Open Heart Meditation
Here is a meditation designed to open your heart to love:
Make sure you are sitting comfortably and wearing loose clothing. Begin by taking a couple of deep breaths through your nose well into the abdomen. With each breath you are relaxing more and more.
Begin to notice the top of your head. Notice if it feels tight or loose, heavy or light. See if you can feel the weight of your head. Notice the weight of your eyelids. Let your eyelids drop naturally over your eyes. Feel the top of your head relaxing. With each breath, your head is becoming more relaxed. Feel your eyelids becoming heavier and more relaxed. Now relax your face. Feel all the muscles in your face relaxing. Feel your jaw drop a little from gravity.
Feel your head, neck and shoulders letting go and relaxing. Let your shoulders drop. Let the weight of your arms and hands pull your shoulders down. Imagine your relaxation continuing to move down into your arms, across your elbows and down into your forearms and wrists. Imagine that all your tension has collected in a ball in your palms. Feel this ball rolling out of your fingertips. Wiggle your fingers to release the last of the tension.
Imagine a wave of relaxation moving down your spine. Feel this warm, peaceful sensation moving one vertebra at a time until it reaches the base of your spine. Your back and spine are now completely relaxed.
Now allow the wave of relaxation to move down your chest and abdomen. Feel each of your internal organs relaxing with each breath. Feel a wave of warm, peaceful energy moving over your abdominal area. Let the wave move down to your hips and buttocks. Feel yourself relaxing into the chair.
Imagine your relaxation continuing to move down into your legs, across your knees and down into your calves and lower legs. Imagine that all your tension has collected in a ball at your feet. Feel this ball rolling out of the bottom of your feet. Wiggle your toes to release the last of the tension.
Take a deep breath, deeper than before, and with the next exhale, let out an audible "sigh". Imagine you are breating a sigh of relief. With the next breath, let everything go. Feel your entire body relax and let go. There is nothing to worry about, nothing to fear, enjoy this peaceful moment.
Bring your awareness to your heart center at the middle of your chest. Begin to connect with the energy in this area of your body by noticing how you are feeling now. If your mind has spun into the future or leapt into the past, give yourself permission, without judgment to focus on the present moment.
Give yourself a few minutes to experience the following. Allow yourself to become aware of how you feel as you think of these things.
Think of the last time you truly felt love for someone else. Feel it again now.
Think of the last time you touched something with your physical hands that you truly enjoyed. Give it color, shape, texture. Was it warm? Cool? Embrace how good it felt. Feel it again.
When was the last time someone in your life told you they loved you or shared affection with you? Revisit these emotions. Feel it again, embracing it deeply into the heart
In your mind’s eye imagine your favorite pet. Imagine it with you now giving you love and joy. As you did before give the animal color, texture and size. Feel what it was like to be with that loving being.
Ask your higher power (God, Jesus, Universe who ever you speak with) to enter your heart and fill it with love. Be open to receiving.
Spend a few minutes embracing these wonderful feelings deep in the heart center of the body.
When you are finished take a few moments to ground yourself back into the present moment. Take a few deep breaths and slowly wake the body up. Carry these loving feelings with you through your day and night.