Heart to Heart: 5Rhythms® Heartbeat and Buddhist Heart Practice

Love is not a mood, but a dynamic way of being. – Gabrielle Roth

The spontaneous heart is one that knows how to love and be loved. The Heartbeat map is a guide to how our emotional energy moves and morphs. In this practice we embody the art of being a fluid emotional athlete. This map teaches us how to navigate the emotional terrain of life without getting stuck, holding on, or pushing away.

During this workshop, we will explore how the body has been shaped by our emotions, tracking when the heart is open and when it is closed. As feelings move us, we learn how to express emotion in a healthy and creative way. We will integrate the stillness of Buddhist mindfulness meditation with the moving meditations of the 5Rhythms. The Buddha encouraged us to bring wise attention to every aspect of our lives. By incorporating the Brahmavihara (Heart Practices), one can develop the skills of living-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. These virtues are regarded as powerful antidotes to negative mental states.

In sitting meditation, we have the opportunity to observe the mind and body at rest through silent introspection. In the practice of the 5Rhythms, we engage in mindfulness while in motion. The 5Rhythms map teaches us how emotional energy moves. The two polarities of moving and sitting meditation together mirror the dance of life and open the door to peace, well-being, and balance.