Alphabet of the heart.
I learned this practice from Dr.
James Doty who works as a neurosurgeon at Stanford and is the founder of CCARE,
The Centre of Compassion and Ultralism Research and Education,
Also at Stanford.
Dr.
Doty created this values-based practice of intention for himself and has now shared it widely.
He calls the practice the alphabet of the heart.
It's a lovely contemplation practice that can help keep our head and heart connected.
I hope you find it centring.
As we move through the alphabet of the heart practice,
You might decide to focus on one letter that seems to resonate for you at this time.
Or you can keep following my voice through the ten letters touching into each intention.
At the end of the practice,
There might be a particular intention you'd like to carry with you into your day.
You can pause and breathe into these intentions in any moment,
Bringing you back to who you choose to be moment to moment.
At the end of the practice,
You'll hear a bell.
Take a moment now to notice your body settling into a comfortable position,
Uncrossing your arms and your legs.
You might like to roll your shoulders back or ever so gently roll your neck slowly in one direction and then the other,
Finding the right posture of dignity to rest into.
If you haven't already closed your eyes,
You might like to cast your eyes downward.
Let your body know that you are tuning inward for a few minutes.
Feel the ground,
The furniture that supports you and notice your intention to be present in these moments,
Choosing to let everything else be for a few minutes.
As you rest in the stillness,
Bring your attention to your breath,
Breathing in and out of your nose.
Let's take two slow breaths together.
As you breathe in,
Push your belly out,
Pausing at the top and now breathing out long and slow,
Letting your belly relax,
Pausing at the bottom of the exhalation and breathing in again,
Expanding your belly and pausing at the top.
Now,
As you breathe in again,
Expanding your belly and pausing at the top of the breath,
Exhaling and pausing.
You might like to take one more slow belly breath,
Letting your breath return to its natural rhythm,
Observing your breath as your anchor.
And if your mind wanders off during the practice or you lose your focus,
When you become aware,
Gently bring your attention back to your breath,
Stabilize and return to my voice wherever we are in the intentions.
We start the practice with the letter C for compassion.
Open your heart for yourself.
And for others.
In compassion,
We seek to relieve suffering.
We are willing to notice the suffering and to turn toward it,
To stay with the person in their difficult emotions and experiences,
To go beyond understanding and to be able to see the person in their difficult emotions and experiences,
To go beyond understanding and to be active in our helping,
To recognize that listening deeply is something powerful that has been connecting and can be healing.
In self compassion,
We notice our own suffering with kindness and concern.
Gently recognizing our experience is common,
That we are human and warmly taking care of ourselves,
Recognizing our own needs and responding to them.
D is for dignity.
Recognizing the dignity of every human being,
To remember that we all want the same things,
To be safe,
To be happy or to find peace and be free from suffering.
There is no other,
Only us.
We are all worthy.
We all deserve respect.
D is for dignity.
E is equanimity.
We acknowledge the ups and downs of life and try to keep an even keel.
We acknowledge the intention of equanimity is to practice keeping a calm,
Composed mind.
We are all worthy.
We are all worthy.
We are all worthy.
We are all worthy.
The intention of equanimity is to practice keeping a calm,
Composed mind,
Even in difficult circumstances.
We can feel a desire to want to get away from our experiences,
Our emotions or other people's emotions and to cling on to our happy times,
Attaching to ideas and things like certainty.
We can bring more equanimity,
More balance to our lives through conscious intentional practice of being in the present moment.
F is for forgiveness.
Seek forgiveness from those you have failed and those who have failed you.
Events have no power.
We give them power and hang on carrying these around with us.
It's like holding on to hot coals and hoping it will hurt the other person.
Forgiveness can free up your energy and be a gift you give yourself.
Perhaps you can forgive yourself or someone else.
Perhaps you can ask forgiveness from someone else.
G is for gratitude.
Keep in the front of your mind gratitude for all that you have.
Gratitude for what we have helps us stay in the present moment and helps us hold perspective,
Not being distracted by wanting or wishing for what we might be or have been or for what others are getting.
Resisting being caught in comparison or frustration.
Simply being thankful for all that is already.
Practicing gratitude,
Appreciation and savoring helps us feel more positive emotions,
Improves our health and builds strong relationships.
H is for humility.
Remember that you are no better and no worse than others you encounter.
Humility helps us maintain our balance,
Helps us remember that we're all interconnected.
Many others have helped you be who you are,
Where you are in the world.
Free from pride and arrogance,
Humility creates space for connection,
Learning,
Growing and trust.
I is for integrity.
Value honesty and integrity and use them to guide your actions.
Integrity means connecting your actions to your core values,
To being authentic and whole,
To knowing who am I and to live this integrated whole,
To be accountable to yourself.
J is for justice.
Acknowledge your obligations in the context of social justice.
Ask what is my intention?
What is inclusive and fair?
Remember we all have unconscious bias and shadows that we can't see.
Seek to understand and be willing to learn,
To share your gifts,
To care for those who are most vulnerable.
Lean into the suffering of others who are vulnerable.
They need other people to help them progress,
To stand with them,
To watch their back.
K is for kindness.
Be kind to yourself and to others.
Kindness is powerful because it's discretionary.
Choose kindness.
In kindness we see and hear each other.
Be kind to yourself.
And L is for love.
Let your heart be open to love from within yourself and from others.
Love encompasses it all.
Rest now in love.
The alphabet of the heart allows you to rest in love and to be present to your compassionate intention.
May you be well.
