Explosions rocked the United States this past week from Boston to Texas. My heart was heavy and my concern for neighbors’ safety grew exponentially throughout the week.
What do you do when your heart gets so heavy that it’s impossible to focus on your day? My recipe:
Grounding First & Loving~Kindness (Metta) Meditation Second
This recipe allows your heavy heart to become lighter, raise your vibration and send this light out into the world. It takes a little practice but once you are able, it can be done quickly and easily for the highest good of all.
Grounding allows a heavy heart to grow in strength. For me, it’s a simple practice of standing barefoot on the earth. I close my eyes and feel the nature of the ground grow into my physical being. I draw her strength up from the ground and then, my body grow roots into her for continued centering that will go with me throughout the day.
Once grounded, I practice a loving-kindness (metta) meditation this softens my emotions, clears my head, allows my spirit to fill with love and then allows my love to go out into the world. This takes my heavy heart, shifts it, and increases my own vibration. My energy,then, will support others and allow theirs to grow in kind.
A Short Description of Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation
1. Get centered and begin a slow and deep breathing practice letting go of any concerns
2. Loving-kindness is first practiced toward oneself. Sitting quietly, mentally repeat, slowly and steadily, the following or similar phrases allowing yourself to sink into their intention and allowing it to grow as you repeat the phrase. When thoughts come through your mind, acknowledge them and tell them you will tend to them later if it is in your best interest. This week, I chose this one for this week:
May I be safe
May I be strong
May I live with ease
May I love myself
May I love others
3. Once ready repeat this with some one person in mind and again sink into your desire and intention:
May You be safe
May You be strong
May You live with ease
May You love yourself
May You love others
4. If able, you can then repeat this by including others. (If not, it’s okay to sit with the first or second mantras)
May All be safe
May All be strong
May All live with ease
May I love myself
May I love others
May All love All
Indeed, it has been a sad and tragic week. Sadness can transition into anger you we allow it. Your heavy hearts can become part of you if you allow it. It is a choice. Or, you can use ways to bring peace to you and then peace to others.
In the wake of the explosive week that has been ours in the United States, what ways have you taken care of your heavy heart? How have you been able to stay grounded, bring peace to you and love to those around you? If I can help in anyway, please let me know.
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Your mantras are very powerful. What a great idea to do a post like this, this week – it can be very hard for people to process what’s happened.
Comment by Isobel — April 21, 2013 @ 9:32 am
Thank you, Isobel. I couldn’t not post this ~ I was guided too. Blessings.
Comment by Laura Clark — April 21, 2013 @ 9:52 am
I turn the TV off and do something I enjoy.
And often times it’s going outside and letting the wind blow in my face. I never thought of this as being grounded as you mentioned, but that’s what I’ve been doing when I need to deal with hard news. It helps to clear the “air” and feel stronger to deal with the situation .
Comment by Denys Kelley — April 21, 2013 @ 9:33 am
Air is the element associated with our thoughts. And, certainly the TV and news can bring chaos to our thoughts. I love that you stay strong like this so naturally!
Comment by Laura Clark — April 21, 2013 @ 9:51 am
Thank you so much for this Laura.
Although I was across the pond, all of you were in my thoughts this week, and even our own London Marathon yesterday paid tribute to Boston.
I love this meditation that you shared – it is a great practice that I will try to incorporate.
Comment by Sarada — April 22, 2013 @ 8:19 am
Many, many, many years ago, I used to do this loving kindness meditation as part of my regular meditation practice. The last few weeks, it’s slipped back into my meditations without invitation. I just found myself saying it to myself. It surprised me. I hadn’t thought of it in years. Nor had I consciously conjured it up. It just… rose up from someplace deep inside of me.
May you be free of suffering.
May you be peaceful.
May you be happy.
Comment by Nancy Tierney — April 22, 2013 @ 1:18 pm
That’s what is so awesome about daily acts of spiritual living. When we have them in our ‘tool box’, they are automatically there when you need them for yourself and others. May you be peaceful and ma you be happy, Ms. Nancy.
Comment by Laura Clark — April 22, 2013 @ 9:41 pm
Thank you for the great reminder, Laura. I have also done meditations like this in the past, but for some reason I’ve stopped. It is amazing the difference that something so simple can have on your energy. Thanks again!
Comment by Emily — April 22, 2013 @ 10:09 pm
You’re Welcome. Hope< Emily, if they've helped in the past that you might be able to try them to quickly again to boost your energy when you need it. 🙂
Comment by Laura Clark — April 23, 2013 @ 6:01 am
Thanks Laura – just reading this helped me find some peace. That mantra is extremely powerful. It gets our focus off of just ourselves and shifts us to release love to others. This is the best thing we can do when we’re feeling heavy hearted.
When there’s not a tragedy situation, but I’m just feeling down, I have some music I like to listen to and just sit quietly focusing on it with my eyes closed to calm down and refresh.
Comment by Alyssa — April 27, 2013 @ 8:10 am
Music! It resonates with the soul 🙂
Comment by Laura Clark — April 27, 2013 @ 8:28 am
Thanks Laura… This is just what I needed right now!
Comment by Kelly — December 3, 2013 @ 5:13 pm
So glad to support, Kelly.
Comment by Laura Clark — December 4, 2013 @ 9:47 am