As a lawyer, my mind was trained for many years to think in a particular way. Although I enjoyed the feeling of contribution when I worked in human rights law, constantly striving for knowledge and searching tirelessly for answers left me emotionally exhausted and physically depleted.
Bringing meditation back into my life in a meaningful way now allows me to live less from my head and more from my heart. When I interact with the world from my head space, my decisions are often based on fear. I seek knowledge to control my surroundings in order to feel safe.
By contrast, the inner voice of my heart is restful, simple and wise. When I am connected to my heart, I feel an inner security and confidence that no matter what happens, I have the strength and resources to deal with it. When I am in my heart space, I can feel all that tiresome striving just let go. Its like my body and soul take a deep slow happy sigh.
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Meditating on the heart allows me to concentrate less on ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’ and more on ‘being’. And instead of blindly living through the judgements and filters of my mind, I can choose to live more often from compassion, for myself and for others.
There’s an abundance of research on the benefits of meditating on the heart. The Institute of HeartMath in particular has found that the electromagnetic field of the heart is by far the most powerful field produced by the human body. The Institute has proven that this field not only envelops every cell of the body but also extends out in all directions into the space around us. It has even developed devices which can measure the field extending from the heart into several feet from the body.
When we meditate on the heart, the quantum power of our heart’s energy field becomes measurably stronger, positively charging our experience of the world and our relationships within it. Meditating on the heart boosts confidence and emotional self-awareness and brings healing to ourselves and to those around us. It increases our capacity for compassion and our understanding of the deeper interconnected oneness between us.
Meditating on the heart connects us to our deeper wisdom. It develops our resilience and literally brings more of who we truly are into the world.
3 simple steps to meditating on the heart
1. Notice the physical form of your heart
Sit comfortably and breathe deeply with the intention of releasing any tension you feel in your body.
Gently bring your attention to the physical form of your heart – where it is in your body, its size, and the space it occupies in your chest.
Become aware of your heartbeat by placing your hand over your heart to feel it from the outside while you continue to feel it from within.
2. Focus on the electromagnetic field of your heart
Imagine the electromagnetic field of your heart to be a bright warm light extending out from your physical heart and surrounding your body.
With each breath, feel the energy flowing from your heart throughout this electromagnetic field.
3. Breathe gratitude and compassion with your heart
Now imagine that it is your heart that is breathing. Feel your breath gently flowing in and out of your heart. Let each inhalation soften and expand your heart, bringing calm and peace. Let each exhalation loosen and release any blocks.
As your heart expands, breathe in gratitude and healing, letting it fill your heart. As you breathe out, let compassion ride the waves from your heart into the world.
Rest for a while in your heart then gently open your eyes.
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