In the wake of this difficult week following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, many people wonder how they will ever heal. They wonder how they will help their children heal. They wonder how they will ever feel safe again.
Yoga offers tools that promote, speed, and sustain healing. One of the most powerful tools is the Sat Yam meditation. A simple technique, you can practice this meditation anywhere at any time, as often as needed. “Sat,” means purification. “Yam” is the bija mantra, or original sound, of the heart chakra. Together, these words translate to “purify the heart”.
To practice Sat Yam, find a comfortable, easy seat. It can be in a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Close the eyes and soften the muscles of the face, particularly the jaw and the forehead. Let the chin be level to the ground. Lengthen the spine and sit tall.
Follow this visualization: Turn your attention to the heart area. Press the hands together and hook the thumbs at the center of the chest. The emotions you wish to release – grief, loss, fear, sadness, disappointment – live at the base of the spine. Inhale to pull those emotions through the heart as you silently hear the sound “Sat” and exhale to release them through the crow of the head as you silently hear the sound “Yam”.
Repeat this pattern with each inhale and exhale for 5 – 20 minutes. Then, let go of the technique, return to your normal breath pattern for 1 minute, and imagine a warm glowing light at the heart. Take the chin to the chest and slowly open the eyes.
Because this technique is powerful, you may experience tears and other similar reactions. That’s completely normal. It’s a release. Let the tears come. They have healing powers, too. If you have questions about this meditation, please feel free to contact me at christa.avampato@gmail.com.
