An Open-Hearted Meditation

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“Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.” – Anne Sexton

My heart absorbs a lot in a day. That is to say that as I traverse my days, bouncing between to-do’s and must have dones, I collect a lot of nuggets that I store away in my heart as if it is a four-chambered storage cabinet.

– The note of trepidation from my kids as they start a new activity.

– An observation about a colleague who appears to be wrestling with anxiety.

– The feeling I shoulder when coming alongside a friend’s worry.

At some point I have to empty my heart storage cabinet so I can carry on and pick up new things, about myself or others. I think that’s why I love this breathing/heart meditation that I originally picked up from Deepak Chopra almost twelve years ago. [With all due respect to Deepak Chopra, this may no longer resemble the meditation as he taught it so please forgive any blips in the flow.]

Sitting with your eyes closed, feel your heart. Notice how it is feeling. Is it heavy? It is happily skipping a beat? Is it calm and serene?

Now take a deep breath into the front of your heart. Feel your chest expand. Feel that front wall where your heart meets the world.

Next breathe into the back of your heart. Allow the solidity and strength of your back to make room for the heart.

Take a deep breath and direct it to the top of the heart. Does it feel like there is a lid on your heart that can crack ajar to give the heart a little room to expand?

Now send your next inhale to the bottom of your heart. Breathe through all that might have settled there and benefit from some air to get moving.

The next breath is for the sides of the heart. As you feel the sides of your heart lengthen with the inhale, sit a little taller to feel your whole ribcage expand.

And finally, breathe into the whole heart. Notice how it is feeling. Is it the same as when you started? Or have you uncovered something tucked away there?

(featured photo from Pexels)

48 thoughts on “An Open-Hearted Meditation”

  2. Interesting meditation! I was feeling anxious upon awakening, and now I feel more centered. Thank you!

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  3. Thank you for this gift, Wynne. It is both a metaphor and a calming practice to manage stress, if I understand your words. Again, thank you. You are a good and kind soul.

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  4. Thanks for sharing! I meditated this morning. I also learned my meditation techniques from Deepak Chopra about 10 years ago. Like yours, my meditation style isn’t quite what I remember from him, but it works for me. I know he’d be thrilled to know you’re still meditating.😊 Have a great day!💕

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    1. Oh, Shaun, this comment gave me an appreciative chuckle knowing I’m not the only one adapting Deepak Chopra to my own purposes! Thank you for this beautiful comment and I’m sure he’s thrilled to know you are still meditating too!!

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  6. I like that you’ve disclosed your meditative ‘tailoring’, Wynne. That’s the thing that makes meditation work for me, time and time again. Take the practice and make it personal. So good! 🥰

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  10. Does it feel like there is a lid on your heart that can crack ajar to give the heart a little room to expand? I love this. No wonder you handle your life so well. Thanks for sharing it here.

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  13. We acquire all sorts of anxieties, some of our own and others from those around us, each day. It’s great to have tools to lessen some of that burden. I know that each time children overcome the fear of starting a new activity, it makes it a little bit easier the next time.

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  15. When you compared your heart to a “storage cabinet”, my heart jumped in my chest completely agreeing, “it’s like an overstuffed junk drawer in here filled with all those extra feelings you don’t know what to do with”… Guess I better see if I can empty that out… Thanks for sharing your tools. ❤️

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  19. I continue to see how meditation is so healing and a great self care tool for you. Our heart storage can only carry so much during a day and it is so important to rest, unload so you have the space to carry on new things. Our kids are so good are filling them up! 😆

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  21. I love this post! I’m fairly new to meditation, but posts like this really make me excited for my journey! 🙂

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  22. I like Deepak Chopra so much, Wynne, I also read some of his books. He helped me a lot overcoming difficult moments in my life. I think that when I retire I will go to Karlsbad, where he has his center. Thank you for sharing this meditation!

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  23. Breathe into the whole heart!

    Oh what a wonderful message to remind us that if we don’t stop to inhale the freshness of life anew, we will perish from the trials and tribulations that swirl around us constantly. Great post of inspiration my dear Wynne. Thanks for sharing! 🥰💖🤗🙏🏼😊

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