In the book The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer, he talks about how we open and close our hearts all the time, without really realizing it. When we’re with someone we love deeply, our heart opens. When something reminds us of a past hurt, we close our hearts.
This self-protection is one of our human go-tos, like the “what if” worst-case scenarios we create to keep us prepared no matter what. “I’ve never done that before…what if such-and-such happens?” “I haven’t called that friend in a long time…what if she’s mad at me?” We're definitely not coming from an open heart there.
I started to think about how I intentionally open my heart to do Reiki sessions and readings—it’s really the only way the sessions will work…It helps the energy flow and makes way for a deep connection.
So then I thought, why am I only intentionally opening my heart in my energy work? What would happen if I did it more often or all the time? Then I took an Uber from Brooklyn to Manhattan to cat sit a senior kitty I often care for. After about twenty minutes of silence in the car, I suddenly remembered to open my heart. As soon as I did, the driver blurted out, “How’s your day? I hope you are having a wonderful day!” It startled me and I almost jumped. We enjoyed a lovely conversation the rest of the way.
When I arrived at my destination, the senior kitty was sleeping in her usual spot that she rarely moves from. I decided to sit quietly on the floor in another room and open my heart and meditate. After about two minutes, the kitty came into the room and walked right up to me. As I leaned down to pet her, she reached her head up to touch my forehead, purring loudly. Two hearts open. If I could purr I would have.
After feeding her, I went to run an errand. As I walked down the street remembering to open my heart, I heard a man say, “Cute mask!” My first thought was, is this the new pick-up line?? I turned to see the man drive by with his window down, as he repeated with a kind smile, “You have a really cute mask.” It was totally not creepy at all—his energy was genuine, sweet, and happy. I laughed, said thank you, and smiled through my blue floral mask.
When we close our hearts, we’re kept in a “safe” place that actually keeps us stagnant, far from experiencing life and meaningful growth. When we open our hearts, we free ourselves from fear, worry, and past hurt. That opens the way for connecting to our intuition, our truth, and all-around good energy.
What would happen if we all intended to open our hearts often and always? I imagine healing, alignment, and a staggering number of drive-by compliments. ❤️❤️❤️