Welcome.
This meditation is called Being with Your Heart.
It is a relational meditation.
It is adapted from internal family systems therapy,
And this is a practice that you can do with a partner or individually.
Let's begin.
Take a few deep breaths to settle into your body.
Getting into a comfortable position where your body will be supported for the length of the practice.
Begin to turn your attention inward.
As you land,
Notice with curiosity and creativity your heart in whatever way that you experience it.
This doesn't have to be your actual heart on the left side of your chest,
Just however you experience your heart.
I'm going to invite you to get to know it in a physical way,
And we're going to explore different qualities of your heart.
We'll see about its condition.
First notice how open your heart is,
How tender,
Encrusted,
Or calloused.
Perhaps it's congested,
Fluid,
Or flowing.
Also notice how much space your heart has in there.
Does it feel contracted and tightly packed or spacious?
You might find in your exploration that different places in your heart are different in those ways.
Maybe the front is closed,
But the back is open,
Or the top is tender and the bottom is tough.
Maybe energy can flow through some parts of your heart,
But not all.
Maybe in some places your heart feels pinched and contracted,
While in other places it feels spacious.
Just notice without judgment.
So where it feels extreme in any of those ways,
Closed,
Contracted,
Contested,
Or calloused,
You have located some protective parts.
If you want,
You can take a little time right now to meet those parts with curiosity and compassion.
If it's okay,
Just get a little curious about what those protectors are afraid would happen if they allowed you to open your heart fully.
If they let your heart be tender.
If they didn't try to contract or compact it.
In answer to that question,
You are likely to learn about the vulnerable parts or wounds they protect who also live in or around your heart.
Right now,
You don't have to go to those vulnerable parts or that wound or wounds.
You can just hear a little bit about them from these protectors.
As you get to know how vigilantly these protectors have guarded your vulnerability,
Just extend your loving appreciation toward them at whatever degree feels sincere.
Notice how they react to that appreciation.
As your protectors connect and experience your calm and courageous presence,
Go ahead and call to mind your partner.
Imagine their heart next to yours with their own protectors and vulnerabilities.
Visualize their heart and notice their calluses and tender areas.
Notice how their heartbeats may sync up with yours while remaining their own heart and holding their own story.
Imagine sending your partner's heart curiosity and compassion right now.
Notice in your body what that feels like.
Notice how that is for your protectors without judgment.
Allow your protectors to know that you are here.
Your partner is here.
That there is connection where once there was disconnection.
And allow your protectors to take in your open-heartedness.
As this visit with your heart protectors and your partner's heart feels complete,
You can begin to shift your focus back outside.
But make sure before you leave to thank your protectors for everything they let you know and for their hard work to keep your heart safe.
Thank you.
