This week we focus on our hearts desires, something that’s side-stepped in our busy caregivers lives, as we put (quite rightly so) our children’s needs and desires before our own. For example, does the cat/dog, children, your husband always eat breakfast before you? When did you last take a few hours for yourself to pick up an old hobby, see a friend, read a book etc?
Too often we ignore the pleas of our own hearts, instead listening to the practicalities of our heads or the demands of our loved ones. This head/heart divide however, only serves to complicate our lives even more through not tuning into, hearing or following what makes our hearts feel good – no wonder modern day humans suffer from so many heart related disorders! Through regular meditation we can better prioritize our busy to-do-lists, as we often send copious amounts of time on unimportant things, leaving vitally important things starved for our attention. Meditation lets us truly see what is truly important in our lives. So, to help us ignore the (often really unnecessary) ‘I should’s’ for the ‘I feel like….” impulses that make us truly happy and content, you can use the following Heart Mindfulness Meditation.
WEEK THREE RELAXATION TECHNIQUE
Heart Mindfulness Meditation
This simple meditation when regularly practiced allows you to:-
• Open to love - fully giving and receiving. Your heart is the key to everlasting joy and happiness that you have been searching for with this Heart Meditation helping unlock that very door to happiness;
• Forgiveness – being better able to forgive or ask for forgiveness;
• Be compassionate;
• Overcome jealousy;
• Trust your inner promptings – making your day flow easier for you;
• Feeling of peace and calmness from within
• Feeling of love and feeling loved plus being open fully to giving AND receiving;
• Reduced negativities - each time we have negative emotions, we store them in our hearts when they are not expressed. Therefore we accumulate many negative emotions on a daily basis, which this Heart Mindfulness Meditation helps clear;
• Feeling lighter and freer - like anything is possible
• Cope with stress/conflict/anger better – Recent studies prove meditation increases the brains neuron connectivity which regulates your emotional behaviour and ability to deal with conflict. Another study found meditation decreases the levels of Cortisol, the stress-causing hormone in your body, regular meditators having measurably less anxiety and lower levels of anger and fatigue.
• Decrease your chances of having a heart attack or stroke - Researchers who tracked 201 Meditating people found those who meditated had lower blood pressure plus a 47% reduction in strokes, deaths and heart attacks. To prove this works, that it’s not some ‘placebo’ effect, even unwell cats, became less stressed when they listened to meditation music, calming down and breathing more slowly.
Heart Mindfulness Meditation
Make yourself comfortable, seated, in comfortable, loose clothes. Before you begin, remember: do not worry if you do not feel anything straight away, as with all good meditative practices, they take just that – practice, always remember, there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do this, there just IS. We are all individuals, moving at our own paces, with different levels or abilities, which are all good
“With closed eyes, let your breath flow naturally in and out, simply feeling the ebb and flow of your breath coursing through your body. Direct your whole attention to your heart area. Feel a tingle, warmth or ‘connection’ when you remember a time when you were happy (You don't have to remember exactly what happened, the details etc, it's the 'happy' feeling that matters).
Where do you sense this feeling coming from? (Many people feel warmth or tinges around the chest area. Don't worry if you can't recognize the difference at one go. Simply stay relaxed and you will eventually sense into this, if not this session, then one after).
Gently put your left hand on this heart area for a few minutes, feeling the connection. (It is important not to focus on it, or try to feel more, simply keep relaxing and enjoy these feelings).
Next, allow and feel a sense of love or energy rising outwards from your heart throughout your whole body. Again, simply relax and focus on this feeling (Again, this feeling will come with time, the main focus is to simply ‘be’, losing your thoughts, focusing on the relaxing music you are playing in the background, and tuning into your heart. Remain connected for 10 to 15 minutes, purely enjoying this feeling).
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TIPS:
1) Some people feel something on the first go; some people need a few tries before they feel anything. That's normal. And don’t be surprised that when you do feel something, that it varies, session to session. That's normal too. The key here is to simply relax.
2) Crystals, when either placed near the heart during a meditation or worn throughout the day in jewelry, can greatly help opening ones heart. Pink and Green Crystals are the best, as these resonate to the Heart Chakra’s energy, such as Rose Quartz, Jade, etc.
3) As with all scripted relaxation techniques, this method is greatly enhanced if you tape-record the script, to play it back to yourself, alongside some relaxing music to further enhance your Meditating experience (see last week’s notes on music). Or, of course, attend one of Kara’s Meditation Classes where Kara’s soothing voice and peaceful Meditation centre will greatly expand your meditative practice. Telephone: 97-743357
