Mending and Tending to the Heart
A gentle chest/heart opening practice; the giving and receiving breath; music meditation.
Some days I just need a break from words. Talking, reading, writing, listening, thinking… our minds spill over and the jumble of letters pour out. What I crave is a precious few moments to be steeped in silence. A time to really enjoy the spaciousness where there is no urge to express.
I love writing. It’s been my driving force for the last two and a half years. I have pushed myself through thick and thin for a weekly publish. It’s made me proud, stressed, insecure, confident - so many things all at once. Most of all it’s made me grateful to you all for being here as readers. Thank you for letting me fill you up with words. I don’t take that lightly. Your time, energy, and attention are precious resources. My biggest hope is that you get something from it.
In this effort to give us all a break from SO many words (even though I am rambling on quite nicely?), I’ve decided to highlight a few more practices from the Dharma Days Collection over the next couple weeks. This week let’s get to the heart of it…
The Heart Practices
The practices are all about mending and tending to the heart. If the heart is tender, heavy, broken, protected, hardened, weighted, closed tight, too open - F.L.Y. ~ First Love Yourself.
Gentle Yoga for Chest/ Heart Opening: Release tension from the chest and shoulders to enable more spacious breathing. Improve posture and counter forward slouching from too much computer time.
The Giving and Receiving breath: A breathing practice of compassion and connection to attune to what you need in this moment.
Music Meditation: A 10 minute playlist to soothe and calm the energetic/emotional heart. (practice with the giving & receiving breath or listen on it’s own)
The Giving and Receiving Breath
( To be guided through practice go to 00:25:10 in the video below)
I love this practice for both it’s depth and simplicity. It attunes the heart to what is true for you in this moment. Sometimes we feel a strong vitality with lots of energy, grounded- steady enough to give. Other times we want to be given to - needing to receive care, support, and healing.
How are you? What do you need in this moment?
Continue to watch the breath looking for a long inhalation and let it draw down into the body. Watch the complete exhalation as everything falls away and out. Sit with this inquiry, until you feel the answer.
Set Your Intention with a Calm Clarity
Inhale: If you are in a place of seeking, needing, wanting to receive support -then on the inhale with the breath, draw in all of the love, care, healing you need. Bring it in with each inhalation, filling yourself up.
Let the exhale release easily and effortlessly.
Exhale: If you are in a strong and grounded place - then on the exhalation give something of yourself back out. Let each exhale send compassion and love out into the world around you. You could also direct this to one particular person you know who needs it.
Let the inhale draw in easily and effortlessly.
Set your focus on either the inhalation or exhalation as you breath with the intention of giving or receiving. Work with this breath until it feels complete.
Music Meditation
You can relax in Shavasana, rest in a chair, or even listen before bed. Ten minutes of music medicine.
If you’ve been following the last couple weeks, you know I am in a process of undoing. My work is to release the pressure valve and soften into a life where there is less pushing, striving, trying. Some of you recognized this need for yourself. We can do this together!
Summer is ripe with this very calling. She has lessons for us to loosen our grip. We need a spaciousness beyond words. Fill up with playful joys. It’s time to take care of our hearts.