Fertile Aspiration Practices

Fertile Aspiration Practices

  • June 11, 2015

From a Buddhist perspective, all that we do begins with intention. Just as the plants chosen determine the garden that grows, your future well-being is influenced by the intentions you nurture.  Planting seeds of intention with love and nurturance grows feelings of compassion and care.

Aspiration practices, often referred to as compassion practices in the Buddhist tradition, are intentions of well-wishing that incorporate a word, phrase, or mantra into both a formal and informal mindfulness practice.  Aspiration practices may pair a calm, healing word with the in breath and a related word with the out breath.   Aspiration practices, such as the loving-kindness practice, sends intentions of well-being to oneself and others in the form of phrases.  The paradoxical practice of tonglen breathes in suffering of oneself and others and breathes out relief of suffering to oneself and others.

The healing, powerful rhythmic dance between the words and the breath, or the phrase and the heart, create the melody to cross from where you are in this moment to where you aspire to be.  Aspiration practices inspire the mind toward wisdom and the heart toward compassion. This series includes aspirations and quotes to lift and carry you through your fertility journey.

When doing an aspiration meditation practice, center yourself into a relaxed yet alert posture that embodies a state of openness, like a lotus floating on the surface of a pond.  As you silently repeat each word or phrase, breathe into and out from your heart, so the words come directly from your solar plexus. Repeat the phrases, penetrating the heart center ever more deeply.  When doing an aspiration informal mindfulness practice, sprinkle the intentions of wisdom and compassion throughout the day.  This may be when confronting a distressing inner state or outer experience or whenever inspired to invite messages of healing and renewal.

Enter your email address below to access the guided meditations for A Fertile Path: Guiding the Journey with Mindfulness and Compassion

You'll receive an email with the details required to access the guided meditations. You will occasionally receive updates about A Fertile Path and other related content.

Check your email for your access information!