Our heart harbours our feelings and emotions. The phrases are all there and we have used them all. Let us start with we all said, when we were in school. Cross my heart and hope to die. It means I will never give up the secret. To lose heart, to feel a sense of hopelessness. To make the heart bleed, it can be taken sarcastically or feeling very touched by some distressing episode.

My heart was in my mouth means I was terrified. To take to heart means I have accepted what you have said. I love you with my heart and soul, means that I love you passionately. I love you from the bottom of my heart, it means that I really love you. Absence makes the heart grow fonder is self-explanatory. She is a heart throb means a stunner. It was heart-warming means I was touched by it. He is eating his heart out, suffering from lack of love. I am young at heart, so I may be old but I can enjoy life. A change of heart is to back out. Wearing the heart on your sleeve, is to fall in love easily. Lonely heart is a lonely person. There are so many epithets for the heart, and many revolve around our feelings.

What must we do to our heart to receive the grace of God?

Swamiji said that we must aspire for purity. Our heart has to remain pure and then we receive the blessings. Next question is how we know that our heart is virtuous. He adds that Rama Krishna Parmahans stated that where there is muck, flies come, where there is wealth thieves come. However if there is a beautiful garden, with a lake full of flowering lotuses, and birds singing, everyone throngs. Similarly the aspirant can tell the quality of his heart by what he attracts. If our heart is honourable and uncluttered with thoughts, it will invite his grace.

What action should we take?

We can become aware of our breath and practice the balancing Pranayama. Inhale to the count of 5, hold our breath to the count of 5, exhale to the count of 5, pause outside, no breathing to the count of 5. Practice 54 times, counting backwards. Visualize the prana in the breath, chant So when you inhale and Ham when you exhale. So Ham means merging of the individual consciousness with the supreme consciousness. Count backwards, no errors are to be made, because if you do, you start again. Eyes are closed and please sit straight. This sadhana will restore your equanimity and declutter your thoughts. Practice it twice a day and you will be blessed. It is our thoughts which increase our karmas and disturb us.

Aim Hrim Klim