OPEN Heart: It’s a process

Photo by Alberta Studios: https://www.pexels.com/

An open heart is a very practical concept. Practical from the perspective of personal continuance. Living to see another day you need to have the heart and related tubes all open and the blood flowing. It’s also practical from a soul centred point of view meaning living with an open heart is being open to loving and being loved. In both cases we are responsible for managing the aperture to our inner lives. When the outflow, whether it is love or blood, is in agreement with the inflow then there is peace. This peace can allow us to look for new ways to grow. Without some degree of peace in our life we are easily stressed about getting from one moment to the next. The heart can usually take care of itself when given some decent food and exposure to nature (fresh air and sunlight). Where we need some fresh ideas is in the proverbial open heart of the emotion.

The heart is the inner life within our chest and at the same time our attitude that buoys our ego. Ego, for lack of a better word, is good. It, akin to your heart, keeps you alive. Too much ego, like making your heart work harder than it can handle, is damaging.

Ego can also be a metric of self worth. Socially it means you protect your reputation. As someone looking for meaning in relationships and life experience it means you stand up for yourself. As with most things it is best to avoid extremes. Too much ego means others never know the real you and are just exposed to your demands and whims. Too little means you are people’s doormat and hide in your little cave of self loathing, afraid to step out.

Sometimes people will laugh at you when you open your heart. Or you can end up saying something that alters your relationship with someone. The point of opening your heart is to be open to growing. Growing horizontal and vertical. Horizontal being knowledge and experience. Vertical is elevation, refinement and connection.

Open, opening, opened. It’s a lifelong process. it’s a challenge with nourishing reward.