Welcome,
This is a heart centred meditation designed to support deep relaxation,
Emotional healing,
Self love and inner calm.
There is nothing you need to fix or change,
This is a practice of gentle attention,
Kindness and presence.
Just settle yourself now into a comfortable seated position,
Let the spine rise naturally,
Allow your shoulders to soften and just let your breath flow effortlessly.
Before we begin,
It may help you to know this,
Even a gentle or practiced smile can send a signal of safety to your nervous system.
We don't wait to feel joyful in order to smile,
We smile gently and allow the body and heart to respond in their own time.
When you're ready,
Invite a small,
Soft smile across your face,
Even if you can only manage to turn the corners of your mouth upwards,
It's nothing exaggerated,
Just enough to signal kindness.
Don't worry about how it may look,
Just enjoy how that smile,
Even a small one,
Lifts and lightens the face.
Give yourself permission and grace in which to hold it,
Try and maintain it with patience and kindness,
Entrusting that this practice is about to open your heart and deepen your connection to it.
As we maintain our smiles,
I invite you now to bring one hand to rest over your heart,
Place the other hand softly on top,
Your heart sits slightly left of centre of your chest,
Behind the breastbone,
There's no need to be accurate or precise,
Simply resting your hand here is enough,
Notice the warmth beneath your palms,
Perhaps there's a subtle movement as the breath enters and leaves and the chest rises and falls,
Maybe you can actually feel the beat of your own heart,
If you don't feel anything clearly,
That's ok,
The body still understands this gesture of care that we're offering it.
Imagine that our hands have not just connected with our heart,
But we've actually taken hold of it.
Invite you now to lift your hands in front of your face,
As though you're meeting your heart face to face for the first time,
No strain,
Soft elbows and shoulders relaxed.
If lifting your hands before you doesn't feel supported,
Keep them resting on your lap and imagine the same connection though.
Either way,
Take a moment here and meet your heart with curiosity,
Without judgement,
Without expectation.
Now gently lower your hands down into your lap,
As you do,
Imagine that you're still holding your heart,
Not in a literal or anatomical way,
No blood,
No detail,
No gore,
Just a rough impression,
It's size,
It's weight,
It's presence,
Warm,
Alive,
Held with care,
As you continue to hold your heart,
Just let your hands settle comfortably somewhere in your lap.
As you continue holding this gentle impression of your heart,
Allow it to soften,
It may begin to feel less solid,
More subtle,
More energetic,
Perhaps it becomes a warm golden light resting in your hands.
Gold often carries a sense of warmth,
Value and kindness,
If another colour feels more natural for you though,
Just allow it to take that colour instead.
The light you've chosen is friendly,
Easy to look at and safe to meet.
Now imagine that this heart light begins to smile,
Nothing exaggerated,
Just a soft,
Friendly smile,
It has kind eyes and a presence that feels safe to connect with,
If the smile feels small or hesitant,
That's completely okay,
Some hearts take time to trust.
Allow yourself to look at your heart,
To meet its gaze,
To smile back at it.
As you smile at your heart,
Notice how it responds,
Perhaps the smile grows a little wider,
The light a little brighter,
The warmth a little deeper,
And as your heart smiles back notice how your smile softens in response,
You're not forcing anything,
You're allowing a relationship to form,
Smile,
Receive,
Soften.
Now begin offering words to your heart,
Words that feel true for you,
There are no right phrases,
No correct script,
You might speak to your heart as you would someone you care deeply about,
If it helps you might begin with something simple such as thank you,
I'm here for you,
I forgive you,
I forgive myself,
You're safe now,
Or you may find your own words arise,
Different words,
More personal words,
Words that carry meaning just for you,
Just let them come naturally,
Let them evolve,
Each phrase is an offering,
Each smile an invitation,
Notice how the heart responds,
Its smile broadening in its own time,
Notice how the warmth of your smiling heart begins to spread,
From your hands,
Into your arms,
Through your chest,
A gentle feeling of ease,
Of connection,
Of quiet joy,
The warmth rises into your shoulders,
The neck,
The face,
Your smile becomes effortless,
Natural,
Real,
Heartfelt,
Let this feeling of heart centred calm settle throughout your whole body,
This is a feeling you can carry into your day,
A quiet form of loving kindness,
A granted sense of inner peace,
Without effort,
Without performance,
Your presence softens and those around you will feel it too,
Each time you return to this practice the heart remembers,
The smile comes more easily,
The connection deepens,
Whenever you need to calm,
Emotionally ground or foster self love,
You can return here,
When you're ready I invite you to slowly open your eyes and carry your smile into the rest of your day,
Namaste.
