8 asana of the heart – when your heart is the size of the HORIZON

Use your imagination a bit and think that you are totally free from this world. Visualize yourself at the top of a mountain and taste the freedom…

But it is not any freedom. It comes with you allowing your love to flow in a limitless way.

Freedom can come because you fight or you just leave a situation behind. However, when it comes from love, it becomes something else.

Back to your imagination, just look ahead while you are at the top of the mountain. Look ahead and see the infinity of the HORIZON and let your love become just like that: unlimited and broad, great and powerful.

Your love can give you wings so that you can fly towards that horizon and just be part of it.

When you allow your heart to grow more and more, until it reaches the unlimited, you are enabling yourself to experience a very deep freedom.

The freedom of the past.

The freedom of attachments.

The freedom of your own personality.

The freedom of any limitations.

Now more than ever, the world needs that type of love; just practice this powerful asana of the heart and changes it into the horizon…

 

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 – a LEVER?

 

Love can be creative, so think of your heart as a LEVER…

Hard? Maybe, but the idea is that love can change the world…[1]

Just check your life and think of an area of your existence that is in crisis, a big crisis – maybe confusion, perhaps anger. Now, focus on your own love, the love that is in your heart… let that love flows through you and through that wound.

After one or two days doing that, just check because I am sure things would have changed, at least partially.

Why? Love activates the best of you and it is obvious that part of the best of you keeps the solution for your problem. When you feel love in a conscious way, you are also opening the door of many other beautiful things that you keep there in the cupboard of the self.

Love is the lever that opens a treasure within, but most of the time we don’t use love in that way. So, try again: think of your heart as a LEVER.

Another image you can use is your heart as a lift that elevates you, because by connecting with all that reservoir of love, you are also increasing dramatically your own self-esteem.

Problems look so small from up above…

Let your love make you open difficult doors or elevate yourself. Problems will still be problems, but you will have the key in your hand.

 

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

I recommend you to watch 8 postures of the heart.

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[1] Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it and I shall move the world. Archimedes (c.287 – c.212 BC)

8 asana of the heart – my heart takes the form of a REFUGE

If love would flow like a river, eventually it would create a lake of love. You may use your imagination and visualize your heart taking the shape of a big area filled with that healing force, like a lake…

That lake is a refuge and when you feel pain, when life seems to be mean and cruel or when things are really going wrong, it will relief you of your emotional burden.

As a refuge, others may come at your door and by feeling that powerful love of yours, they will experience relief of their own pain and suffering.

Don’t forget to do maintenance of that lake, so the water of your love doesn’t get stagnated… and the best way is to experience it every day, to let others come and get some of your love or to let others feel your loving presence through your smile, some words or your extended hand.

 

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 – my love flows and turns into a river of FORGIVENESS

People do things that hurt us, sometimes very deeply.

And when we are honest, we realize we also hurt others…

FORGIVENESS is that beautiful and so necessary human feature that enables a person to heal and to open windows and doors for those who hurt them. But how does that work?

First of all, let’s not confuse forgiving with forgetting. Although the fusion of both may be the ideal, it is not always possible as forgetting may cause some damage in the long term (someone may try to hurt you again). Remembering with forgiveness is probably the best because your relationship won’t get tainted by what others have done in the past.

To really forgive someone, the first step is to connect the self to the deep love we all have within. Any love does not work; it has to be an unconditional love.

Many years ago, one of the founders of an ashram, a spiritual place, in Scotland shared how they worked so hard to create it, particularly her and the husband. But one day he left her for another woman who has come to this place. The spiritual founder reached the conclusion she had only one path due to her background: unconditional love. Eventually the miracle of that love brought her former husband back… along with the person he was now married. Still, she got a friend back and both worked together again until his demise.

That is forgiveness, to let love flow like a river that disintegrates all the bad things due to its speed and strength. To value the intentions and the quality of that person, come on, let your heart take the shape of a powerful river…

 

Whom are you going to forgive today?

Whose love are you going to experience today and feel you are forgiven?

 

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 - when love means COMPASSION

With a friend of mine, we got into a very friendly argument in relation to the difference between mercy and COMPASSION.

The word compassion is very specific as it comes from Latin and it could be translated as concern for others' suffering. That means whenever others are suffering (passion), a compassionate person will feel for them and will embrace them.

The best example I have heard and I am sure you too have heard is Mother Theresa of Calcutta, the one whose life was of pure compassion. Even though she was not an expert of the field of compassion she has chosen, which was related to health, her mission in life was to shelter all those nobody wanted to help. In fact, she literally embraced people with leprosy and other kinds of ailments, without taking into account her own health.

OK, maybe you don’t want to get into that extreme, but think of compassion as the love that washes others' suffering. Maybe the reason for that suffering is still going on, but the person will feel that healing love within their mind.

An image I use for compassion is a waterfall. By being brought up in Brazil, I used to go to many waterfalls in different parts of the country and the sensation was not only good, but it was as if I was been cleansed.

Now, imagine a waterfall of love, falling upon you and others. A waterfall of love that heals and comforts the soul, helping others to feel hope again and to expect a positive outcome even when all looks bleak or terrible.

The argument I had with my friend was not really finalized, but I think there is a point in common: with our love we can heal.

So, just change the shape of your heart, let your love flow in such a way that others feel relief from their inner pain. It can be done by sending them vibrations or by listening to them and make them feel they are important.

Or it can be just by you remembering their birthday and telling them that no matter what they are, you love them...

 

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 - being MERCIFUL

People create problems, right? That is normal and it is accepted, at least until a certain point. It is part of the game of relationships and a healthy relationship is capable of embracing that reality, forgiving and moving on.

But some problems cause deep wounds in the soul. Other people you know have hurt others; some have hurt you. And, yes, sometimes you have hurt others. What is the medicine for such a hurt?

To respond with the word love would look cheap for me a few years ago; that was when I decided to explore the subject of love and I was able to dismiss the type that offers an easy and simplistic answer. It is simply not realistic as love cannot heal anybody by itself, just like a hug can't heal a child who fell; it is just an emotional response, it just provides some psychological support and, of course, it is worthwhile. But it does not heal.

However, love can be expressed in various ways and there is a form that heals. MERCY.

Mercy is a type of love that comes from a particular relationship or even profession, so it does not fluctuate easily and it is much focused. How is mercy used to heal a relationship? The person will use their specialty to help the other one.

A mother will help her child by giving advice or by unburden him or her of some chores.

A doctor will treat their patient by giving medicine, but mostly by giving the best of their expertise.

A salesman will give a chance for another person to accomplish their dream.

A spiritual person maybe won't give something physical, but their words and their vibrations are very merciful.

 

How are you going to express mercy towards other people today?

 

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 - 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.