In everyday language it is common to use the expression “at the heart of” or “the heart of the matter” indicating how the heart is considered to be of essence or of utmost importance. It’s also interesting to note how the same significance is not attributed to the mind although important in its own right. So what language is reflecting is the implicit agreement among us that the heart comes, or at least ought to come, prior to anything else.
Of course what we refer to as the heart, when not using the term literally or medically, is not the physical organ but a metaphor to the internal space, our seat of silent power, which allows positive human elements to arise: Love, intuition, compassion, courage, hope and trust.
It is common wisdom that the biggest battles we go through are those between the heart and mind. When the heart and mind are not in sync or our of balance, there is internet conflict and confusion that often leads us to get lost off track. On the other hand, when both the heart and mind are in tune, life opens up in seemingly miraculous ways because our energy is focused on our deepest desires and our life purpose instead of being wasted in conflict. There is a deep sense of peace, purpose and belonging that ripple throughout everything we do.
The more life I experience, the stronger is my conviction that having an open heart is the most beautiful and powerful think one can achieve. Having spent many years seeking knowledge and reaching academic goals, this profound truth was somehow concealed. Yet now I firmly believe that knowledge no matter how rich and vast can never stand half as tall as the strength of the heart. In history, there have been numerous enlightened masters, gurus, saints and spiritually evolved people whose knowledge of the world was at best fair. Their true power, inner peace and contagious charisma came from their heart.
The heart has its own power codes, the keys that when found and made to use, open it to its full power and majesty. Here are what I hold as being the seven codes of the heart.
1. Openness
The most powerful aspect of the heart is openness. When the heart is open you transcend fear. You are not restricted or held prisoner by your fears because you see beyond their futility and embrace open ended possibilities. You are bolder but with love and compassion. Openness lets you live beyond the narrowness of the ego self. You see yourself reflected in others and you are more receptive to change.
The opposite is also true. When we live in fear and allow ourselves to be enslaved by people’s actions or situations, we feel powerless. Our heart is closed and interestingly this is manifested physically as a feeling of constriction around the chest area. In extreme cases, it is also leads to cardiovascular problems and heart disease. Opening the heart comes with compassion, acceptance, caring and taking the opportunity to be courageous in moments when you feel sheepish.
2. Space:
We live in a culture where the mind and rationality dictate our thoughts and actions. Collectively we are sharing a world which leaves little space for the heart. The heart should be spacious and open. We do so by listening more to it – it’s calling, intuitions and needs. Leaving a space for our heart is in truth a simple matter of shifting attention or changing the focus of our internal lens. Instead of living entirely in our head – conceptualising, analysing and rationalising – we step outside and feel the gentle and subtle messages coming from the heart. What is the heart telling you? How do you feel about a given situation? These are things you should be focusing more attention to.
3. Love:
Of course the greatest faculty of the heart is love. This is why the heart is the popular symbol of love. But the true power of love does not come from sentiments, feelings, romance or caring for those that are close to us. It is far greater than that. There is also self-love, which although sounds narcissistic, is in reality far from that. It means accepting who you are and appreciating the divinity and humanity within you. Your ability to love others would be extremely limited if you hated yourself or did not accept yourself for who you truly are. Beyond that there is unconditional love which is the highest and purest form of love. Unconditional love comes from feeling an inseparable part of the web of life and the miracle of creation. It comes from losing the sense of separateness, the narrow mindedness of the ego and from opening up and leaving space in your heart as we saw in the preceding points.
4. Truthfulness:
Truth is not a quest of the intellect but one of the heart. The difference is that the heart seeks to be the truth, or be truthful, rather then finding truth somewhere else. In other words, truth is found in your heart. If you listen deeply to it, the heart will never lie because by its nature it is transparent and clear. There is no distortion and no trade offs. By living more in the heart rather than in your head, your be letting that truthfulness transpire in everything you do in life – work, friendships and pretty much anything else. Above all it means being true to your real self.
5. Trust:
Only the heart is able to trust and let go. The mind is by its own nature inquisitive, contemplative and ‘sticky’. The strength and power of the heart is in having the courage to trust and let go even when the mind clings on to something. This is the driver of real change and happiness. When we allow our heart to trust, we are activating its most sacred power code. Trust is what turns the impossible into possible, hard into soft, the painful into loving acceptance and darkness into light.
6. Positive Vibes:
The heart has its own rhythms and beats. When we experience joy and positive emotions, it resonates with the frequency of our heart which activates its power. The heart is like an entrance for positive vibes. When it receives them and resonates with them, it sends them out around us. We become shining beacons of light, love and positivity. Those around us will also tune in their hearts to it and become positively infected. This is why positive people with ope hearts are such a magnet to others. They attract the hearts of others to tune in to its frequency. Sharing is love and love is to be shared.
7. Lightness:
Another common linguistic metaphor is ‘a heavy heart’. When we suffer or are dulled by negative things around us, we feel heavy and ultimately immobilised. So another important code of the heart is lightness of being. When we open our heart and create space for it, we shift to a lighter mode of living. Lightness has a twofold meaning – lightness as in luminous and lightness as the opposite of heaviness. When the heart is light it wards off all dark and heavy energy around us. It becomes immune to life’s dramas and makes the heaviest of tasks feel less burdensome. When we experience lightness we become unbound and free to be ourselves and whatever we want to be. Ultimately it is the closest thing we can get to light itself which shines and illuminates our path.