(By Ed & Deb Shapiro)
When you honor the wisdom in your heart, then you act from this core of your being. You experience it in those moments when your needs and worries quietly dissolve and confusion or pain no longer dominates. Tears may spontaneously arise and there is a sensation of great warmth and peace. It is the letting-go of fear and the need to control. Try the meditation below to get more deeply in touch with this loving center of your being.
Opening Heart Meditation:
Settle your body in an upright and seated posture. Bring your focus to the natural flow of your breath as it enters and leaves your body. Just watch your breath as your mind settles.
Now bring your attention to the heart space in the center of your chest. And just breathe in and out of this space. As you do so, with each in-breathe feel your heart gently opening and softening; with each out-breathe release any tension or resistance.
As you do this, silently repeat, “My heart is opening and softening.” You may experience great joy or even sadness. Let the feelings come and go, while you just keep breathing into your heart space.
Stay here as long as you wish. When you are ready, take a deep breath and let it go. Gently open your eyes and take the peace of your heart with you through your day…
Ed and Deb Shapiro are the authors of Be The Change, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World. They are featured weekly contributors to Oprah.com, HuffingtonPost.com and Care2.com. They have three meditation CDs: Metta: Loving Kindness and Forgiveness, Samadhi: Breath Awareness and Insight and Yoga Nidra: Inner Conscious Relaxation.
