Self-Acceptance (Just Do It!)

Our meditation circle met again last Monday evening to learn about the heart chakra.

This is the center of our being, poised above our three lower chakras and below our upper three.  In this center, we strive to balance the earthly and the spiritual, the inner masculine and feminine, love of self and love for others.

As I presented characteristics of a person with a deficient heart chakra -- cold, critical, narcissistic -- everyone nodded; we all know people who isolate themselves, avoiding the joy and intimacy of unconditional love.

But how can heart chakra energy be excessive?  How can we love too much?  Here we talked about love that's given with strings attached.  Sometimes it's a smothering feeling: "If you loved me, you'd eat this lovely meal I spent all day preparing and you'd skip your zumba class tonight and spent the whole evening with me!"  Someone whose heart chakra is running excessively is demanding, clinging and overly-sacraficing; they give to others in order to get their needs met.

Someone with a balanced fourth chakra is self-loving, compassionate, and empathetic.  Because they care for themselves, they are able to give generously.  Caring for ourselves isn't  selfish; it's a pre-requesite for service.  When our inner well is  full and replenished, we can offer others a drink. 

One addition to our energy system anatomy this week had to do with the colors of the chakras.  The rainbow light that's cast by a prism hanging in the sunlight? Those are the glowing, vibrant hues that radiate from our chakras.  The first is red, the second is orange, the third is yellow and so on.  We visualize these when we explore our inner territory in meditation.

In our meditation this week, we focused on our breathing.  Deep breathing is such a powerful healing practice -- we can't do it enough!  We practiced inhaling, letting the belly expand and drawing the breath up, up, up into our lungs (fourth chakra organ).  As  we do so, our rib cages gently flare outward.  Then, while the breath flows out on the exhalation, we allow our rib cage to pull back together  and bellies to contract, deeply expelling the breath.

Do this for ten minutes and transmute stress and agitation into clarity and balance.  Guaranteed.

After several of these deep cleansing breaths and getting settled on our cushions, we begin our meditation.  Progressive relaxation helps.  Knowledge of our inner workings helps.  Guided by Spirit, I lead the group  to an inner fountain of inexhaustible love and self-acceptance. Mantra:  I deeply and unconditionally love and accept myself.  This inner wellspring flows with vibrant, emerald green light.  It is Source energy, available to us always.

Please join us on Monday evening October 22 when we explore the fifth chakra, center of creativity, communication and self-expression.  We begin at 7 pm.  The fee is $10.  Bring a cushion or two.

Join us for another evening of Sacred Silence:  Finding your Inner Compass.