Being open hearted is living with a heart full to overflowing with loving kindness. It is a life of power from within, a life filled with purpose and service to humanity. It is a life that can be easily manifested by nurturing your heart with a meditation on loving kindness.
Go to a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and can sit comfortably in a chair with your feet touching the ground. Have a glass or bottle of water nearby. Begin by closing your eyes and breathing slowly and deeply, expanding your rib-cage and your belly for six breaths. Notice how this feels by focusing on the expansion and contraction of your ribs.
Relax and breath normally.
Now bring your focus up between and behind your eyebrows, this is your Ajna Chakra or Third Eye and will help you with visualizing the rest of the meditation. Keep your eyes closed and picture a ball of white light in the center of your body, imagine it growing and expanding filling your body and creating a glow to about two feet from your body all around. At the outer edge imagine that a light blue electric light starts to form, like a forcefield it is protecting you and your space from any distractions.
Bring your hands together in prayer position in front of your heart. Focus on your breath for a few moments. On each exhale imagine yourself letting go of and exhaling all the tension and negative thoughts that you feel towards yourself and others. Let go of your fear. Let go of your anger. Let go of your greed. Let go of your jealousy. Let go of your aversion.
On each inhale imagine bringing into yourself and filling yourself with positive thoughts and feelings. Fill your mind with love. Fill your mind with kindness. Fill your mind with peace. Fill your mind with patience. Fill your mind with gentleness. Allow yourself to really feel these feelings of loving kindness.
Now, bring your awareness and attention to the center of your chest as if you are taking all of these positive feelings and emotions into your heart. Say the following affirmation/prayer aloud to yourself:
May I be at peace.
May my heart remain open.
May I be free.
May I be safe from inner and outer harm.
May I be filled with compassion, sympathy and joy.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
Replace the “I” with the name of a loved one and say the prayer again. Now replace the “I” with the name of someone who has angered you and say the prayer again. Now replace the “I” with we and say the prayer again. Allow yourself to really feel these feelings of loving kindness.
Bring your awareness back to your head and your third eye. Know loving kindess here as well. When you are ready, open your eyes and drink your glass of water. Know that the water came from the earth and is nourishing your Energy Body which just had a good workout.
Beth Hansen-Buth has practiced meditation and subtle energy work for the past twelve years. In 2004 she received her Pranic Healing certificate, and in 2008 became a Reiki Master Teacher. Beth's weblog, Reiki Artist Blog - adventures of a practitioner, is one of the top Reiki and metaphysical blogs on the internet. As an artist she was featured in FATE Magazine as the Painter to the Fairy Court, and her visionary artwork is in collections all over the world. In addition to teaching Reiki and providing clients with a healing environment, Beth has designed a complete line of Metaphysical and Holistic healing clothing and gifts. Her official website is ReikiArtist.com.