In the Anahata meditation you will get in touch with the manifestation of self that is a function of the heart chakra. To begin this meditation, find a comfortable position with your back straight. Close your eyes and begin breathing yogically. Breathe deeply through your nose without separation between inhalation and exhalation, and feel yourself relaxing. Take your time and become conscious of your body by following your breath for about five minutes. After five minutes, bring your attention to your fourth chakra at the center of the breastbone. Then bring your breath to the fourth chakra. On each inhalation feel the energy centered in your heart chakra growing stronger. You will feel it as a heat and intensity that will grow more powerful with each inhalation. As it grows stronger, visualize the energy there as a ball of emerald green light. Experience and visualize it growing stronger and brighter for two or three minutes. Feel your consciousness move downward until it reaches a point in the center of your chest and feel your consciousness centered in the ball of energy. Then become the ball of energy and feel yourself radiate outward from that center through your body and then into the outer environment.

Feel the transcendent love that radiates through the heart chakra and pay attention to how you feel physically, emotionally, and mentally. The more you are centered in the heart, the more you will feel the "mystic heart" of Christ in you. As the rivers of living water radiate through your heart, your whole body will pulsate and searing currents of energy will shoot everywhere: down your legs until they cause the soles of your feet to vibrate, through your arms and hands, and up to the top of the head.

You will experience a warmth that pulsates rhythmically from your heart and fills your whole body. As you surrender to the energy radiating through your heart, you will experience compassion and unconditional love for yourself as well as everyone else, and you will experience the condition that Jesus described as the peace that passes all understanding.

Take about ten minutes for this part of the meditation. After about ten minutes or when you are satisfied, take a deep breath through your nose and as you exhale mentally repeat, "Every time I come to this level of consciousness I learn to use more of my mind in more creative ways." Then let your breathing return to normal, release the ball of energy from your fourth chakra and the imagery associated with it, and mentally return to the room and relax. After a few moments, begin to count mentally from one to five and when you reach the number five, open your eyes. You will feel wide awake, perfectly relaxed, and better than you did before.

Excerpted from Chakra Therapy, by Keith Sherwood