Five Minute Heart Opening

Settle in,

Become aware of your breathing.

Take some long,

Slow inhales and exhales,

Just for you.

As you do so,

Welcome the time and space you have created for yourself.

As you take these spacious breaths,

Take some pleasure from them,

From how languid and luxurious they are for you.

Begin to feel your body relaxing and releasing,

Letting go of stress and tension.

Then take one hand to your heart and press down gently.

Bring your awareness and your breathing right into your heart space.

Feel the tenderness of your breath there as your heart opens to your hand,

It literally leaps up,

Rises up to you,

Showing you how strong and soft it is.

Bring the word love into your heart.

Say the word quietly to yourself and direct it into your heart.

And breathe with the word with the feelings of the quality of love with the word itself,

Anything that comes to you that you see or feel as you breathe love into your heart and with your loving heart.

Now bring the picture of someone or something you love,

The first thing that springs to mind when you think of the loves of your life,

Into your heart.

Feel your heart radiate as you do so,

Illuminate.

Breathe into this feeling of illumination and love in your heart.

And as you breathe out,

Spread it like honey throughout your being.

Let the love in your heart reach every part of you from your head to your toes,

Even to your fingertips.

Take a few breaths,

Spreading this love that you hold in your heart for someone or something to every part of your being,

Into every cell.

And if there's anywhere in your thoughts or your feelings or in your body that is craving some more love,

Some more heart,

Direct that energy,

That breath,

That love there now to that space,

To that thought,

To that feeling.

And if there's anywhere in your life that needs this love or any person or if you would just like to bless the world with it,

Send it out there now,

Send it directly.

Breathe it out.

And now to close,

Take your other hand on top of the hand that's resting on your heart.

Press down tenderly and say,

Thank you and I love you.

Then open both your arms up,

Palms up to the world.

Open your eyes and return to the world deep in your heart and full of love.