Awakening my Heart Chakra in 2014

I walk around with a pain in my chest; all around my heart space.

I remember vividly 17 years ago going to my first yoga class and doing

this posture, and being flooded by the emotion of pain coming from my heart. That pain is still there.

I keep to myself. I don't like to let people get too close to me.This takes a lot of work to keep people at a safe distance.

I find it difficult to love, and easy to hate. I hold many grudges. I am also quite selfish; I find helping others exhausting as I don't feel I have enough energy for myself.

This holds me back from joy and happiness in life.

Over 2014 I will blog my ideas, process and challenges around the goal of awakening my heart chakra in 2014.

Ideas I have are:

1. Yoga asanas which open the chest and upper back
2. Pranayama
3. Meditations focused on compassion (e.g. Metta meditation)
4. Meditations focused on visualizing my heart chakra clearing and opening (e.g. Heart breathing)
5. Mandela Tratak
6. Activities focused on forgiving others including letter writing and visualizations
7. Random acts of kindness
8. Service to others
9. Inner child healing
10. Psychology to process past hurts
11. Energy healing
12. Reading books on associated topics: compassion, unconditional love, forgiveness
13. Mantra
14. Study of the chakra system
15. Devotional practices (Bhakti yoga) to something larger than myself
16. Tibetan singing bowls
17. Practice unconditional love for those who I meet
18. Journaling on key themes of the heart chakra
19. Read novels about unconditional love
20. Dream interpretation: intentions to receive dreams, recording and interpreting. 
21. Fragrances: lemon verbena, rose, cardamon, bergamot, rosemary, jasmine, sandalwood, ylang ylang
22. 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise each day (e.g. jogging)
23. Path of Love one week course
24. Stay at the yoga ashram. 

Over the year I will explore, add to and blog about these practices.

Your support, encouragement and insights are appreciated.