Light of the Heart
Dec 06, 2016
‘Tis the season – of gift giving and receiving, celebrations, special treats and much activity. It can also be the season that calls for quiet time in the midst of all the other happenings. Too much outer activity and too little inner focus can come to feel burdensome, heavy, joyless.
I’d like to share with you one of my favorite daily meditations. You can use it anytime to touch in on stillness and clarity.
It is called Light of the Heart and was taught to me by my teacher, Yogarupa Rod Stryker. You can practice it yourself and share with your family. It is even simple enough to teach in your children and family Yoga classes.
This practice is meant to lift the heaviness off the heart so that we may connect with our light and share it with others.
- Sit quietly. Spend several minutes evening out the breath. Count to four or five on inhale and exhale to that same, even count.
- Allow your attention to settle on the heart. Become aware of anything that feels heavy resting on the heart. As you inhale, feel this being lifted up off the heart, up through the spine. As you exhale, feel it dissipating out the top of the head.
- On the next inhalation, feel a point of light enter through the top of the head and travel down the spine into the heart. As you exhale, feel this light filling the heart.
- Repeat this process, breath by breath for several minutes. You are not shaping the breath, just following its natural rise and fall.
- You may wish to add a mantra as you do this practice. It is optional but mantras powerfully focus the mind and improve the effectiveness of this practice.
- Inhale heaviness off the heart, mentally repeat HAM
- Exhale this out the top of the head, mentally repeat SA
- Inhale light into the top of the head and down into the heart, mentally repeat SO
- Exhale as this light floods the heart, mentally repeat HUM
After several minutes, feel the heart radiant, open and light. Delight in the brilliance of your own being. Take a moment to give thanks and send love to all the people in your life.
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