Thank you for joining me today in this practice of healing for a tired heart.
I'm truly glad that you're here.
This practice is a soft place for your heart to rest,
A moment to acknowledge the tenderness that you may have been carrying,
Any exhaustion,
Worry,
Longing,
Any heaviness or simply the quiet ache that can build up over time.
And today you don't need to identify any reasons and you don't need to push anything or anyone away.
All you need to do is arrive.
So when you feel ready,
I invite you to find a position that feels comforting for you.
Perhaps that's lying down on your bed or sat in a chair or maybe seated on the floor.
And if it feels comfortable and you feel safe too,
I invite you to gently close your eyes or perhaps you prefer to just soften your gaze to an object in the room.
And we're here today to pause,
To soften,
To rest and to let your heart know that you are safe here.
Let the outside world fade into a distant hum and let the earth beneath you rise up in a quiet and caring support.
Just feeling its solid steadiness meeting your body.
It's holding you and supporting you.
I'd like you to take three deep but gentle inhales through your nose,
Pause for a brief second at the top and then a gentle exhale out through your mouth with a sigh.
Just so that we can release any tension that you may be feeling and holding on to.
So let's begin our first breath in through your nose,
Pausing for a moment at the top and exhaling out through your mouth with a sigh.
Another deep but gentle breath in through your nose and pausing at the top and exhaling with a sigh out through your mouth.
One final one and inhale in through your nose,
Brief pause at the top and exhaling with a sigh out through your mouth and then allowing your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
I'd like you to bring your awareness to the center of your chest,
To your heart space.
Not to change it,
Not to judge it but just to notice and observe.
Perhaps this space feels warm,
Maybe it feels tight or heavy,
Guarded or open and whatever it's there is welcome.
Now imagine with each inhale that you take it's gently expanding the space around your heart,
Not forcing but simply allowing and with each inhale you're softening and with each exhale you're releasing any tension,
You're inhaling spaciousness and exhaling and easing into your practice,
Just letting your heart be exactly as it is.
Your heart has held so much,
Moments of joy,
Moments of fear,
Moments of hope,
Moments of sadness but your heart has shown up for you again and again and this is one of those moments where you can show up for your heart.
I invite you to imagine through sensation rather than imagery a warm glow that's gently spreading through your chest,
It's a soft glow of compassion and of soothing comfort.
It feels light and supportive,
In your heart it doesn't need fixing,
It just needs permission to rest for now and let your breath cradle your heart gently.
With each inhale you're offering your heart soft support and each exhale you're gently releasing any heaviness,
Any worry,
Any tightness.
If emotions rise allow them to do so,
If nothing rises that is also healing.
You can silently offer your heart these words,
I see you,
I'm here with you,
You're allowed to rest and I'm grateful for you,
Let your breath be a balm and let your chest soften and let your inner world lean into the comfort being offered.
Imagine any tiredness that you may feel in your heart,
Any emotional fatigue,
See it melting slowly like ice or dew on the grass warming in the sun,
Not disappearing but just easing and softening,
Letting itself be held,
Let your heart feel spacious,
Supported,
Reassured and loved.
You are giving yourself something sacred today,
A moment of true emotional rest.
We'll stay here for a few slow breaths,
Just letting the healing settle into your body and your heart,
Keeping your awareness on your breath and feeling your heart space warm and open.
I invite you to bring one hand to your heart and whisper inwardly,
May my heart be gentle with itself,
May I carry myself with softness,
May healing continue in its own time.
We'll take one more deep inhale through your nose and a long sigh out through your mouth,
Bringing your breath back to its natural rhythm,
Maybe you'd like to bring some gentle movement back to your fingers,
Your toes,
Maybe moving your head side to side just for a gentle neck stretch as we come to the end of our practice,
Maybe you'd like to do a gentle stretch raising your arms upwards and when you feel ready and comfortable to open your eyes gently or bring your awareness back to the room and your heart has been cared for and that care stays with you.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
