To the Tender Hearts

We are stardust.  We are golden. 

Lying on my back
In the dark, soft candle-lit space
Sandwiched between two yoga blankets
Held in support by the others lying in the room with me
Guided by a heart-centered healer
I breathed

First into the belly
The second chakra
The place where emotions and relationships and lost, almost forgotten, memories are held

Then second into the heart
Center of love
Center of compassion
Center of light

And then lastly out my mouth
Released
Let go
Returned to the Earth and to Source
To be re-used, transformed, healed

Belly, heart, open mouth
Again and again
Over and over
Through the awkward stage of dry mouth in the beginning breaths
And through anxiety that's telling me it's impossible to breathe this fast
this deep
for this long

But as I relaxed my body
And surrendered to the moment
Surrendered to the breath
Surrendered to the feelings in my body wanting to bubble out
Surrendered to Mama Earth who was rising to meet and support my back
The movement of energy began to flow

First in waves of anger
Long time held
Distant
Ancient anger
Coming out in a yell that had been suppressed for years

Then sadness, sorrow, grief
Rising up from my legs, torso, chest
Emerging from my breath in sobs, wails, tears

And with surprise
Laughter!
Hysterical bouts of giggles, belly laughs, joyful chuckles
Released freely, loudly, openly
As if to remind me
"Healing ain't got to be soooo serious!"

Back to the breath
Belly, heart, mouth
Hearing the person next to me
Holding the rhythm, the beat
While I take a moment to express
Before returning back to the breath
Belly, heart, mouth
Belly, heart, mouth
Belly, heart, mouth

And as the energy moved through my body
Touching on places of pain and joy
Blocks and openness
I came to a resting place in my heart
My tender heart
My deep and passionate feeling heart
The heart I protect
The heart I give from
The heart that holds so much

And in this space of primal, raw, humanness
I realized how hard life can be when you have a tender heart
When you feel all the feels
(Or avoid feeling all the feels)
And how important it is for us
To honor and hold and express
In order to not harden our tender hearts
Or hide them away from this hard
Beautiful, messy, difficult life
We need self care, soul care
Self love, soul love
And permission and sacred space
To go deep
Or just be
Present with our tender hearts
In connected solitude
Community and tribe



My wish to you on this Valentines, tender-hearted ones
On this day of LOVE
Is for you to bathe your amazing heart
With the light from raw, primal, beautiful humanness
I love you to the moon and back
From my tender heart to yours
xo!

*If you are in the NYC/Brooklyn area, check out Breathwork Workshops at maharose.com and with Erin Telford at radiantheartacupuncture.com.  It is an incredible and amazing healing modality.  

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