This quick heart-based meditation activity will teach you how to reconnect with your heart and live a more authentic life. Do this daily and experience the benefits of living from the heart.
Take a moment and answer this question: what drives your actions, mood, and thought-processes?
If you aren’t sure, let’s think through a scenario. Let’s say you are in a grocery store just go get milk – in a rush to get home (relatable, I’m sure!). As you approach the check-out line with one single item in your hands, someone with a full cart nearly knocks you over to get in front of you.
You are only human, so of course your first response is either to be upset, surprised, or annoyed.
Next, what controls how you feel and act that initial reaction.
Are you driven by the thoughts in your head? Such as, “that’s not fair! What a jerk!”. Do you let anger sizzle inside of you or confront the person?
It’s okay if you are driving by your thoughts. Most humans are.
But there is an alternative way to live – living from the heart.
What is Heart-Based Living?
Heart-based living is a way of life that involves practicing qualities of the heart – including empathy, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness.
In the above scenario, if you are living from your heart it looks a little more like this: You consider that either that person was in a huge hurry (maybe they are late to pick up their kid from school) OR you acknowledge that maybe they aren’t in a place on their lives where they are kind or perceptive.
Either way, you don’t get upset. You shrug it off, wish that person the best – and go about your day with a smile on your face.
Your emotions are not thought-drive (how does this effect me!?), they are love or heart-driven.
I’ll be the first to tell you – this is not easy! It is hard to quiet the loud mind and bring your feelings to your quiet heart.
However, with a little practice and this quick meditation practice, you can awaken this path to your heart.
You may also like: How to Empower Your Kids to be Free Thinkers
How to Meditate for Heart-Based Living
Before your laugh at the cliche phrase “live from your heart”, consider this: the heart has over 40,000 neurons in it. Your heart can think – if you let it.
Heart-based Meditation is a simple daily practice that relieves stress, increases energy, and supports healing. On top of this, it encourages personal and spiritual growth.
It impacts BOTH how feel internally and how you respond externally.
Quick meditation to open of the heart:
- Get in a quiet, comfortable place
- Place your hand over your chest and close your eyes
- Focus on your breathing. Take a deep breath in (while counting to seven), hold your breath for three seconds, and breathe out slowly. While you breathe in, imagine that your energy is flowing into your heart with each breath.
- Repeat this 3 times.
- Now, recall a happy moment* in your life when you felt unconditional love.
- Focus on how you felt during this moment in life, the tingling in your heart (if you feel yourself smile you are doing it right).
- Now, stop thinking about the details of the moment and just focus on that feeling of gratitude and love.
- Try to hold this feeling for as long as you can (at least 30 seconds)
*My “moment” is when my youngest son was born (following a previous lost pregnancy), because I felt intense euphoria and unconditional love. I try to do this at least 3 times throughout the day. I have my kids think of a time that they felt “warm and fuzzy” love and to focus on that moment.
Since starting this quick heart-based meditation practice, my mood, well-being and actions have all improved in ways I could never imagine.
Also read: How to Raise Humble Kids in a Society Focused on Pride
Final Thoughts on Heart-based Mediation
Just imagine a world where everyone lived from the heart – instead of from a place of selfishness, survival, and anxiety (the ego).
Though that is unfortunately not realistic, if you start to live from the heart you will change the world for the better – both internally and externally. And- if you teach your family these skills you are only sharing the positive energy further.
Spend a few minutes a day practicing this simple meditation and feel your entire world transform into a better place – from the roots up!
For ways to teach your family how to think with love start with these 5 heart-based living tips.
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