Remembering Love (Ways of Practicing)


I had a dream the other night about an old boyfriend. In the dream we were the same age we are now, but we were together. Even in my dream state I knew subconsciously that something was wrong with this picture, that in reality we each had different partners, but what really stuck out for me was the love that I felt between us.

Ours was a summer love and in that way it was almost completely unencumbered. We were free to sit out under the stars, take long walks, and spend hours talking over burgers and fries at our favorite diner.

He was an awesome boyfriend - kind, generous, affectionate, attentive, patient and understanding - which really came across in the dream. I remembered what it felt like to be loved in this way and it sparked something inside of me.

I walked around all day the next day feeling loved. No matter what anyone did or didn't do, said or didn't say, I felt loved. It made me want to recapture that feeling and to share it with others so I asked The Universe for a meditation that would help me to remember love.

 ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

REMEMBERING LOVE MEDITATION

  • Find a comfortable position either sitting up straight in a chair or on the ground with your legs crossed or lying down with your knees up. 
  • Close your eyes and take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Breathe until you feel yourself start to relax and sink into the ground.
  • Connect yourself to the Earth and to Source (as you imagine it) by sending a cord of energy down from your root chakra (at the base of your spine) into the center of the Earth and another cord of energy from your crown chakra (at the top of your head) up to Source. Feel your connection to both Earth and Spirit and breathe into this connection for a few breaths. 
  •  Now focus your attention on your heart chakra. Breathe into this space for a few breaths. Really feel into your heart. What does it feel like? Is it joyful or sad? Does it feel full or empty? Is it easy to access or quite difficult? Whatever your experience, just continue to breathe into this space. 
  • When you feel centered in your heart space, bring to mind a time you truly felt loved. Don't go searching for a time, rather let the memory come to you. It may be a recent memory, or something from the past, it may even be a past-life memory. Try not to connect to the person, or to the past event, but to the feeling of love. Even if you don't remember the specific incident that is okay - it may be something that you have forgotten or something from a past-life - as long as the feeling of being loved is there. Allow this feeling to expand within your heart space. Breathe into it and observe as it fills your entire heart. 
  • Once you feel your entire heart is filled with love, start to expand the love outward, filling your whole body. Start wherever you would like, but fill every part of your body with love. Fill your shoulders, neck, head and arms. Fill your abdomen, back, pelvis and buttocks. Fill your legs, knees, ankles and feet. Allow love to permeate your entire being. 
  • Continue to breathe for a few more rounds as you grow comfortable with this feeling. When you are ready, open your eyes and stand up. 

~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

I hope you will find - as I did - that remembering a time you felt loved helps you to feel more loved right now and enables you to expand and emanate that love to all those around you.

[To my long-ago summer love: Thanks for the memories! :)]

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Wisdom from Raul Julia

Quote of the Week - May 21, 2012 - What happens for one...

28 Days of Kindness: Day 25