The Heart as a Flower

One of Waduda’s Heart Group exercises I took away to use many a time in my own groups, writes Madhuri

It is a delightful, pleasant, deep, and easy process. (I even led it on a Zoom meeting for a festival during lockdown and it worked well, with participants in many countries.) It is just a happiness throughout! People connect with their hearts in a natural and flowing way, and then get to show them to each other!

The method

Everyone sits comfortably and closes their eyes. The facilitator guides with her words as each person drops deep into their heart. A very, very soft music could be played for this.

After a relaxed, leisurely resting in the heart, guided throughout, the facilitator suggests that each person sees their heart as a flower. What sort of flower is it? What does it look like? What colours is it? How big is it? Trust whatever arises…

Now, they open their eyes, and helpers come and lay out for each person some art supplies: plastic sheet, large watercolour paper, watercolour paints, brushes, sponge, magic markers maybe, whatever is available; but it is very important that watercolours are included, as water is necessary for the subconscious to melt and flow in! A cup or jar of water is of course needed, and something to act as a palette – a plain white paper plate will do – and some paper towels.

The next step is painting the heart-flower that you saw. Music will be needed – I have always liked Anugama’s Morning Breeze for this exercise, it hits just the right sprightly, gentle note.

Ding! 20 minutes painting the heart as a flower.

Trust whatever appears! This is not a competition, and it is not important to be an artist, or to do a ‘good’ job. I always tell people, “I have never seen a bad painting in a group – not once. They are all, always beautiful.” And it is true! Plus – this is something everybody can do, whatever they think of their artistic talent or lack of it. It’s just a human faculty, to be able to paint our subconscious. Any ideas of expertise only get in the way! (It’s good to explain this to people before the painting begins.)

After 20 minutes, the music finishes. Ding the bell, and the paintings are left to dry a bit while everyone has a pee- and-drink break, and the helpers clear away the painting materials.

Now, find a partner. Ding! You have 10 minutes in total to explain your paintings to each other.

Ding!

Heart gallery: Now, each person finds their painting and lifts it up so that it is held in their two hands in front of them, painting showing! Now, with soft music, everyone walks slowly and sensitively about the room, showing their heart to the others. People tend to express their joy in each other’s paintings.

Time for lunch!

Introduction to the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra – by Waduda (aka Leela) to the boxed edition of Osho’s The Book of the Secrets
Esoteric Science Training: I became a different person – Sangit Masto recalls the three-month Esoteric Science Training with Wadud and Waduda of autumn 1988

Photo by Ester Marie Doysabas on Unsplash