Hi and welcome to your meditation practice for opening to connection.
This could be connection to ourselves,
Our loved ones,
Or to spirit.
Wherever it is you need or like to experience more receptiveness.
We'll do this through a heart-centered visualization practice and breath awareness.
I'll guide you first through a short grounding breath practice into gentle awareness of body and breath before going into the visualization.
I recommend using this practice anytime you feel closed off or if you're navigating difficult changes within a relationship.
To start please get into a comfortable seat.
This can look like standing or walking,
Sitting or lying down.
Whatever feels right to you.
Physical discomfort is a signal from our bodies so please don't ignore your own wisdom.
Begin with eyes open,
Focus soft,
And take some gentle breaths.
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
Checking your posture once more and practicing kindness with ourselves here.
Are there any adjustments that would create more support for you?
If so,
Make them now.
Creating a position that is both alert and comfortable.
On this next exhalation,
Gently close your eyes or rest your gaze softly ahead of you.
Beginning to deepen the breath,
Breathing into the belly before exhaling out the nose.
Inhaling breathe into the belly and ribs now before exhaling out the nose.
And then breathing into belly,
Ribs,
Chest,
The fullest expression of your breath.
And then gently out the nose.
This is Dhirga Pranayama,
Three-part breathing.
Shifting your awareness to the body now.
Noticing where the breath moves.
Can you feel the belly and chest rise and fall?
Are you aware of the expansion of your lungs?
Your awareness is gentle and non-judgmental,
Compassionate and open.
Feel where the body makes connection with the earth or seat below you.
Hands resting on legs or in the lap.
Sensing yourself in the here-now moment.
Sensing the interconnections between body and breath.
Take your awareness to your heart space now.
Imagining your breath swirling in and around your heart.
Every exhale supports you into relaxing just a little bit more.
Every inhale brings in a new warm sense of openness.
Seeing how the breath travels now.
Each exhale radiates from the heart and moves throughout all of you.
Feel the breath going into the shoulders,
Neck,
Head and arms.
Tension releasing.
Feeling the breath going into the belly,
Pelvis and legs.
Tension releasing.
Everywhere it goes,
The breath brings with it the same sense of warm openness.
Helping you relax any tension.
Helping you release any apprehension.
And each inhale fills the heart up with more breath to support you.
You are joyful,
Generous,
Compassionate and empathetic.
You are able to nurture loving relationships,
Both to yourself and others.
You are capable of collaborating and co-creation.
You are open.
You are open.
You are open.
Continuing to witness the breath moving in and out of the heart space.
Staying with the breath.
And when the mind wanders,
When story starts,
Come back here.
You can always come back to breath.
Continuing to sense and to see the breath swirling in your heart space.
Starting in the heart and expanding outwards.
Your heart is open and aware.
Breathing in energy and breathing out this energy into the body.
See it travel with intention.
The intention of releasing and supporting.
Of removing tension so that you can feel more open.
Releasing the breath and any visualization of it.
Allowing your breath to come to its own natural rhythm.
And feeling everything begin to settle,
To fall into a loving place.
Because of its central position,
It's vital that our heart stays open.
It is the center of your energetic system and your breath is a key way to connect to and support your heart.
Beginning to sense the seat or ground beneath you.
Sensing the space you're in.
Taking in sounds or smells.
Letting yourself fully arrive back.
Deep inhale through the nose and exhale out the mouth with a long sigh.
Bringing hands to heart center for Andhra Dei Mudra.
Prayer hands.
Thank you for joining me today.
Thank you for your practice.
The light in me sees and honors the light in each and every one of you.
