To extend compassion and empathy at all times to all people requires the ability to See with the Heart. Most of us look at the world through only our eyes, and the result is perception interpreted entirely by our Mind. Instead, we want to feel the world, feel others, by seeing not only with the eyes but also with the Heart.
By opening your Heart chakra and creating an energetic link between your Heart chakra and your visual cortex, you can enhance your power to see with the Heart. Creating this link and opening the Heart center will allow you to perceive reality on the fluid level of emotion. You will be able to feel others rather than only see them.
Facing South, sit upright in a meditative posture. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to relax.
With your right index finger, gently press the center of your sternum at heart level. Bring all of your awareness to this spot. This area is your Heart chakra.
A few inches above your skin, rotate your index finger over your Heart chakra counterclockwise as if the clock is facing South. Rotate as if you are sticking your finger into a jar of peanut butter and are swirling it around. After about three to five counterclockwise circles, bring your hand back to rest on your lap while keeping attention locked on your Heart chakra.
Spend about five to ten minutes breathing deeply into the Heart chakra with full awareness. Visualize a green ball of light in your Heart chakra glowing brighter and brighter with each breath. After a few moments, you should start to feel a warm, pleasant, loving sensation in the chest.
Now with the index fingers of both hands, gently tap on the center of the sternum. Tap an outline of a necklace going up either side of the chest & neck, with the two index fingers meeting again at the back of the skull. While tapping, visualize two cords of light extending from your Heart chakra to the visual cortex in the brain near the back of the skull. Repeat three times.
Next, visualize yourself as a baby, pure, innocent and perfect. Extend love to yourself. Visualize holding yourself as a baby. Then, visualize yourself as an old, dying person, withering away. Extend love to yourself.
Next, visualize your most cherished loved ones. See them all around you smiling, laughing, loving you. Extend love to them. Visualize yourself embracing each one and giving them love.
Next, visualize your most hated enemy, or someone you still have strong, negative feelings for. Ideally, you will visualize someone who has hurt you or caused you suffering. Visualize them as a crying baby. Extend love to them. Then visualize them as an old, dying person. Extend love to them. Then visualize them as they are now, and embrace them with love.
Let go of the visualization and return all attention to the Heart chakra. Take a few more deep, mindful breaths before finishing your meditation.
This whole exercise should only take about 15 to 20 minutes, but you may spend longer amounts of time practicing. After practicing, notice how much easier it is to love all those around you. After a few weeks of practice, you’ll notice that other people’s negative behavior will no longer upset you, because you will recognize that they are acting out of pain or ignorance. And you will only be able to muster compassion for them, rather than anger. With practice, you will see yourself in others.