What happens when we stand behind a closed gate? We may be able to see what is going on from behind the fence through the openings but we aren’t experiencing the full picture. The same is true for the heart chakra. When our heart chakra is deficient we are removed from the fullness of life by the barrier that protects our heart. We are able to catch glimpses and feelings from our post but we are removed from the open field of possibilities.
From behind the gate we may wonder what it would be like to step through and feel the air on our skin and the love of another’s touch. Maybe we even stick our toe through the gate. But the moment we feel something unpleasant we retract even further and build our fence a little thicker.
For others of us, we may not even remember the gate is there and endlessly give our energy away in search of connection and love. This constant giving without the container to receive can cause us to feel like we aren’t able to get our needs met.
As humans we operate from habits and patterns and tend to see through the lens of past experiences and pain. Instead of seeing the aliveness of what is really in front of us we see through our fears. This shows up strongly in the heart chakra and affects how we interact with life. Do we pull away and hide when things get painful or do we deny we are hurt and blindly give our affection away? We could tend to do both depending on the circumstance.
To become aware of our own patterns is the first key to transformation. As we step back into the compassionate observer role we begin to unravel the patterns. From this stance we are accepting of and have compassion for ourselves and the wounded places within us that helped create these patterns.
For example, a pattern may be that when we feel rejected we shut others out. This may have started with one of our childhood friends, and the tendency still exists. By seeing this tendency we can create some space around it. We recognize that if we look through this old lens of others rejecting us, that is what we will see. Identifying the pattern is like peeling off the old lens.
We must also practice the art of being with what is...including our emotions. Accepting them again and again as they are, without trying to fix them. The easiest way to do this is by focusing on the physical sensation of the feeling in the body. Notice where they show up and the quality of the feeling (e.g. dull, achy, sharp, heavy, prickly, warm). Without creating another story around the emotion and being with what is, we are able to acknowledge our emotions with compassion as the energy gives us information and passes through.
When we learn to be there for ourselves in these ways our heart chakra will become more balanced and we begin to feel safe to open and experience life with appropriate boundaries. When we can trust ourselves to see through our patterns and accept ourselves unconditionally, we have the capacity to change. It’s paradoxical that the key element to change is accepting where we already are!
As we move through December and interact with our families (or don’t interact with our families), a lot of heart chakra triggers may come up. Old wounds may resurface. We can meet these patterns with a new awareness and presence. This way we can step from behind the gate and into life willing to give and receive the love that is there for us in the moment.
Image: @arianna_v
