You may choose to stay with visualization of the lotus or you may focus on the sensation of an expanding heart. ( Note: If visualizing a lotus flower is too poetic for you, an alternative is to focus on a cave in the heart with a flame in the center, or a fire illuminating your heart.) Step 4 And as you exhale, just dwell inside the lotus flower. Step 3īegin to visualize a lotus flower inside your chest that is gently spreading its petals open with each inhalation. Do you feel heat, tingling, lightness, density, tightness? As you inhale, breathe into your heart. Stay with those sensations and allow your awareness to deepen. As you exhale, concentrate on the sensations that you feel in your chest. The Upanishads (Translated by Eknath Easwaran, Nilgiri Press, 1987) Step 2Īs you inhale, draw your awareness from the base of the pelvis to the center of the chest. Realize the Self hidden in the heart and cut asunder the knot of ignorance here and now.” “Bright but hidden, the Self dwells in the heart.Įverything that moves, breathes, opens, and closes lives in the Self-the source of love. Meditation Practice Step 1īegin by quietly reading this passage from the Upanishads: Now plant the seeds for meditating on the lotus of the heart. Draw your chin slightly down and let the back of your neck lengthen. Let your spine rise from the base of the pelvis. Place your hands on your knees in Jnana Mudra (index and thumb touching), with palms facing up to open your awareness or palms facing down to calm the mind. You may also want to gently ring a bell at the beginning and end of your meditation. You may find it helpful to set a timer for 10, 20, or 30 minutes so you can deepen your meditation without wondering about the time. To begin, find a comfortable posture for meditation (seated on a cushion or blanket, in a chair, or against a wall). This meditation serves two purposes: First, to learn to focus the mind on any object as an internal seat, and second, to receive the healing benefits of being connected to the heart as a place of unconditional love. Others may observe that the restless nature of the mind does not subside so easily. For some, this will be a very natural sanctum to rest the awareness. The following meditation focuses the awareness on the seat of one’s lotus heart. Like a lotus that contracts and opens according to the light, our spiritual heart can be awakened through various yoga practices from asana practice to Pranayama, chanting, and meditation. In yoga and meditation, the heart can be visualized as a lotus flower unfolding at the center of the chest. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!īy visualizing your heart as a lotus flower, you can begin to create a safe, comfortable place for your mind to settle.
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