From Tias Little: Living in the always new is to have an open state of mind without preconception. We call this beginner's mind. To have beginner's mind is to be receptive, sympathetic and open to ongoing change....[as Proust noted]...the real voyage of discovery does not require visiting new landscapes, but having new eyes...Moments we typically take for granted...become a source of subtle amazement."
I had a request to revisit the beautiful Heart Meditation that was shared with me by my teacher Manju Jobanputra (who encouraged me to begin yoga teacher training). I was taught this practice sitting up with hands in lap to start but if energy is low feel free to begin lying with hands palm down an easy distance from the sides of the body. Depending on the intention of a particular practice, I might adjust the breathing pattern, but for this week we'll stay with the simplest version - for the most part, breathing out as the hand floats towards the heart, and breathing in as it moves back to the lap or floor.
Heart Meditation:
- If sitting, begin with hands palm down on legs, if lying, begin with palms down on floor. Breathe in.
- Taking the entire length of the exhale, let left palm float to touch front of heart space, on inhale float it back to starting position but palm up.
- On next exhale, float right palm to heart, on inhale float it back (take entire generous breath for the movement)
- On third exhale float left hand to heart, on inhale leave it resting there; on next exhale right hand floats to cover left
- On inhale, float both hands back to starting position, palm down. Take one full breath. This is the completion of one full round.
- Repeat x 2