Heartfulness: February 8 - 14

Mindfulness is a misnomer. The word implies it is mostly about thoughts. Exactly where is the mind? Is it the same thing as the brain? Too many of us feel trapped in our heads. Mindfulness is not a head trip but something altogether different. Maybe consciousness is a better word. Where does consciousness reside? In our heads? In our cells? In our soul? That's a debate for scientists, doctors, and theologians.

For me, meditation starts out as a concentration practice where I focus my attention on my breath, my thoughts, or some other homebase. Most often, the concentration practice spontaneously gives way to a heart practice. Maybe heartfulness better captures this part of the practice. It always takes me by surprise. What starts out as a solitary exercise of watching my mental patterns, inevitably connects me to the joys and sorrows, the dreams and struggles of all humans. My hunger for peace, belonging, wholeness, and love is shared by everyone. We are all in this together.

In practice, I start out with my eyes closed and my hands in my lap. Almost without thinking midway through the meditation, I place my hand on my heart. I physically feel warmth. This action opens a tender space within. I can't precisely explain how I arrive from my head to my heart but it is at the core of my practice.

Practice

Find a place where your body feels at home. Sink into the comfort of the chair. Relax your shoulders. Allow gravity to hold and support you. Welcome the breath as an old friend. Settle into life, wrap it around you like a blanket. Hang out here as long as you like.

Before long, thoughts will poke their head into the room, begging for attention, reminding you of unfinished business, the laundry of your life. Let them pile up in the corner. You can always wash, fold, and put them away later. Name your thoughts as they show up. Invite them to relax. Relax more and more with each breath. Hang out here as long as you like.

Today's intention is to visit the heart. Imagine a path leading through the landscape of your thoughts to the quiet wilderness of your heart. Each step leads you further away from the cares of life, deeper and deeper to the doorway of your heart. Rest your hand on your heart and gently open the door.

Imagine a room filled with treasured memories, images of loved ones, and all that you hold dear. Ask yourself what is most needed today. Maybe you see yourself writing a letter of encouragement. Maybe you plant seeds for future dreams. Maybe you are visited by a beloved ancestor. Maybe you do nothing but simply be. Hang out here as long as you like.

It is time to return, but before you leave, you discover an unexpected gift. It is precisely what your heart needs this day. You offer a word of gratitude. After a minute more, you open the door and step onto the path. You retrace your steps upward until you've arrived at the doorway to the rest of today. Honor yourself for making the opportunity to check in with your heart.