Welcome to this 10-minute heart opening meditation.
My name is Lana Heintjes and the music in this recording is by Mark Reynolds.
You can begin by sitting in a comfortable seated position.
You could be in a chair,
On the floor,
Or you can even lie down.
Once you find your comfortable position,
Softly close your eyes.
Just start to notice the sensation of the air going in and out of your nose as you breathe.
Notice how your breath enters and leaves your body.
Just slow your breath down just a little bit so the next time you inhale,
Let it be a fuller inhale.
And the next time you exhale,
Let your entire body soften.
Start to soften your forehead and your eyebrows.
Let your eyelids be soft.
And your jaw and your tongue.
Can let your teeth separate just a little bit.
Let your tongue relax away from the roof of your mouth.
Your shoulders are relaxed away from your ears.
Then continue to watch your breath.
Watch your belly rise and fall with each inhale and each exhale.
You can even almost imagine that somebody else is watching your breath from the outside,
Just witnessing your breathing.
And start to imagine that your hands are getting warmer.
Every breath you breathe a new sense of life and warmth and energy into your hands.
Your breath is still slow.
And start to soften your jaw just a little bit more.
Then keeping your body really soft,
Gently bring one hand to rest on your heart and the other hand to rest on your belly.
Then imagine that the warmth in your hands is emanating deep into your heart and into your belly,
Filling you up with a sense of warmth on the inside.
Being called to mind a moment in your life where you felt completely safe,
Completely relaxed and at peace.
Maybe you were with somebody that you completely trust and love.
This could even be your pet.
With slow breaths,
Start to imagine that those sensations of safety and trust are washing over you like a wave,
Filling up your heart and in your belly with a deep sense of warmth,
Relaxation.
Notice if your hands are actually warmer.
Notice if your jaw is still soft and your breath is still slow.
Allow yourself to deeply integrate those feelings of safety,
Trust,
Relaxation in your heart and in your belly,
Just continuing to fill you up with a sense of warmth.
Once you feel like you've sufficiently soaked up those sensations of peace,
Relaxation and safety can slowly release one hand and then the other back into your lap.
Take a moment to notice whatever your experience happens to be in this moment.
There is no wrong experience here.
And then say to yourself,
Now I'm breathing in and now I'm breathing out,
Just being completely aware of the fact that you're breathing.
And with that awareness,
Take three more deep breaths.
And after your third breath,
Keep your body soft and slow.
Slowly roll your head in a big circle,
Stretching out your neck.
And then switch directions.
Once your head comes back to center,
As slowly as you can,
Start to peek your eyes open.
Don't need to focus on anything in particular quite yet.
Just let your vision be soft and fuzzy.
And then take a look at the environment around you.
Just reorienting yourself with the space.
And then slowly reenter your day.
Namaste.
