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_I have heard that the heart symbol was modelled on the rather grotesque image of two human hearts stitched together_

# What is the heart?

You may have heard expressions such as
- "broken heart"
- "follow your heart"
- "this person has a lot of heart, or a big heart"
- "open your heart"
-  "hard hearted"

If we are saying these kinds of things, then on some level we know this concept of heart. Although there's some contention. Because in a lot of people there is a sentiment which relegates this kind of heart talk below logical rational mind. Heart is somehow tied in to the concept of love. And in talking about love we will start to lose a lot of people, who will immediately assume we are referring to an imaginary realm - or something shared exclusively between two lovers.

I think in clarifying what we mean by these things we can start to figure out what heart is.

## What heart means to me

- Heart means a feeling
- Heart means a physical sensation
- Heart is felt in the location of my chest, yet sometimes elsewhere or more generally
- Heart is a unifying aspect
- Heart looks for connection
- Heart is a subtle force that ties a lot of things together
- Heart is spontaneous
- Heart gives a feedback of situations as to what they really are

__This last one especially seems to bring it all back to an understandable common sense way of being. Some times my heart has a dull ache, and at other times a warmth, some times it feels empty and at other times is feels light and open. Some times it might feel cold or closed.__

There is something about heart that wants to reach out and connect with people and things, and it has an incredible capacity to do this. Some would say that heart can actually reach and connect infinitely.

## What do the traditional systems say?

The Hindu system puts heart as the central chakra, with three above and three below. This makes it the exact middle point in the body, joining the lower with the higher. This is such a strong symbolism, with so many teachings talking about unifying the higher and lower selves - the heart is a potent representation of this.

__Not only does heart join us with other beings, it actually unifies us with all of our different aspects individually. The more we learn to accept and integrate everything, then the more open our heart becomes. I have experienced this personally, the great relief and opening which comes from accepting people and situations for what they are - and in ceasing that resistance something lifts in the chest, and a pleasant feeling arises.__

Many teachings are very much focussed on just this one area, and it would make sense to devote our attention to the heart if we need a simple and powerful method to open things up in our lives. The method of heart is simple: accept, allow, open, embrace, connect, become vulnerable. It is an increasing honesty with life, and allowing our sensitivity to increase. We let go of our habitual contractions from past wounds and conditioning, thus meeting each moment with a purity and excitement that gives a particular energy.

## Unified Chakra

I have recently been hearing about the unified chakra, which is a process whereby someone will condense and simplify their 7 chakra system into just one chakra (the heart chakra - being the central balance point). It makes sense that the heart could contain all of the other energies, given its propensity for accepting and allowing all things.

## Process of 'heart opening'

Seems a bit airy fairy, again we might be losing a few people due to the language. But why this squeamishness around this language? It raises some interesting questions.

__Many of us have become highly uncomfortable with our tender sides. Being vulnerable seems like such a risk, when the assumption is that it will invite an attack from someone which we need to 'defend' against. This shuts down authenticity, it shuts down real deep connection, and it shuts down spontaneous creative expression.__

Ultimately it's a self judgement, even if we did acquire the program from society, parents, and the people around us. This is a very good thing because that means we can personally get to the bottom of it, and wipe that programming clean. You don't need anyone else permission but your own to be open and free.

__Heart opening is about accepting ourselves truly and fully, it's about loving everything in this world without having expectations and judgments about how things should be__.

A wise man named Chun T once told me that the greatest thing he had learned was to accept 'what is', and not worry about what is not. I thank you for that wisdom Chun T, wherever you have moved on to now.

## Does an open heart mean getting stepped on and pushed around?

It does not, because the most open hearts are the ones that also have the capacity to love strongly and even ferociously. These hearts are so open that they will allow and accept even these strong forms of love. The open heart sees that all emotional states are natural and does not intercede to stop them.

Another thing to consider is that when we exist in the heart open state, almost no one will bring us drama - this is just how the universe functions. When you transmit love and acceptance for all things, then other beings are seemingly incapable of doing harm to you because it feels wrong to them.

> These are my musings on the heart, or the heart chakra. This is a big journey for me as I learn to accept more and more, and as all of the quiet assumptions and judgements come to light to be let go of.

I would really love to hear what you know and have experienced with the heart chakra