Open your heart,
Meditation.
From a seated position,
Press both feet into the ground.
Lengthen your spine.
Drop your shoulders.
Loosen your jaw.
Place your hands on your lap.
Palms face up.
Open the body to the idea of relaxation.
Tune into your breath.
Breathe into your body.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Breathe into your body.
And breathe out.
Open your breath to the idea of relaxation.
Tune into your heart.
As you inhale,
Imagine your heart growing.
And as you exhale,
Feel the heart opening.
Inhale.
Allow the heart to open.
Exhale.
And ask it to grow.
Inhale open.
Exhale and grow.
Inhale.
Open the heart.
Exhale.
And allow it to grow.
You are now in the space of an open body,
Open breath,
And open heart.
Stay here.
In your mind,
See yourself taking a stroll through one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.
Ginkaku-ji is a private villa built in the 15th century in Japan.
Also called the Sea of Silver Sand,
Ginkaku-ji is named for its appearance under the moonlight.
The charmingly named Moon Washing Fountain.
The lush moss-covered foothills.
And the blooming colorful flowers and trees.
Up ahead there's a stone bench.
And you decide to sit down,
Reflect,
And take in your surroundings.
You close your eyes and let your heart soak in the beauty of the gardens.
In this blissful place,
Your heart wanders to a question.
What is the key to an open heart?
As you relax more deeply,
You turn inward and tune into your heart.
The voice of love.
You look for the parts of you that open your heart to the world.
In this relaxed state,
You begin to hear footsteps coming toward you.
Aside from the shuffling of feet,
You sense a loving presence getting closer and closer to you.
There is a vibration of love flowing from this source in all directions.
When you open your eyes,
You see a very old woman standing before you.
With sparkling eyes and a soft smile,
She sits beside you and says,
Dear one,
Your heart has called me.
It seeks understanding in times of uncertainty,
Pain,
And stress.
It seeks a way to stay open in moments of reactivity,
Resentment,
And fear.
It seeks possibilities in a world that is swept by chaos,
Competition,
And confusion.
Allow me to pass on these words from an ancient philosopher named Lao Tzu.
At the center of your being,
You have the answer.
You know who you are,
And you know what you want.
Embracing the path of the heart,
You become embraced.
Supple,
Breathing gently,
You become reborn.
Clearing your vision,
You become clear.
Nurturing your beloved,
You become impartial.
Opening your heart,
You become accepted.
Accepting the world,
You embrace the path of the heart.
Bearing and nurturing,
Creating but not owning,
Giving without demanding,
Controlling without authority.
This is love.
The sage pauses and asks you to share what you've learned about the heart.
You say these words to her.
I open my heart to understanding.
I open my heart to miracles.
I open my heart to possibilities.
I open my heart to loving myself.
I open my heart to loving others.
I open my heart to loving the world.
I open my heart to courage.
I open my heart to healing.
I open my heart to music.
I open my heart to beauty.
I open my heart to breathing.
I open my heart to forgiveness.
I open my heart to compassion.
I open my heart to giving love.
I open my heart to receiving love.
I open my heart to peace.
I open my heart to joy.
I open my heart to the divine.
I embrace the path of the heart.
Your heart is wide open and it feels wonderful.
You are transformed by this conversation with the sage and by listening to the voice of love.
The sage feels your big heart.
She wraps her arms around you and your hearts merge into one beating heart.
You feel even more love pouring into your heart.
You are glowing from the inside out.
You bow to your sage in gratitude for this experience of love.
Somehow you know your heart won't be the same again.
With a loving spirit,
You sense it is time to return to this space.
You feel plugged into all of the enlightened moments you had by opening your heart.
You commit to share your heart with yourself and humanity.
You promise to show up and share love in times of change and uncertainty.
Slowly come back into your body by moving feet and hands and wiggling toes and fingers.
Come back into the body.
Believe and trust that love flows through you while you remain calm and relaxed.
Open your eyes.
Namaste.
