From head to heart

You can use this exercise any time you are experiencing a stressful feeling in your body or an overly busy mind. It will help you to feel better almost immediately – usually in less than a minute. In addition, you may get insights into actions you can take to make things more the way you want them…

1.      Become aware that you are experiencing a stressful feeling in your body or that your mind is racing.

2.      Put your hand on your heart and focus your energy into this area. Take at least three slow and gentle breaths into your heart, maintaining your focus on the feeling of your hand in the centre of your chest.

3.      Now, recall a time when you felt really, really good – a time you felt love, joy or real happiness! Return to that memory as if you are back there again right now. See what you saw, hear what you heard, and feel how good you felt.

4.      As you feel this good feeling in your body, imagine your heart could speak to you. Ask your heart how you could take better care of yourself in this moment and in this situation.

5.      Listen to what your heart says in answer to your question and act on it as soon as you can.

The more you practice this exercise, the easier it becomes to interrupt the stress response,, even in the midst of the chaos of daily life. It will help you to reconnect with a feeling of relaxed alartness and emotional equilibrium by getting you out of your head and in touch with your own common sense and deeper wisdom.