Question about practicing Heart Rhythm Meditation with a cold

December 17th, 2007

Hello,
I recently started a daily practice of Heart Rhythm Meditation, with two 20-minute sessions, working my way through the steps outline in Living from the Heart. However, I now have a terrible head cold and find the breathing patterns really difficult to maintain for more than a few minutes. How does one practice HRM when sick? Is there an easier practice to follow? I was doing so well so I find this current setback frustrating. Thanks for your help.
Robyn

Dear Robyn,

Thanks for your question. Some of what we wrote in a previous post on allergies may help.

First of all, you’ve been sitting twice a day for 20 minutes — well done! That shows good mastery.

Suppose that your cold is a message from your heart. What is the meaning of it?

One approach would be to say it is a challenge to your self-control, an obstacle which tests your commitment to this practice. Another would be to say it is simply that your body needs some extra attention right now, and perhaps a bit more rest, or some extra sleep would be helpful. If you are doing the Square Breath practice, you might discontinue that for a time and just do the Swing Breath, breathing fully with the same length inhalation and exhalation, e.g. 8 beats in, 8 beats out.

As you sit with your cold, take it into your heart and explore its meaning. Adopt the idea that everything going on in your body and your mind has been created by your heart. See where that idea takes you. Ask your heart how you should proceed. A way of doing this is to take a question and syncopate it with your heart beat, for example: “Should I sit through this cold, dear heart?” is 8 syllables, which you can do on each beat of your heart, so with each inhalation and each exhalation, you send this question deep into your heart. See what answer you get. This question may or may not be right for you; you should think about what exactly is the question you want to ask, because this is an important part of this practice.

love,

Puran and Susanna

Entry Filed under: The Heart, Health, Meditation