making my heart smile
Image by Michelé Eyenga
On Thursday, I challenge myself to bring my breath to the center of my chest, granting myself to recall the emotional wounds shaping me into the woman I am actively becoming. In a courageous attempt to invite the feelings in real-time, I’ve developed a mature level of compassion for my past experiences and gratitude for overcoming them from a place of acceptance; I entertain the idea of forgiveness being all-encompassing and it has resulted in me being able to extend compassion and gratitude for others involved in my grief, to accept the apologies never received.
"The longing for love and the movement of love is underneath all of our activities.
- Jack Kornfield, A Path with Heart
Naturally, I am a huge lover and, as a huge lover, healing is my art form. Once I have chosen to love someone, whether it be platonic, familial or romantic, I am incredibly grand with my gestures. Love is what drove me to create the work that I do. It’s what allows me to find light in the darkness to create beautiful messages for my audience to consume. And, during this everlasting pursuit of cultivating love as my core value, my heart expands to those I’ve loved who did not have the courage to give it in return.
One of the biggest lessons I learned when it comes to the pursuit of love is finding the willingness to explore my unique relationship with a higher consciousness. That divine acknowledgement has been intertwined with specific deities like Oyá and Erzulie (or Black Madonna in Christianity) as well as my beloved childhood relationship with The Holy Trinity I declare to be My God. Reading scripture every morning from the Book of Psalms and praying with color coordinated candles for specific days of the week is how I began to find the loving-kindness of the spirit that dwells within my own heart. And, recently, I realized that, in order for me to witness answered prayers, I had to become present with what those prayers actually were. The unwillingness to address the longing of our heart’s center is how we lose sight of the glories of a higher consciousness actively working on our behalf. Through intentional prayer, active spiritual practice and trust amidst uncertainty, we begin to witness the loving-kindness of an omnipresent being leading us down an open path towards divine promise. Finding the willingness to love hard and with intention grants us the strength to take risks; knowing that, no matter the outcome, love will always find us in the mirror.
Here are some things I like to do for heart chakra healing:
Make a yoni steam with herbs like Rose, Calendula and Life Everlasting*
“Box Breath” meditation (4-4-5)
Gratitude journaling
Chest Opening Yoga
Mist the heart’s mirror when emotionally overwhelmed
*Please consult a professional herbalist on any allergens