In my wanderings around the web last week, I found that people seemed really sad. Some had recently lost loved ones. Other bloggers were bogged down under the day to day rejection of their dreams. Still others seemed just to have the mid-winter blahs. A lot of people are in transition, stressed out, anxious, frustrated and dealing with angry, frustrate, stressed out people.
And on Monday we say another "howdy" to Mercury in Retrograde.
(Let's all say a collective, "crap".)
I found this in Yoga Journal and thought it might help.
Graphic by Zoran O?etski
"For Los Angeles cardiologist Alejandro Junger, love is a great healer. Along with performing EKGs and prescribing exercise and diet plans, Junger teaches a simple visualization technique to his patients that focuses on love, which he believes can help mend a weak heart - and more.
"Start by closing your eyes. Take some deep breaths and picture in great detail someone you love - seeing them smile, hearing them laugh. Then imagine telling the object of your affection how mush you love them.
"'After about a minute of the visualization, patients tell me they experience feelings of love, peace and joy,' says Junger. 'This reminds them that these feelings already exist within themselves and can be triggered by their own minds.'
"Junger believes that depression, anxiety, and even heart disease can arive from having a 'closed' heart, or not fully experiencing your emotions. When you bring love into your consciousness, you release that emotional constriction and open your heart center, resulting in improved mood and an overall sense of well-being. The body responds to the sensation of love by secreting endorphins, which counteract stress and lower blood pressure. Junger adds that people report feelings of warmth and ease filling their chests while they do the exercise. 'It's a tool you can use outside the office for a more holistic approach to health,' he says.
"Junger sees the importance of this technique on a broader scale. 'Our society is in crisis. Is there any doubt that one of the major epidemics today is that people's hearts are closed?' he asks. 'Anything that helps to open people's hearts will help no only their blood pressure, but all of the life on earth.'" (Sharon Brock, February 2008, Yoga Journal)
I hope this little meditation helps brighten your corner of the world.