realizing that closed mouths don't get fed. And if I keep my mouth shut just because I'm afraid of what people's opinions of me will be or turn into, then that's not any way to live.”
For Chlöe, the journey into womanhood is about embracing who she is, without succumbing to the perceptions of what others think of her. From the waist up she’s everything you’d imagine. A gorgeous goddess with the kind of sex appeal that some work hard to embrace but fail to exude. But unbeknownst to anyone not on set, her bottom half is covered by a white robe, surprising coming from the girl who boasts “'Cause my booty so big, Lord, have mercy” on her first hit single “Have Mercy.”
But that’s the beauty of Chlöe. There’s more to her than meets the eye. More than what a few sensual photos sprinkled throughout an Instagram feed could ever tell you. Just like the photo-framing illusion of her portrayed from the waist up, what we know about the songstress is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more beneath the surface.
Some hours later Chlöe leans back in a high chair as her locs are transformed from a formal updo to a seemingly Basquiat-inspired one. It’s pure art, and at her request, no wigs are a part of the day’s ensemble. She’s fully embracing her natural hair, a decision that wasn’t always a socially accepted one.
In the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, (Mableton, to be exact) Chlöe began to explore the foundation of her self-image. At an early age she and her younger sister, Halle, demonstrated a vocal prowess and knack for being in front of the camera that caught their parents’ attention. Soon after, they were sent on a parade of local talent shows and auditions, and eventually broke into the digital space with song covers on YouTube.
It was during these early years that Chlöe first learned that the entertainment industry could be unforgiving to those who didn’t fit a particular beauty standard. Despite the then three-year-old snagging a role as the younger version of Beyoncé’s character, Lilly, in Fighting Temptations, casting agents requested that her natural locs be exchanged for more Eurocentric tresses. Ironic, considering that growing up Chlöe saw her hair as no different than that of her peers. “I remember specifically in pre-K we had to do self-portraits and I drew myself with a regular straight ponytail, like how I would put my locs in a ponytail,” she says. “I just never saw myself any different.”
Chlöe would also learn the true meaning of a phrase that would later become an affirmation posted on her bedroom mirror: “Don’t Let the World Dim Your Light.” After attempting to wear wigs to fit in, the Bailey sisters instead chose to rock their locs with pride, which undoubtedly cost them casting roles. Yet they would have the last laugh when making headlines as the “Teen Dreadlocked Duo” who landed a million-dollar contract with Parkwood Entertainment, and the coveted opportunity to be groomed under the tutelage of a world-renowned superstar.
Credit: Derek Blanks
While that could be the end of a beautiful fairytale of self-empowerment, the reality is that it’s just the beginning of the story of her evolution. For most girls, the transition into womanhood takes place in the comfort of their own worlds, often limited to the number of people they allow to have access to them. But for Chlöe, it’s happening in front of millions of critiquing eyes just waiting for an opportunity to either uplift or dissect her through unwarranted commentary.
Many in her position wouldn’t be able to take that kind of pressure. But Chlöe is handling it with grace. “I feel like all of us as humans, we have the right to interpret things how we want,” she says. “I put art out into the world and it's up for interpretation. I'm learning that not everyone is going to always like me and that it's okay.”
Chlöe isn’t the first artist to receive criticism for her carnal content, and she certainly won’t be the last. In 2010, Ciara writhed and rode her way to banishment on BET when the then 24-year-old released her video for “Ride.” In 2006, 25-year-old Beyoncé received backlash for “Déjà Vu."
"I put art out into the world and it's up for interpretation. I'm learning that not everyone is going to always like me and that it's okay.”
So much so that over 5,000 fans signed an online petition demanding that her label re-shoot the video because it was “too sexual.” Even 27-year-old Janet didn’t escape critical headlines when she shed her image of innocence for a more risqué appearance with the 1993 release of janet.
It’s almost as if public reproach is a rite of passage for young Black women R&B singers on the road to stardom. Good girls seemingly “go bad” whenever they embrace the depths of their femininity, and fans only like you on top figuratively. But Chlöe has learned not to bow down to other people’s opinions, but to boss up and control the narrative. As the saying goes, well-behaved women seldom make history. If sex appeal is her weapon, she wields it well.
On set, Chlöe exudes the energy of Aphrodite in an apple red, off-shoulder dress with a sexy high split. In between shots, she mouths the lyrics to Yebba’s “Boomerang” as it echoes throughout the space in steady repetition at my recommendation. The hour grows late, yet Chlöe is heating things up as eyes stare in deep mesmerization of the girl on fire.
Credit: Derek Blanks
Through music, she explores the depths of her being, a journey that seems to be, at its foundation, rooted in self-discovery. Whereas their debut album The Kids Are Alright (2018) boasts a young Chloe x Halle empowering their generation to embrace who they are while finding their place in the world, their second album Ungodly Hour (2020) shows the Bailey sisters shedding the veil of innocence for a more unapologetic bravado.
What fans looked forward to seeing is who Chlöe shows herself to be on her debut solo album In Pieces. In an interview with PEOPLE, she confesses that releasing her first project without her sister was “scary.” "It was a moment of self-doubt where I was like, 'Can I do this without my sister?’”
Chlöe has never been shy about sharing her insecurities or her vulnerabilities, all of which are laced throughout the 14-track album. “I want people to have fun when they listen to it and to just realize that they're not alone and it's okay to be vulnerable and raw and open because none of us are perfect; we're all far from it. And I think it's healing when we all admit to that instead of putting up a facade.”
The gift of time has given the self-professed “big lover girl” more encounters with romance and heartbreak. Love songs once sung for their beautiful riffs and melodies become more than just abstract lyrics and are replaced by real-life experiences, which she tells me is definitely in the music.
In her single “Pray It Away,” for example, she contemplates going to God for healing instead of going at her ex-lover for revenge for his infidelities. “With anything dealing with art, I am completely vulnerable,” she says. “I'm completely myself, I'm completely open and transparent. So it's pretty much all of me and who I am right now.”
Has Chlöe been in love? That still remains to be said. Of course, she’s been linked to a few potential baes, but dating in the digital age isn’t as easy as a double tap or drop of a heart-eyes emoji. It requires a level of trust and vulnerability that’s hard to earn, and easy to mishandle. To let her guard down means to potentially set herself up for disappointment. “It’s difficult dating right now, honestly, because you really have to kind of keep your guard up and pay attention to who's really there for you. And you know, I'm such an affectionate person and I love hard.
"So when I meet the one person that I really, really am into, it's hard for me to see any others and I get attached pretty easily. And you know, I don't know, it's…it's a scary thing.”
Credit: Derek Blanks
“With anything dealing with art, I am completely vulnerable. I'm completely myself, I'm completely open and transparent. So it's pretty much all of me and who I am right now.”
While broken hearts yield good music (queue Adele), what’s in Chlöe’s prayer is the desire to be happy. What does that look like? Well, she’s still figuring that out herself. “Honestly, I'm the type of person who I don't truly learn unless I experience it. So it's like I can view and watch my parents and watch the loving relationships that I see in my life and be like, ‘Oh, I want that. I would love to have that.’ But then I also have to experience [love] on my own and see what my flaws or my faults might be or see what my good things about myself are. I feel like it's really all about self-reflection. And even though our base is our family and that's our foundation, we are still our own individuals and we have to find out specifically the things about ourselves that may be different from what we saw from our parents when we were growing up.”
Her ideal beau, she tells me, is someone she can feel safe to be her fun, goofy self with, but who also gives her the space to be the boss chick chasing her dreams. A man who understands that just because the world compliments her doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to hear those words from his lips or feel it in his touch. A bonus if he shows up on set after a long hard day of work with vegan cinnamon rolls. You know, the basic necessities. “I like whoever I'm with to constantly tell me they love me and that I look beautiful because I do the same. I am a very mushy person, and if I see something or you look good, I will never shy away from saying it out loud. And I want whoever I'm with to do the same, be very vocal. Tell me that you love me. Tell me what you love about me because I'm doing the same for you because that's just the person I am.”
Noted.
Until she meets her match she’s married to the game, and for now, that seems to be perfect matrimony.
Credit: Derek Blanks
On stage at the 2021 American Music Awards, Chlöe solidified her position as a force to be reckoned with. It was a full-circle moment. In 2012, bright-eyed and baby-faced Chloe and Halle would walk onto the set of The Ellen Degeneres Show and blow the audience away as they bellowed out their future mentor’s song. Ellen would present the sisters with tickets to attend the AMAs, assuring them that they would be back and had a promising future. Nine years later, Chlöe descends from the sky cloaked in a snow-white cape and matching midriff-baring bodysuit for her debut performance. It’s the first time she’s graced the stage of the very award show that she was once an audience member of.
As she shakes and shimmies and boom kack kacks out her eight counts, it’s clear that she’s in her element. Just like her VMA performance a couple of months prior, and the many more stages she’ll continue to grace, she brings an energy that has earned her comparisons to the beloved Queen Bey herself. An honorable statement, considering few R&B songstresses are getting accolades for their entertainment capabilities. It’s on these very stages, in front of hundreds of astonished eyes and millions more glued to their televisions at home, that she tells me she feels most sexy. Powerful, even.
But off stage, it’s a different story.
It’s more than just the commentary about her image and media-flamed rumors that get to her. Mentally, she’s in competition with herself. The desire to be the best burns at the back of her mind with every performance, every production, and every time she steps into the booth. Before, she could share the weight of this burden with her sister. Being a part of a duo meant she could turn to Halle for quiet confirmation and encouragement without a word being exchanged. But lately stepping on the stage means stepping out on her own. And despite being a breathtaking, five-time Grammy-nominated star, Chlöe doesn’t escape the reality that sometimes we can be our own worst critics.
Over the last year, she’s been coming to terms with who she is on her own while overcoming the fear of failing to become who she’s destined to be. While the world waits to see how Chlöe wins, the real triumph is in every day that she chooses herself and continues to walk in her purpose. “I don't really have anything all figured out, honestly. But what I try to do, a lot of prayer. I talk to God more and I just try to do things that calm my mind down and just breathe.”
To whom much is given, much will be required. She’s been chosen to walk this path for a reason. Once she fully embraces that everything she’s meant to be is already inside of her, she’ll be an unstoppable force. “My grandma, Elizabeth, she just passed away and my middle name is her [first] name. So I feel like I truly have a responsibility to live up to her legacy that she's left on this earth. I hope I can do that.”
There’s no doubt that she will. With a role in The Fighting Temptations at three years old, a million-dollar record deal, a main role on five seasons of Grown-ish, five Grammy nominations, a number one solo record in Urban and Rhythmic Radio, a debut solo album, and starring roles in recently released movies Praise Thisand Swarm (just to name a few), Chlöe’s certainly already made her mark, and she’s just getting started.
No flex.
Credits
Photographer & Creative Director: Derek Blanks
Executive Producer: Necole Kane
Co-Executive Producer: EJ Jamele
Producer: Erica Turnbull
Digitech: Chris Keller
DP: Alex Nikishin
Gaffer: Simeon Mihaylov
Photo Assistant: Chris Paschal
2nd Photo Assistant: Tyler Umprey
Features Editor: Kiah McBride
Special Projects: Tyeal Howell
Hair: Malcolm Marquez
Makeup: Yolonda Frederick
Fashion Styling: Ashley Sean Thomas
For More: Cover Story: Issa Rae Comes Full Circle
Divinity Gaines is a yoga instructor, dancer, personal trainer, and content creator. In our talk, she explained the release I experienced and shared the best poses for an emotional release. “When we talk about yoga, people associate it with just poses, but it is much more,” Divinity explained. “Yoga possesses eight limbs.”
The eight limbs of yoga, or Ashtanga, are:
- Yama (Self-restraint)
- Niyama (Observance)
- Asana (Movement and posture)
- Pranayama (Breath)
- Pratyahara (Withdrawal of senses)
- Dharana (Concentration)
- Dhyana (Meditation)
- Samadhi (Union)
When explaining to me the "why" behind my emotional release while doing yoga, Divinity noted that the physical movement of my practices is the limb called asana. She continued, “The emotional release you feel is just that. We hold tension within our bodies throughout. We have energy channels on both sides of us. These channels run through our bodies, and people associate different energy points with their chakras. And yoga opens those channels.”
Not all emotional releases look the same; therefore, you do not necessarily have to worry about an “ugly cry” while doing poses. For example, sometimes, an individual will experience samadhi, which is “ultimate bliss.” However, regardless of your pose, you will not experience that release if you are not breathing throughout.
“If you are using your pranayama (breath), then you will experience that release,” Divinity stated.
Divinity GainesPhoto courtesy of Divinity GainesTop 5 (Physical) Yoga Poses for An Emotional Release
Even though you can practice many yoga poses for an emotional release, Divinity has provided her top five poses to get us started.
1. Lizard Pose/Utthan Pristhasan – The lizard pose is a deep hip flexor opener perfect for someone experiencing high stress and can release unconscious trauma. It deals with your second chakra – Svadhisthana (sacral chakra), which is linked to confidence, survival instinct, creativity, and a feeling of generosity.
Begin on all fours in Downward Dog, ensuring your feet are hip-width apart and your chin stays tucked under your chest. Next, step your right foot forward to the outside edge of your right hand, entering a lunge position. Next, lower your left knee to the ground and press into your hips, keeping your arms and back straight. Then, slowly lower onto your forearms, keeping your back flat and your head aligned with your spine. Finally, press up onto the ball of your left foot as you straighten your left leg. Hold the pose and then repeat on the other side.
2. Pigeon Pose/ Eka Pada Rajakapotasana – The Pigeon Pose is another hip flexor opener that deals with our second chakra. It can be an intense emotional release and tension release.
Start with your knees under your hips and your hands slightly before your shoulders. Bring your left knee forward and out to the left, position your left foot in front of your right knee, and rest the outside of your left foot on the floor. Slide your right leg back, straighten the knee, tuck your toes under, and push through the fingertips to lift your torso and lengthen the spine. Keep your hips squared, press your tailbone down and forward, open the chest, and gaze up.
3. Supta Baddha Konasana – For anyone experiencing anxiety, stress, or a scattered mind, then the Supta Baddha Konasana is an excellent move for you. It stimulates your sacral chakra, which is associated with your sex organs, and root chakras, which are responsible for your sense of security and stability.
Lie on your back. Bend your knees, keeping the soles of your feet on the floor. Next, open your knees out to either side, bringing the soles of your feet together. Your arms can be in any comfortable position—out in a T shape, overhead, relaxed by your sides, or resting on your thighs are some options. Stay here for several minutes as gravity works to deepen your stretch. Breathe naturally throughout the pose. To come out of the pose, reach down and help your knees come back together. Then roll over to one side and use your hands to support you as you sit up.
4. Camel Pose/Utrasana – The Camel Pose is for anyone with a hurting heart. It involves your heart chakra and heart opener. For example, if you recently experienced a breakup and want to release that pain, then try this move.
Place your knees hip-width apart in kneeling, and tuck your toes. Engage your inner thighs, draw your lower belly in and up, and roll your shoulders back. On an inhalation, lengthen through both side waists, and lift the chest. With the lower body stable, on an exhale, start to come into your backbend, lifting the chest without crunching the neck or lower back. As you lean back, find your blocks or heels with your hands – or you can do this one side at a time by circling one arm up and behind you. Keep your inner thighs engaged, firm the shoulder blades into the back, and stay for a couple of breaths. Use your inhalation to help you back up, then sit on your heels with a neutral spine for a moment.
5. Inversion Pose – The last pose releases trauma, promotes emotional growth, and re-toxifies your blood. These poses allow your blood to circulate. An Inversion Pose is any move where your heart is higher than your head, such as a headstand.
Although yoga is a great tool to help with emotional release, incorporating other activities, such as therapy or journaling, can also help.
Divinity Gaines is a former NBA dancer turned Yogi. Her website offers a mind and body release program and a 21-day fitness challenge (all levels welcomed). In addition, she teaches yoga at Core Power in Hollywood on Mondays and Wednesdays.
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Feature image courtesy of Divinity Gaines
