Tara Brach - Meditation: Listening to our Heart

Episode Date: January 25, 2024

Meditation: Listening to our Heart - True listening arouses an open receptive presence that can be truly healing. This meditation awakens a listening presence; first bringing that receptive awareness to sensations and sounds, and then offering that presence to the tenderness and vulnerability of our heart.

The following meditation is led by Tara Brock. To access more of my meditations or join my email list, please visit tarabrock.com. We begin breathing together. Let's take a nice, full, deep in-breath and a slow out-breath. And sense a letting go as you release the breath. And again, a nice, deep, full-in-breath and a slow out-breath. Letting go, letting go.

One more time, inhale deeply. Then a smooth, slow-out breath, releasing any tightness or tension that's possible. And then allowing the breath to come back into its natural rhythm, feeling the quality of presence that's here. And in this presence, bring the attention to sound. begin listening to the sounds around you, aware of the sounds that are close in, the space that you're in, aware of the sounds of these words coming and going, aware of the silence between the words, listening to the space you're in, and then to the more distant sounds, and sensing

that listening presence that's receptive. so you're listening not just with your ears but with your whole awareness and now bringing that listening presence to the body so that you're listening to and feeling the sensations in the body as you scan you might feel the area of the brow, the eyes, listening to and feeling the aliveness that's there. Not trying to change anything. Just taking in what's here. Feeling the lips, the gums, the teeth, receptive presence in the area of the mouth, listening to and feeling the life that's here. Letting that receptive presence spread through the face, feeling all the sensations in the face, the micro-muscles. Relaxed receptivity.

including the scalp and the skull. So you're feeling all the sensations through the head, face. Bringing that listening attention to the throat. Sensing with that receptivity, a kind of curiosity. What's it feel like right here? And then down through the shoulders, you might gently give yourself an instruction to relax the shoulders back and down a little. And then let that listening receptive presence, fill the shoulders, allowing life to be just as it is, and noticing, sense any movement of energy, sense places of tightness or tension, sense where they're softening, letting the hands rest in a very easy, effortless way, and bringing that listening presence inside the hands. So there's an intimate and receptive presence with the sensations,

feeling what's here, sensing an openness in the chest, and then bringing that listening, receptive presence to fill the whole chest cavity, the area of the heart, noticing what it's like. Receptive to the sensations, emotions. energy that's here. Scanning down to the belly, you might soften a little and fill the belly with awareness, listening to and feeling the sensations there. A gentle, receptive presence, bringing the attention to the pelvic region, sensing that you can fill that whole area with awareness, with that same receptive listening attention, receiving. feeling the aliveness that's here, filling the legs with awareness, receiving the sensations

that move through the legs, right down into the feet, listening to and feeling the life that's there. And then allowing yourself to simultaneously feel this whole energy body, this living dance of sensation, so that you're listening to and feeling. all this aliveness that's here, the pulsing, tingling, vibrating, perhaps places of warmth and coolness, tightness and flow, listening to and feeling, this whole field of aliveness of aliveness, letting everything happen just as it is, noticing what it's like when there's a purely receptive presence, a listening presence, again including the sounds that appear and disappear, so that you're listening to and feeling the whole stream of experience. You might notice if the

attention has drifted into thoughts and if that's the case, then it's an opportunity to find that pathway back to a listening presence. Reopen the attention and notice the sounds that are actually happening right here. So you're listening to the sounds, the changing sounds of the moment rather than your thoughts. Notice the vividness and mystery of reopening into the changing flow, listening to and feeling the sounds, sensations, feelings. And if there's something difficult in the changing flows, some physical unpleasantness or emotional fear, sadness, anger, if something's difficult, then listen to and feel with an increased sense of gentleness, tenderness, entirely receptive, letting the life that's here be here,

but offering that really kind listening presence. keep coming back to the senses, reopening to that listening, receptive presence that's aware of the changing sounds right here, perhaps relaxing a little in the body, letting go in the shoulders, softening the hands, relaxing the belly. You can listen to and feel the whole changing flow of life through your body, listening to and feeling the sounds, resting in that open, tender, receptive presence that allows life to be just as it is. And as a way of closing, you might bring that listening presence to your heart. Just listening to the state of your heart right now. Perhaps to the longings, to the fears,

listening to whatever wants to be expressed. A deeply tender listening so whatever is vulnerable can feel held in that caring and listening presence. These are the words of the poet and mystic and writer John O'Donohue. Because the heart dwells in unattended dark, we often forget its sublime sensitivity to everything that is happening to us. Without our ever noticing the heart absorbs the joy of things and also their pain.

Within us, therefore, a burdening can acue. For this reason, it's wise now and then to tune into your heart and listen for what it carries. listen for what it carries. Sometimes as simplest things affect unexpected transformation. When you allow your heart to speak, the burden it carries diminishes. A new lightness can enter your body and relief flood your heart. In these last moments, sensing how tender listening presence can hold. Hold your heart. Hold your life.