How to Open Your Heart

Gladys Knight, of Gladys Knight and the Pips, put it so beautifully when she said "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me". For the reality is that YOU are the best thing that has ever happened to you. You are the one who can heal your heart and open your heart and allow new experiences into your life. No one else can open your heart for you and if you do not wish to open your heart then it will remain firmly shut. This does not mean, of course, that it is not extremely helpful to have friends, allies and assistants to help with opening your heart it just means that ultimately it is your choice and your decision as to whether you open it or not.

Many people have suffered with different issues in their lives and have closed their hearts down (perhaps without even realising it) with very good reason. Somewhere along the line a decision was made, maybe unconsciously, to close down the centre of emotions and never allow the person to be hurt again. The reality is that a closed heart is a heart in pain, it is actually no protection at all. It may be in trauma, sadness or shock but once you have closed it off it can be difficult to let people in, to receive from others and to be aware of your deep truth, desire and passion. A closed heart is also closed to the person who's heart it is and that is no use at all. What is more desirable is to have a sense of possibiliy of having an open heart and access to your heart's feelings and sensations but with the choice of boundaries.

This is really about becoming more of an adult, being able to be open with awareness and sensibility of where and how to be open, what is safe what is appropriate and picking and choosing from this place.

But let's say that your heart is closed in anger, protection, heart break or fear. Where would you begin to heal your heart or even start to open your heart?

The starting point is always with what you love. What you love will help you soften and open almost immediately and if you do more of what you love more often it will help to soften even more. So for me if I am stressed if I take myself to the Turkish baths and have a steam and sauna I find myself restored back to love and softness. Equally if I am near a Waterstones bookshop I can take myself to the New Age section and I am immediately calmed by the effect of looking at the books and the titles (and perhaps reading a few wisdoms). Also when I run workshops in community settings I am always given a big "Hello" and after we have danced together I feel loved, grounded, centred and connected to love and life. For my work with others I am deeply grateful.

Each person will have different ways that will help them come into a softer more loving place, for one it may be meditation another walking, for another it may be being with animals. What is important is what is the key for you? What helps you come back or return to a state of love.

Once you can recognise what are your special keys and what helps you centre in love then you can always come back into love and opening your heart, no matter how lost or far away you may feel. Find your keys and you can come back home.