Unclench Your Heart

When life feels heavy and your heart starts to close, this meditation helps you soften again.
In this Loving-Kindness practice, Sah gently guides you to release tension, let go of resistance, and open to compassion — for yourself and for everyone around you. Let your heart expand and remember: a soft heart isn’t weakness — it’s your greatest strength.

Transcript

Hello and welcome.

My name is Sada Simone and it's an honor and a joy to be leading you today on a compassion meditation.

It's a powerful practice that removes clinging to negative states of mind by cultivating kindness towards all beings.

It recalls our true nature of benevolence.

In this practice we train our attention on the silent repetition of certain phrases.

The phrases are an act of generosity.

They're an offering.

They're blessings.

We're opening up to a whole new perspective of gift-giving.

And remembering,

It is not so much about the words themselves,

But it's much more about the intention,

The heartfelt intention behind the words.

And the typical phrases that are utilized in this practice are,

May I be happy,

May I be healthy,

May I be safe,

And may I live with ease.

And you can repeat these phrases over and over again with enough space so it's a rhythm that's enjoyable and authentic to you.

And remembering,

When your attention does wander,

Don't worry about it.

See if you can gently let go and bring it back to the phrases.

And we'll start the practice with ourselves,

Gifting these wishes of compassion towards ourselves.

Because it's often the hardest to express these wishes towards ourselves.

We're often putting other people first,

Or we're going to experiment being the recipient to these wishes.

So let's begin by settling into our meditation posture,

A posture that balances awakefulness and relaxation.

You can practice sitting down on a cushion on the floor,

On a chair,

Or laying down.

And if you are on a chair,

Make sure your feet are flat on the ground,

Your legs are uncrossed,

Hands are resting where it feels most comfortable.

Your eyes are open or closed,

Whatever feels most comfortable for you.

And let's take a moment to come home to your breath,

Connecting with the sensations of breathing in the body.

Using the breath as the anchor,

Placing your attention on the breath,

Inviting relaxation and ease into the body and the mind.

Helping you to connect into the now,

Into this moment.

And if you like,

You can take a few deep,

Long breaths in and out.

And allowing the breath to just settle in its own natural rhythm.

So let's begin by extending these wishes of kindness and compassion towards ourselves.

So you may find it helpful to bring an image of yourself,

A memory of yourself,

Into the mind's eye.

Or sometimes it's helpful as if you envision yourself looking into your own very eyes and repeating the phrases at a pace that feels comfortable and authentic for you.

So begin the repetition of the gentle and powerful phrases.

May I be happy.

May I be healthy.

May I be safe.

And may I live with ease.

May I be happy.

May I be healthy.

May I be safe.

And may I live with ease.

And noticing if resistance arises,

See if you can gently let it go and just come back.

Continuing this process of gifting yourself these wishes towards your well-being.

And allowing the feelings of compassion to travel through your whole body.

And you may even notice a warmth in the heart.

Or maybe not,

And that's okay too.

And letting go of that image,

Letting go of the phrases.

Now bring into mind someone who's helped you in your life.

It may be helpful to say their name to yourself.

Get a feeling for their presence.

See if you can hold this person in your awareness as if they're right here with you right now.

This is someone who's really supported you.

Someone who's picked you up when you fell.

It could also be someone who you haven't met yet but has inspired you from a distance.

And if no one comes to mind,

That's okay.

You can continue with the feelings of compassion towards yourself.

And begin the practice again of gifting these wishes towards this benefactor.

This dear one who's helped you in your life by offering them the wishes.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

And now letting go of this person.

Letting go.

Letting go.

And bring into mind a loved one.

Someone who you love,

Someone who makes you smile when you think of them.

And again,

It may be helpful for you to say their name to yourself so you can get a feeling for their presence.

Holding this person in your mind as if they're right here with you right now.

And extending these wishes towards their well-being.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

Doing your best effort to remain here with the phrases,

With this loved one,

Continuing this process,

Continuing the practice.

And noticing if your tension drifts away,

Just invite it back.

Keep coming back.

And training your mind with compassion.

And now letting go of this person.

Letting go.

And bringing into mind a neutral person.

A stranger,

Someone who you don't know really that well.

Could be someone who you've seen around but you haven't connected just yet.

And remember that this person,

Just like you and I,

Wants the very same things we want.

So let's begin.

Get an image of them.

If you know their name,

Repeat the name to yourself.

Get a feeling for their presence.

Holding this person in your mind,

In your field of awareness.

As if they're right here with you right now.

And extending these heartfelt wishes.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

And let's just take a moment now to reconnect with the feeling of the breath in the body.

Perhaps noticing a feeling of warmth in the chest.

And perhaps you're noticing an opening in your heart.

It's all natural.

The feelings of compassion,

Allowing it to travel through your whole body.

And now that we've primed our compassion,

I invite you to bring to mind someone that's difficult.

This isn't the most difficult person in your life.

This is someone who you've experienced some friction or tension.

A mildly difficult person.

And bring them here.

Right here with you right now.

And remember,

If a mildly difficult person proves to be too difficult,

This is a great time to return and offer these wishes of compassion towards yourself.

Otherwise,

Get an image for this person.

Say their name to yourself.

Connect with the feeling of their presence.

Bringing this person into your mind.

And extending these wishes to that person.

And let's begin by gifting.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

And noticing if additional stories arise in your mind,

See if you can let them go.

And just come back to the repetition of the phrases.

Continuing to do your best effort to wish this person well.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

And may you live with ease.

And then letting go of this person.

Letting go.

And finally now,

We'll bring to mind all beings everywhere.

All people throughout the world.

Doing your best effort to expand your feelings of compassion.

To all beings everywhere.

All fish in the sea.

All birds in the sky.

All creatures seen and unseen.

Without any exception.

May all beings everywhere be happy.

May all beings everywhere be healthy.

May all beings everywhere be safe.

And may all beings everywhere live with ease.

Continuing to extend these wishes far and wide.

See if you can reach all beings across earth with the heart of your heart.

With the heartfelt wishes coming from your very own heart.

Continuing this process by resting your attention on these phrases.

May all beings everywhere be happy.

May all beings everywhere be healthy.

May all beings everywhere be safe.

And may all beings everywhere live with ease.

And as you begin to bring this practice to a close,

I invite you to bring a hand across your chest.

Connecting with your heart.

And repeating in your mind.

And as you begin to bring this practice to a close,

I invite you to bring a hand across your chest.

Connecting with your heart.

And repeating in your mind.

May all beings everywhere,

Including ourselves,

Find peace.

This practice is a gesture of compassion for ourselves and the world.

So take a moment to appreciate this profound act of generosity.

And slowly,

When you're ready,

If you've closed your eyes,

You may blink them open.

Thank you.

Reviews

Sah has a very soothing voice. His guidance really helps me visualize images during the practice.

Definitely felt the connection across the world. Lovely

What a beautiful practice! Opened my heart to myself and others first thing in the morning. I will continue this. Thank you for this beautiful meditation 🙏🏼💗

I just love the way his meditations make me feel free and getting a brand new smile to the world!

Thank you 🙏🏽 for this meditation. So beneficial today .

Sharing peace with those who need it feels very fulfilling🙏Thanku)

Loved this . My first step towards opening my heart and loving unconditionally 🤍

Love this… brought me peace in my heart today
Nameste

Thank you, starting the day with a loving and grateful heart

This meditation is so beautiful, ans so beneficial....thank you 🙏✨️

Lovely soothing voice. I’d go so far to say the most calming voice thus far. Thank you so much!

Wow what a beautiful and affirming meditation practice. I cried and released so much. Thank you!!

Thank you for this meditation! I really feel uplifted

A beautiful meditation for the times when you feel stuck or energetically congested. Show yourself and others compassion. Thank you 🙏💙

Just at the right time!!! Thank you perfect for Driving and Decompressing!

I have done this meditation weekly for the past couple months and it has really changed my perspective and relationship with others. I am so grateful for this simple and beautiful meditation practice! Thank you!

This was so simple and yet so expansive. I got a sense after the practice that we, “all beings”, are in this expanse together. The people that came to mind for me were surprising a little bit and beautiful.

Loved this practice! So so lovely to be reminded that we all need to have compassion toward each other.

Absolutely helpful and inviting technique. Thank you.

Very calming and opened my mind to realize my negative, and one anxiety trigger.