“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)
Surprised By Joy 