Heart awareness visualization meditation is one of the best practices you can do to get really present with the intelligence and awareness of your heart. Studies show that the heart’s intelligence is way more attuned to the truth of your inner and outer life than is the intelligence of the mind. The thoughts in our minds are constantly changing, whereas the heart’s knowing is more rooted in a deeper kind of intelligence – a more intuitive one. With a clean and open heart we can love everything and everyone around us more deeply. We can also receive love in a more natural and profound way – one with less fear and anxiety.

Go to your sacred spot for meditation and sit comfortably. Soften your eyes and allow your mind to relax. Make sure your spine is long, your neck is long and your shoulders are relaxed downward.

Close your eyes and begin to place your attention on your breath. With each breath, allow any tension that your body is holding on to be released. Scan your entire body and notice where there’s tension. Breathe into that space and just let those places of tension dissolve with each inhale and exhale.

Consciously let go and allow yourself to feel deeply relaxed. Now place your attention on the Anahata (heart chakra), or heart center. How does this space feel? Is there tension, gripping, contraction or holding of any kind? If so, let the breath move through your heart center, beckoning it to feel safe, secure and deeply relaxed.

Now imagine that with each nurturing and nourishing breath, you’re wiping away any dirt or dust that’s covering your heart. Imagine that your breath is actually inhaling into the heart and exhaling out of the heart. Be here, with this breath for several moments.

Can you feel your heart softening and opening a bit? If not, take more time to deeply breathe in and out of the heart center. If you’d like, ask your heart a question or two and see what comes up. Notice how different the answer or answers are, as opposed to when you’re answering with your head. Continue to breathe and sit with this new awareness.

When you’re ready, open your eyes and bring your hands into prayer position over  your heart center. Bow to your heart and tell it you’ll be with it again soon. Thank it for its loving wisdom and guidance.

Written by Aimee Hughes and published on www.yogapedia.com