inspiration
Be the Friend He
Needs Cultivating a Life of Compassion A Kinder Heart T
he path to mentally transcending the world’s intrusive bustle is to be compassionate with our self and
others. It begins in a relaxed heart from which emanate daily thoughts, words and deeds. Here’s a helpful centering exercise. Sit or lie in a quiet spot for about
10 minutes with eyes closed and become aware of breaths moving in and out, then feel each one fully by fi lling the lungs from bottom to top. With each exhale, slowly and completely empty the lungs. On each inhale, refi ll the lungs again. Mentally reciting “optimum oxygen” three times helps the body deeply absorb the nourishing element. T en bring both hands to the center
of the chest to connect with the emo- tional heart centered there. Feel it pulsing beneath palms and fi ngers while quietly saying aloud, “I relax my heart.” Let the shoulders release coiled tension and drop gently. Repeat saying, “I relax my heart” and sense the heart fl uttering open a bit more. Rest in this feeling. Again say, “I relax my heart” and
notice awareness drop into it, a feeling of being present in the heart. Feel all tension and holding-on melting down and out onto the fl oor.
by Amy Leigh Mercree T en fi ll the lungs deeply and release
the air through puckered lips; blow out with strength and purpose. Continue for a minute or two, allowing each exhalation to come straight from the center of the chest. When it feels complete, the feeling of active release will subside. Sense how much lighter the heart feels.
Further relax the heart and shoulders, letting go into the ocean of love native to our heart. Envision fl oating safety in this ocean. See it stretched into infi nity. Feel its warm embrace. Now choose kindness in this moment.
Relax into kindness without judgment or pressure, only loving acceptance. Accept the infi nite ocean of love available and open to it. It is fi lled with compassion, and now so are you. Rest gently for a few minutes, until
once again aware of everyday surround- ings. Rub hands over both arms, legs, hands and feet to feel present in the room. T en go about a heart-centered day with the waves of the infi nite ocean of love gently lapping there.
Amy Leigh Mercree, of Naples, FL, author of T e Compassion Revolution, is a medical intuitive and relationship and wellness coach. Learn more at
AmyLeighMercree.com.
Adopt -A-
Manatee®
savethemanatee.org Photo © Patrick M. Rose
August 2018 9
Andrea Danti/
Shutterstock.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
