Hi,
I'm Dr.
Jonathan Fisher.
As a cardiologist who's experienced my own periods of overwhelm,
I've learned that when the heart feels too much,
We can meet that intensity with compassion instead of resistance.
The emotional dimension of the heart is where we feel deeply and where we can offer kindness to ourselves and others.
In this practice,
We'll explore how to hold space for whatever the heart is carrying with gentleness and understanding.
When you're ready,
Finding a position where you feel supported and safe.
Bringing awareness to your posture now,
Feeling the feet making contact with the floor,
Noticing the body supported by the chair,
Letting the spine find its natural uprightness.
Softening the shoulders,
Releasing any holding or tension that you might notice.
Relaxing the areas around the eyes,
The face,
And the jaw.
Just softening the body.
Taking a deep breath in through the nose,
Letting the belly expand gently.
Then exhaling slowly and completely through the mouth.
Again,
Inhaling deeply with care.
Now exhaling slowly and completely through the mouth.
Now allowing the breath to return to its natural rhythm in and out through the nostrils.
Letting it move on its own,
Coming and going.
If you're comfortable,
Allowing the eyes to close or allowing them to gaze softly at a spot in front of you.
Arriving here,
Now.
In this moment,
Letting go of what came before,
Setting aside what may come next,
Letting yourself be exactly as you are.
Now noticing any sounds around you,
Opening your awareness,
Letting them serve as gentle anchors,
Keeping you grounded in this moment.
Turning inward now with kindness and curiosity,
Sensing your inner experience,
Noticing any sensations in the body,
Perhaps areas of tension,
Areas of restlessness or holding,
Just noticing without judgment.
And sensing any emotions that you may have or emotions that might be here,
Allowing them to come and go without needing to change them.
Noticing any thoughts that may be moving through the mind,
Letting them drift by like clouds.
Seeing if there are any needs that may be arising inside of you,
Perhaps a need for comfort,
For understanding or connection.
And setting an intention for this practice,
Perhaps meeting whatever arises with kindness and compassion,
Being gentle with yourself.
This is a time for being with your experience,
Not fixing or changing it.
And if it feels comfortable,
Bringing one or both hands to rest on the beating heart,
Feeling the warmth and weight of the hand and sensing the breath rise and fall beneath it.
This heart has been working tirelessly to keep you alive.
Your heart doesn't question your value.
It simply beats.
And in doing that,
It reminds you,
You are already worthy of care,
Just as you are.
If you're feeling a sense of overwhelm or emotion,
Recognizing this as your heart's way of trying to protect you,
Your nervous system is doing its best to keep you safe,
Even when it feels uncomfortable.
Now,
Bringing gentle awareness to your breathing,
Letting it be natural,
Noticing where it feels most vivid,
Perhaps in the chest,
The belly,
Or at the nostrils,
And letting that place be your anchor during this practice.
Just noticing the breath come and go without judgment,
Without trying to change it.
With each breath,
Gently sensing what your heart is holding,
Perhaps inhaling compassion into your heart,
Exhaling compassion into your heart,
Exhaling any judgment or resistance.
Letting the breath move at its own pace,
Just being with it,
In and out.
And if the mind wanders into stories or worries,
That's okay.
Noticing that moment of awareness and gently returning your attention back to this next breath,
In and out.
And if it feels right,
Silently offering phrases of kindness to yourself,
May I be kind to myself in this moment,
May I give myself the compassion I need.
Remembering that many people around the world right now are feeling difficult emotions,
Just like you.
You are not alone.
You are part of a larger human family that knows what it feels like when the heart feels too much.
Letting the hand on your heart be a reminder that in this moment,
You are safe.
Slowly expanding awareness beyond the heart center,
Sensing the whole being sitting here now.
Noticing any shifts in how you're feeling,
Perhaps a sense of softness or greater presence noticing any sounds again,
Feeling your feet on the floor,
Thighs on the chair,
Noticing your body held and supported,
Observing the natural rhythm of your breathing.
Are there any changes in your emotions or thoughts or your relationship to whatever is present?
Honoring this time,
This practice of meeting difficulty with kindness,
This is an act of courage.
Considering how this compassion might ripple outward to someone else who might be struggling today.
And when you're ready,
Releasing your hands,
Opening the eyes when it feels right,
Taking one more conscious breath and carrying this compassion with you into the day.
This was session three of Living Wholeheartedly,
The Four Dimensions of the Heart.
Next time,
We'll explore the social dimension,
How connection supports healing and resilience.
See you then.
