I have learned so much about myself in these last 3 months, mostly in how to soothe and heal my heart. I have found tears coming to my eyes more easily these days as I witness so much change and healing within me and around me. As I sit in wonder about why I well up so easily, the answer comes: “The walls around your heart are melting and you are allowing yourself to go through the feelings of it, you are choosing to look at them instead of putting them aside to deal with later”. Wow! I didn’t even realize I had been doing this. Old and new wounds that I just “didn’t have the time to deal with” before now, allowing them to flow through.
Can you relate to this? Being so busy or ready to serve the world as best as you can that all the sudden you have forgotten about your own heart? I truly feel that the tides are shifting as we enter into a more “heart-centered world”. We cannot get away with putting our feelings and experiences on the back burner anymore. It is time to be brave and open our eyes to the wonders that is our heart.
As the tides shift we are being asked to do some inner work. We are being asked to step up, face ourselves and each other and do it with compassion.
In Ayurveda (an ancient East Indian form of medicine and healing) the heart chakra is seen as an intersection between inner and outer worlds, and as a bridge to higher consciousness. The heart is associated with compassionate love, relational connections, and with caring for others. It is the center for which emotions are felt and gathered.
Heart disease is the number one disease in the Western World. Doctors and researchers will tell you that it is mostly being caused by poor diet, high in processed foods and sugar as well as a high stressed life style. I agree with these findings; however I believe that 90% of the problem lies within a society that has lacked the ability to express themselves in a way that is compassionate and healing. This lack of expression and release creates an inability to digest emotions properly. When emotions and feelings are not being digested, they can become logged in the body and literally create a build up of tension, anxiety and fear around the heart. When this type of tension builds up, the breath becomes compromised and Prana (Life force energy) is not able to flow freely enough to create proper circulation. We want good circulation on all levels to live a long and happy life and therefore heart healing is imperative and important for overall health and wellbeing.
So what do we do about this? How can we relax enough to invite time in for ourselves to go through the process of heart healing?
Below are some of my favorite tips and some of my personal go-to’s that have been extremely helpful during these changing and emotionally challenging times.
1. Hot water
That’s right! Warm-hot water is a perfect way to ease the physical tension created by emotional stress and soothe/open a tight chest. Add a few Cardamom seeds to your hot water for extra support.
2. Roses
Roses have an affinity for heart opening: one of my favorite products I own is a rose roll on oil. You can put it directly onto your heart center. Allow yourself to smell it all day and massage it into your heart.
3. Left Nostril Breathing
The left nostril brings in calm and grounding. It will often loosen your body and provide healing through self soothing.
A meditation is provided here for you to try!
Posture: Sit with a straight spine. You may be in Easy Pose or on a chair, wherever you can keep your spine straight and be comfortable. You can even do this laying down.
Mudra (hand position) and Breath: Using the thumb of the right hand, close off the right nostril, inhale deeply through the left nostril and exhale deeply through the left nostril.
Your left arm rests with the thumb and index finger touching (Gyan mudra) on your knee or where ever your arm feels most comfortable.
The breath must be complete and full on both the inhalation and exhalation.
Time: Continue for 1-3 minutes or until you feel calm and cool.
To End: Inhale deeply through both nostrils, hold the breath a few seconds, lower the hand, and exhale. You can choose to relax on the back or go about your day a little slower, calmer and kinder.
4. Forgiveness
This is one that we are continually working on. I have been loving the forgiveness meditation that my teaching partner Onkar and I will be offering as a 40 Day practice starting July 11th. I have found it so healing during these times and wonderfully soothing to my heart. We would love to offer you a chance to come try it with us during our free class offering on July 4th! To register for that simply go to www.40dayrituals.com.
Love & blessings,
Hari xx
Hari Simran Khalsa was born into a family of Kundalini Yogis and has been a student of Yogi Bhajan’s since her early childhood. She has been teaching and practicing Kundalini Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine for over 10 years. Hari’s work incorporates the principles of these powerful, ancient sciences to heal modern health and life issues. Using Ayurvedic medicine and Kundalini Yoga as tools to support self-healing and happiness, Hari believes all people no matter what stage of life they are in can feel their very best both inside and out.
She is currently an Ayurvedic health practitioner, healer and Kundalini yoga teacher living and practicing in Los Angeles, CA. You can contact Hari at
harisimranayurveda.com and @hari_simran_ayurveda.
You can also find Hari Simran at 40 Day Rituals.
