8 asana of the heart - opening your heart with GENEROSITY

There are lots of people who get in touch with us and we don’t even notice. Particularly during this pandemic, we have been more aware of them and even though they are out of our social circle and yet, they are indispensable for us.

A friend of mine commented that was probably a blow to the ego of many to know even though they are managers and they have so much study, their clerks became more important than them for the society...

But this people require your help, a very subtle and easy help: To love them!

There also many other people who are not part of our personal radar in terms of relationship, and yet they are so important in their own way, and they also require the same help: To love them!

For all of those, there is something you can do. Let me explain with an example: I do believe humanity is like a mosaic of love and each one of us complements each other not only physically, but also subtly. As in the mosaic, if the red color piece is not there, the yellow piece won't be that beautiful. That is, your brightness, your energy, your power and the color of your company are just ways of expressing the infinite love you have in your heart.

And that's why you should change your heart, to that it gets bigger and bigger, as if you were doing an asana with it! All those people who are not that close to you need is your GENEROSITY, which is a wonderful way to show your love. I am not talking here in terms of money or resources, but in terms of your energy, presence, your smile and many other ways to express love.

So, focus on those people and feel love for them... Maybe talk with them about it or send them a message. A smile often works and if nothing of that is possible just send them your vibrations of love by using your thoughts and attitude. I am sure they will feel it.

 

This post is part of a series called 8 asana of the heart.

I recommend you to watch 8 postures of the heart.

8 asana of the heart – I care…

 

CARE is the first asana, in which you move your heart, your love, extending it to everyone who is part of your social circle - relatives, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.

The best way to do that is to visualize, in which you can see yourself embracing your people with hugs of light.

However, to care about someone means that person is really important, so it is necessary to realize and to change my own perspective. It is necessary to reflect on how significant that human being really is.

In that sense, the pandemic was a blessing in disguise as I am sure you, just like myself, start to realize the real importance other people have in our lives, something maybe we would never really think about; it is not we didn't care before, but maybe we didn't care enough.

Besides the visualization, everyday, do this:

• Think of those who are in relationship with you.
• Send them love, by visualizing you in a form of light, going and hugging them.
• Ask and reflect:
• What have you learnt or achieved by inserting that person into your life or by becoming part of their life?
• How much is this person important for you?

By doing this, you will feel your relationship with others improving and because it is your love you are sending to others, your own life will improve too.

 

This post is part of a series called 8 asana of the heart.

The 8 asana of the heart – To love…

 

During the month of June, the day of yoga was celebrated and one of the elements of any yoga practice is the asana, a posture or position that you make your body adopt. It is normally something very physical and difficult - I myself had the chance of seeing someone turning his head in such a way that it look as it was 180 degrees!

But an asana can also be mental or spiritual: the conscious exercise of making your mind leaving aside bad thoughts or concentrating on a positive objective.

So, on the basis of that, a beautiful inspiring video was produced on the 8 postures of the heart, blending art and wisdom. On the basis of that I thought well if we think of a heart... it is a muscle, right? Kind of... And because of that you could do some asana with it.

Of course, that is not possible (I think), but what about what it symbolizes, love. That line of thinking made me come to the idea of 8 asana that you can do with your heart.

And here you have a series on that, 8 ways to express your love that are not always easy, but they are always transformational.

These are the asana:

1. To care.
2. Generosity.
3. Mercy.
4. Compassion.
5. Forgiveness.
6. Refuge.
7. Lever.
8. Horizon.

In each post, I will express my points of view and I will invite you for an exercise.

For the moment, just experience your love… deeply… It is good, it is important particularly at moments of crisis.

Spiritual solutions for non-spiritual problems

Many years ago I was involved with a project for purchasing a house. The organization is such that all the work is done by volunteers and no charges! How to get the money to buy a house then?

The answer: lots of inspiration, commitment and a deep sense of belonging. We finally got the house, it was magical and it is full of stories, one of those is related to the fact that as soon as we finalized the deal, we started to remodel it as the house was in such a bad shape. I think the cost was the same as purchasing it.

I am not sure how we were able to move forward, but there was one moment the person in charge of finances told me there was no money at all and we should pause the construction. The architect insisted with me they could delay the construction for only a few days.

One day… two days… and nothing! But meanwhile, I was working on a different level, more spiritual and more towards within than outside. It was in a way a wonderful time to practice meditation and reflection, and even though there was stress, I was feeling magic in the air…

That second day, I had a touching of calling someone; he used to come and I wanted to invite him to know the new house, and he came – that was magic in itself, since he has been disconnected for a long time. My intention was clear: he was a businessman so he probably knew other businessmen and he could talk to them, and maybe we could get cheaper material (our main problem in terms of budget). But after my pitching, he just looked at me and said: Just give me your bank account.

Now, I have seen many people trying to solve physical problems – a divorce, an illness, money difficulties – by meditating or doing some spiritual/religious practice. And I am one of those people who believe this works very well, but not always and not by itself.

Spirituality and pragmatism are more effective if they are balanced… A wise yoga teacher once told me: just do your maximum and God will help with the rest.

Try it: take a problem or an issue and while doing all you can, meditate, contemplate or do whatever is needed for your own empowerment or calmness. I am sure you will find a solution. 

Courage = Faith + Determination

At these times of pandemic, we have seen heroes who are changing our world and helping us, if not selflessly, undoubtedly beyond their own capacity: doctors, nurses and people who are laboring in hospitals are risking their lives. It is courage.

Some would say it is their job; others would say they didn’t have a choice, but IT IS courage, and you know what, courage is the result of a very interesting formula:

Faith + Determination = Courage

In the example mentioned, faith comes from their profession and their call, the reason for what they are doing what they are doing; determination comes from a sense of purpose.

What about you and me? How much courage do we have?

Well, let’s go to the formula and check our faith – I am not meaning the religious faith although it could be it:

• Looking at the negative situation in front of me, how much do I feel confident I will overcome it?
• If I don’t feel I can conquer this situation, what can I do so that I feel OK even though this is happening?
• Looking into my past, which other situations I was able to go through well, that can teach me a useful lesson for the present circumstance?

In relation to determination, the best way is to:

• Understand what is going on, what are the best steps I can take now and my next steps.
• Experiment with thoughts and ideas, exploring new ways to put them into reality.
• Keep on checking the self and results, motivating the self to move forward no matter what.

By strengthening both faith and determination, naturally courage will come from within, enabling the person to shape their reality and hopefully, other people’s reality. A new hero is born…