This guided practice is going to be about catching a glimpse from the heart.
In deep listening from the heart we are also listening to the silence,
To the wordless loving presence who calls to us from beneath and between the words.
This is where quiet prayer or meditation is so important in attuning to the love language of silence.
So I invite you to begin with recognizing whatever thoughts,
Images,
Mental models have been going on in your mind and to gently make the decision to unhook from these,
To let go of any voices of self-criticism,
Expectations,
Disappointments,
Anything that has been preoccupying your mind.
Gently make the choice to let go,
Unhook and then let your attention flow down from the mind level of knowing where we're so often preoccupied.
You could almost imagine your attention being one of those slow moving bubbles in a lava lamp that moves down from the head down into your mouth and almost become aware from within your mouth.
How does your mouth feel from within?
What is the flavor lingering in your mouth?
Feel the spaciousness inside of your mouth.
And then again,
Gently like that bubble in a lava lamp,
Move down your throat.
Let your attention gently drop down.
You could even follow your breath very gently until your attention comes to rest at your heart level.
Allow yourself to rest here.
But picture your heart awareness as again a wide open bowl.
It's much wider than your body.
Open and spacious and unboundaried.
That is not judgmental,
Not resistant.
It can receive everything,
Bear everything,
Open to everything.
Because it is held in and one with the beautiful radiant heart of God.
For the rest of this time of quiet prayer,
If you find yourself caught up in thinking again,
Caught up in the world of your thoughts or imagination,
Again just follow these steps.
Gently make the choice to unhook from that whole world of your thoughts.
Gently let go and drop down slowly through your mouth level,
Down your throat,
Back down to your heart level.
Into this wide open spacious field of the heart.
This place where our hearts are resting in the loving heart of God.
And keep doing this for the rest of this time until the ending gong sounds.
Gong Gong Gong
