Practicing Openheartedness

I was starting to feel a little achy at the end of the day yesterday, accompanied by the familiar dread that the pain would be coming and hanging out for days. I made myself go to my dance class (and I ended up being pain-free as the night went on). I've been bellydancing for a few years now and I'm currently taking a class that's about dancing through the chakras (energy centers in the body). Last night's class was on the heart chakra--the energy center associated with love of self and others--and we were working on some movements to open that chakra up. The teacher is really inspiring and leads us through affirmations every week as well as meditation at the end of the class. Last night's meditation was about being more open hearted--even though it involves opening up to the possibility of emotional pain.

I've always believed that I feel things really deeply and connect with people easily and sometimes this openness overwhelms me because there's something scary for me about opening up fully and trusting people. I consciously started putting up walls right around the time that I began to develop pain and I think that there was a definite connection.

As I've been working on TMS I've been finding myself backing away from certain people in my life that haven't exactly made it easy to be open and positive...but I'm finding myself getting more deeply connected with other friends who are on a similar path to mine.

I'm looking forward to being more open, less guarded, and free of physical pain

 

I've tried a few meditation styles over the years and the one I struggle most with is loving kindness, which sounds a lot like what your dance teacher was doing. I find it really, really hard to open up and just accept people like that.

It's great to hear that you've embraced it, I'm jealous!

 

It was kind of similar to lovingkindness meditation...which always starts with ourselves and then extends outwards. I think it's harder to feel compassion for myself than it is to feel compassion for others.