This meditation focuses on the heart chakra,
Also called anahata.
We will be connecting with the seven chakra system,
Which begins at the base of the spine and moves upward to the crown of the head.
Chakra means wheel or disc in Sanskrit.
The idea of the chakras is that they are in motion,
Spinning.
Each is connected to an energy center in our bodies,
But the chakras are actually a part of our subtle body,
Are sort of superimposed on our actual bodies.
Each is connected to a color,
A sound,
An element,
And different parts of our mind and body.
You don't have to know about the chakras to participate in this meditation.
At the base of the spine we have Muladhara,
The root chakra.
It's our first chakra.
Our grounding center associated with stability and safety.
Its color is seen as red and it connects us to the earth.
Moving upward,
Just below the navel,
Is Svadhisthana,
The sacral or second chakra.
This chakra is associated with the element of water.
And with creativity,
Pleasure,
And flow.
It's denoted by the color orange.
Just above that,
At the solar plexus.
Just above the navel is Manipura.
This chakra is associated with the element of fire and the color yellow.
It represents your will,
Your power,
And your sense of identity.
As you continue upward,
You arrive at the heart chakra.
Anahata.
Which sits at the center of the chakra system.
The heart is the bridge between the lower chakras,
Which are more physical and more grounding,
And the upper chakras,
Which are more subtle and spiritual.
You'll see it as the color green.
Above the heart is Vishuddha,
The throat chakra.
Number five.
Associated with the color blue and the element of sound or space.
This is our center of expression and voice.
Moving upward again,
We reach Ajna,
The third eye chakra located at the center of the forehead.
Its color is a deep,
Rich indigo and is associated with light,
Intuition.
And inner vision.
At the top of the head is Sahasrara.
Crown chakra.
The seventh final chakra in our system.
Associated with wisdom,
Integration,
And connection beyond the individual self.
It is often denoted as clear.
With no color.
White.
Or lavender.
Now allow your attention to return to Anahata,
To the heart chakra,
Right in the center of the chest.
The element of the heart is air.
Because of this,
The heart is not only associated with the physical heart,
But also with the lungs and the breath.
Think about how you breathe in.
What you're doing with a breath.
Every breath you take feeds the whole body,
But it also fuels and opens the heart.
As you breathe,
You may notice a sense of lightness,
That feeling of being lighter than air.
A feeling of openness and ease.
This is the quality of the heart,
A spaciousness that allows love to move freely.
The heart is also associated,
Of course,
With love and all that comes with love.
Gratitude,
The ability to receive,
And connection.
Connection to others,
To animals,
To nature,
And to the many relationships that exist in your life beyond people alone.
The heart also holds your social context and your capacity to feel supported.
The heart offers the ability to say yes,
The ability to allow things in.
As you move up from the solar plexus.
Where will,
Power,
And identity live.
The heart offers a different kind of strength,
A willingness to receive what matters most to you.
The heart sits at the midpoint of the chakra system.
It is a bridge,
A space of balance,
A place that connects one side to the other.
In the same way,
The heart connects different aspects of you,
Body and spirit,
Inner and outer.
Effort,
And ease.
It is a connection that allows movement and flow.
It connects what you already are as a whole being.
At times,
The heart may feel pressure.
We know this,
Right?
It feels perhaps like sadness.
It might feel overwhelmed.
And yet kindness,
Compassion,
And balance all live here too.
We know that the heart is a place where integration happens,
Where the difficult and the joyful can often coexist.
Just like in so many areas and parts of our lives.
With attention,
With practice,
And with time.
The lighter qualities of the heart,
Especially joy,
Begin to rise.
Eventually,
Joy can outweigh the heaviness.
Of course,
We know,
Again,
This is a practice.
But we're practicing something that truly is attainable.
The heart is also the calm in the storm when many things are happening at once.
When life feels busy or unsettled,
You can return here.
The heart offers steadiness and peace when given space and attention.
And begin to settle your body into a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Take a few slow and cleansing breaths.
With each inhale,
Feel the air filling your lungs,
Creating space there at the heart.
With each exhale,
Allow your body to release.
Release tension,
Release toxins,
Release thoughts.
If it feels comfortable,
Place one or both hands over your heart.
Connecting to your own body offers an immediate opportunity to settle.
This simple touch helps you return to the heart.
Center of everything and your own sense of presence.
Feel the warmth beneath your hands.
Feel the rhythm.
Of your breath.
Imagine supportive energy flowing through you.
Beginning at the crown of your head,
Allow energy to filter in all the way down to your heart space and moving out into your arms,
Into your hands,
Back into the heart space and circulating gently and steadily.
As you breathe,
You can picture a small glowing light within the green heart chakra.
As you breathe,
Imagine that you are expanding that light,
Creating warmth,
Creating vibrance,
Creating a clear path to what you need to see.
Or feel or sense.
The heart.
Your place of connection.
Connection to your body.
Connection to your breath.
Connection to your inner life.
And to the world around you.
You are never one thing or another.
You move,
You shift,
And you can always return to balance right here.
Allow the heart to be your place of connection to spirit,
To mind,
And to body.
Each chakra has a mantra connected to it.
The heart has the mantra YAM.
You may begin to gently repeat this seed mantra of the heart chakra,
Either silently or aloud,
Perhaps in rhythm with your own breath.
Inhale exhale Inhale,
And together we will chant.
Yang.
You YANG Let the vibrations support the heart space.
Let the breath remain steady.
Let's take a moment here in quiet awareness,
Allowing the heart to rest.
To glow.
To be here.
In the center of everything.
Gently begin to deepen your breath.
Filling that heart space once again.
Knowing that that spark of light,
That space of connection,
Can be resourced and reached anytime.
Breathing in the thoughts of love,
The thoughts of compassion,
The thoughts of forgiveness,
The thoughts of gratitude that pertain not just to the world around us,
But to ourselves.
Tending to the heart space is a beautiful opportunity to fuel your inner strength,
Your inner support,
Your inner self-love.
When you feel ready,
Return your awareness to the space where you are.
Offering yourself a hug or a connection a couple of stretches for your body a smile.
And a feeling of balance and joy.
Take some time to gently open your eyes if they've closed.
Take some water and know you can return to the heart space anytime.
Thank you.
Be well.
