Clearing The Heart

A short meditation to clear, expand, and uplift the heart. Developing mindfulness, spreading compassion. As we clear and energize the heart we find an inner fountain of divine energy which we radiate to the world around us.

Transcript

We close the eyes. We open the heart. And we bring our awareness to the body. Sitting comfortably, The back comfortably straight. We bring our attention to the body. Being aware of the body posture, The bodily sensations. And we can visualize the body. As we bring our attention to the body, Being aware of the body posture, Being aware of the bodily sensations, Visualizing the body, We direct our attention, Our energy to our own body where the energy increases. Wherever we send our attention, We send our mental energy. We send our attention in all directions. We send our energy in all directions. And so we drain, We deplete ourselves. We can sit at a desk all day, Being in one place. But we can send our mind in all directions. And so we feel drained, Depleted. Because we throw away all our energy. Now we bring our attention to the body. Directing our attention, Directing our energy to our own body, Where the energy increases. We bring our awareness to the breathing. Focusing our attention at the nose, Where we feel the sensation of the breath passing the nostril. Just keeping our attention at that one point, The gateway of the breath. Or if we prefer, We can focus our attention at the lower abdomen, As we feel the abdomen rising on the in-breath, Falling on the out-breath. So we can decide where we prefer to keep our attention, And we keep the attention there. Keeping our attention centered with the breathing. Keeping our attention with the body. We don't send our attention, We don't send our energy outside the body. Keeping our attention only in the present. We don't dig up the past. We don't worry about the future. Just being aware of this present moment, As it arises, As it passes away. Just watching the breathing, Watching the mind. Being aware, Letting go. Being aware of all that contacts the mind from outside. Being aware of all that contacts the mind from inside. Refining our mindfulness. Mindfulness means to know, To be aware of what is contacting the mind right now. And along with this mindfulness, This sharp self-awareness, We train the mind to have the wisdom to let go. We train the mind to have the wisdom to let go, By always observing the impermanent nature of all that contacts the mind from outside, From inside. When the mind really sees this impermanent nature at a deep, Deep level in the mind, A deep, Deep level in the heart, The mind can let go at a deep, Deep level of the heart. The mind can see, This is not me, This is not mine, This is not myself. And the heart can let it go. We cannot force the mind to let go, But we can train the mind so that it lets go by itself. So keeping our attention centered with the breathing. Watching the breathing, Watching the mind. Being aware, Letting go. Being aware of all that contacts the mind. Being aware of the impermanent nature of all that contacts the mind. Being aware of all the thoughts which form in the mind, Like bubbles in the mind, Like waves on the surface of the mind. We don't try to stop the mind from thinking. We simply stop to energize the thinking process. We stop to react with like with dislike. Every time we react with like with dislike to all that forms in the mind, Then we pour our mental energy into this mental process, We pump it up, We make it bigger and bigger. The waves on the surface of the mind become bigger and bigger, The bubbles in the mind become more and more numerous. But just watching, Observing, Letting go, The waves fade away, The bubbles fall away. And like a body of water, We stop to shake, We stop to agitate. The heart becomes calm and clear. Calm, Cool, Clear and collected. We keep our attention only in the present. We don't squeeze the heart, We don't burn the heart with anger, Irritation towards the past, With stress, Anxiety towards the future. We keep our attention only in the present. And so we don't squeeze, We don't burn the heart. The heart becomes more and more cool. The heart can open, The energies can flow. These inner energies are a cool energy. So as the energies flow more freely, The heart becomes more and more cool. Calm, Cool and clear. Keeping our attention only with the breathing, Only with the body. We don't send our attention, We don't send our energy in all directions. The heart becomes more and more collected, More and more unified. As the heart becomes more and more unified, The heart becomes more and more energized. Energized with a divine energy, A sublime energy. The heart fills with the prana of the universe, The life force energy, The light force energy of the universe. The heart fills with this life force energy and we feel more and more alive, More and more alert, More and more awake. The heart fills with this light force energy and the heart becomes brighter and brighter. It starts by feeling, Feeling a state of lightness, Refinement, Expansion, Feeling of ease and comfort. And as we progress in our practice, We start to see. The energies become so intense that we cannot help but see. We start to see an inner light, An inner brightness. In time, The inner light fills the whole body. When the eye is single, The body is full of light, Quite literally. This inner light fills the whole body. This inner lightness fills the whole body. The body feels refined, Sublime. The mind feels refined, Sublime. Just by watching the breathing, Watching the mind, Being aware, Letting go, We clear the heart, We energize the heart, We unify the heart. And as we clear the heart, We make the heart at peace. We find that the natural state of the heart is what we call the four divine states of mind, The four wholesome states of mind. Kindness, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity. These are the normal states of the heart, Of the clear heart, The whole heart. And when we make the heart whole, This is what remains. Kindness, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity. When we actively develop these states of mind, They make the heart whole. They make the heart clear. So we start our meditation by cultivating this attitude of equanimity. Just watching the breathing, Watching the mind, Being aware, Letting go. The heart becomes calm and cool and clear. The heart becomes more and more refined. The heart becomes more energized, Filled with this divine energy, Sublime energy. We find an inner oasis, An inner oasis of peace, Of calm, Stability. We find an inner sanctuary. When the mind becomes refreshed, The mind becomes recharged. We find this inner bottomless well of living waters, Living light. If we have the patience, The persistence, Simply to watch the breathing, To watch the mind, Being aware, Letting go. Keeping our attention with the body, Keeping our attention within the body. The heart becomes more calm, More and more at peace. We observe this state of peace and we let it go. We let go of all states of mind. And as we let go of this state of inner peace, The inner peace becomes deeper and deeper, Stronger and stronger, More and more refined, More and more sublime. Because the mind of peace, The mind of happiness, Is the mind of non-attachment. The heart becomes flooded, Suffused, Saturated with this inner life-force energy, Light-force energy. In Thai language it's called Nam Jai, Of the heart, Because that's how it feels. It feels like the heart is flooded, Suffused, Saturated. The heart fills and overflows with this inner sublime energy. So we have no lack of fulfillment. In our spiritual practice we don't feel any lack of fulfillment, Because inside we are full and filled to overflowing. Overflowing with happiness, Overflowing with peace, Overflowing with joy. Our inner cup overflows. We feel more and more alive, More and more alert, More and more awake. As the heart is flooded and overflows with this life-force energy, The heart becomes brighter and brighter. In time the inner light fills the whole body. And so we are no longer spiritually blind. We have our inner light to show us the way home. We have our beacon to show us the way home. The beacon of the heart, The bright heart. No longer sleepwalking, We become more and more awake, More and more alert, More and more alive, And more and more at peace. And we find in our spiritual practice this is the real happiness. There is no happiness which can compare with the happiness of the clear heart, The heart at peace. Gnati, Santi, Paramsu, Kang, Is the words of the Buddha. No happiness higher than peace. Peace is the natural state of the heart. We have to clear the heart, Energize the heart, To find the mind's natural, Normal state of inner peace. Just watching, Observing, Letting go. The mind becomes content simply to rest within. Normally we like to throw the mind in all directions. The mind always wants to get entangled with the outside world, The inside world. But when we train the mind, We train the mind in mindfulness, We train the mind to have the wisdom to let go, Then the mind becomes content simply to rest within. We can sit like a king, Like a queen, Sitting on a throne, The throne of the heart. And there's a feeling of homecoming. We feel we've come home. So we can rest within for as long as we need to. Resting within, Becoming refreshed, Recharged. And when we've rested long enough, We can share this energy with the world around us. Breathing in, Wishing happiness for ourselves. Breathing out, Wishing happiness for all beings. Breathing in, The heart becomes more and more energized. We can visualize the heart filling with light. Breathing out, We simply let the heart overflow. We can visualize the light of the heart flowing in all directions. Above, Below, All around. So breathing in, We focus our attention at the heart chakra, Wishing happiness for ourselves. Breathing out, We let the heart overflow, Wishing happiness for all beings. Breathing in, May I be happy. Breathing out, May all beings be happy. And as we do this practice, We open an inner tap, We open an inner valve. As we open the water tap, The water gushes out. As we do this practice, The inner energy gushes out. And the heart becomes brighter and brighter, Wider and wider. The energy field of the heart expands. Our area of consciousness expands. The heart becomes brighter and brighter. And as the heart becomes brighter and brighter, We raise our consciousness higher and higher. We tune our mind into the higher levels. Just sitting here, Sitting on a chair, Sitting with human body, We can raise our consciousness to the level of the higher heavens. Breathing in, May I be happy. Breathing out, May all beings be happy. The four divine states of mind, Kindness, Compassion, Joy, Equanimity. So we radiate this energy to the world with an attitude of kindness, Compassion. And we can have joy, We can be joyful in our practice, Knowing that this practice brings great benefit to ourselves, Great benefit to the world around us, Both now and in the future. The energy which we radiate at this time is what will come back to us, What we give to the universe, The universe will give us back many times over. So we can have joy, We can be joyful. Breathing in, May I be happy, Washing, Clearing, Cleaning the heart. Breathing out, May all beings be happy, Radiating this energy of peace to the world around us, Uplifting the world around us. And we can feel the heart expanding wider and wider, Becoming stronger and stronger. We can see the heart becoming brighter and brighter. And now we can just observe the heart. Does it feel more open, More refined, More at peace, More steady, More stable, More secure? Whatever way the heart feels, We observe it, We let it go. And we bring our awareness to the body. Being aware of the body posture, The bodily sensations, We can visualize the body, Centering our energy with the body. And now we bring the hands to the heart, The palms together. And now the heart is very strong, Very bright. Our power of intention is very strong. We make the intention to continue with our practice, Strengthening the heart, Refining the heart, Freeing the heart. We bring the hands to the forehead in gratitude, Respect. Back down to the legs. We open the eyes. We keep the heart open.

Reviews

Thank you. This is the type of meditation I needed, especially today🦋

Finnbarr leads us to clear and wash the heart, a perfect practice to clear out our clutter so our hearts may shine and express love to ourself which overflows into the world. Thank you

Finnbarr is so knowledgeable and kind. His live sessions are always so heartfelt and informative. I enjoy his recordings as well. I highly recommend listening or joining his live sessions! - Priscilla

Thank you for another talk filled with subtle encouragement, comfort and understanding. ❤️