Cultivating Love

Today's focus is on balancing the fourth chakra--the heart chakra.  I got home from work feeling energetically wiped out and I wasn't sure I was going to make it through my exercises this evening.  But I got myself together, told myself that I'm not tired but that I was excited about my balancing work for this evening. And then like magic my yoga practice on www.yogatoday.com gave me a little boost of energy! (I believe, because I was open to the possibility that this would happen!)

The heart chakra is associated with inner peace, love, and contentment and the element of air.  I went into this exercise feeling as though my heart chakra was probably already pretty balanced--if not teetering on the edge of excessiveness in this area based on how super loving I have been feeling the past couple of days. In fact, the love cloud I painted I above might be evidence of that excessiveness.  The danger in being a little too floaty and overly abundant in this area is that one can focus too much on seeking the approval of others in order to feel loved.  I can see this happening with me a little bit.  Admittedly, I have been getting pretty excited when I get positive responses from others--whether it be from my super loving friends or from people liking my blog and my other online community postings or from someone I'm on a date with.  Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with being liked and loved--but I should not feel the need to look outside myself too much for that loving feeling.  I should be able to generate that from within--then it's more likely to be consistent, unconditional, and dependable.

There's also the danger in having poor boundaries, which I am definitely no stranger too and so I have to be careful with that.  Bubbling over with love too much sometimes causes me to be effusively affectionate and very touchy-feely with people--which is not appropriate for everyone I have relationships with.  So, I suppose that is where my work in this area lies--to rein in my enthusiasm for love a little bit and develop a self-awareness around how I am experiencing love, where I am looking for it, and how I am expressing it.

Four years ago, my heart chakra was here:

OOF!  I remember how lonely and isolated I was then.  I isolated myself because I felt shame and self-loathing as the result of the toxic relationship I was in at the time.  My heart was closed off as much as I was physically from the world.  The way I feel now and the way I engage with the rest of the world has totally transformed!  I'm so grateful to have an open heart again!

YOUR TURN!

Imagine the quality of air surrounding you.  Is the air still and stagnant or do you experience raging storms?  Can the air move freely or is it stifled?

When your heart chakra is balanced you are:
*  Compassionate
*  Empathic
*  Accepting
*  Loving towards yourself
*  At peace
*  Content
*  Authentic

ACTIONS:  Release anger, guilt, worry, fear, guilt, resentment and sadness
                     Embrace joy and de-clutter your home (and your heart)
                     Be grateful, forgive, and be giving.
                     Do what makes your heart sing with people you love.
                     See the good in difficult people.

MANTRAS:  I have a right to love and be loved.
                       I choose the peace that surpasses all understanding.
                       I am love. I am peace. I am light.

SONG:  Crazy Love by Brian McKnight.

ooooo....just got chills :)
NAMASTE,
Brooke