3 Steps to Heart-Based Living
Heart-Based Living: DIVE in, TUNE in, LIGHTEN up!
By Ronna Prince
It seems that now we are inundated with messages about heart-based living, or living in the heart. It’s the latest catch-phrase. But really, what does it all mean? It means living in balance with emotions and thoughts. It means allowing one’s heart to lead the way in decision making and actions. It does not mean letting unchecked feelings rule your life. But it also means, not letting unexpressed feelings limit your interaction and connection with others.
Most of us have been brought up to be logical and rational. To hide our emotions and just “get over it”. The problem with this is that we really can’t solve today’s problems that were created by analytical and mind-based approaches. I’m convinced that the analytical approach is what got us to where we are today, in many of the distressing situations we see in our own lives, communities and on a global scale.
So the question is: how do we really embrace heart-based living and be effective as leaders and decision makers in these times of change? I believe we can do this by using a heart-based approach which has been distilled down to 3 simple steps: Dive In, Tune In, and Lighten up. It really is a simple process. It starts with a choice to go into the heart-based feelings and explore what is there. If you can’t or won’t do that, I’ve found that you’re putting a veneer over the truth of your existence. Mastering our emotions through the heart is the key to this time of intense transition. When we check into our hearts, we tend to make wiser and more compassionate choices. And with that, live more peaceful and connected lives.
3 Steps to Heart-Based Living
The first step to heart-based living is to have the willingness to dive in to the emotions locked inside the heart. This does not mean re-experiencing the traumas of the past. Rather it is to acknowledge that your heart had to shut down in the past as a way of dealing with the hurts all humans experience to one extent or another. In diving in to the heart (step 1), we are really just allowing the awareness of feelings and emotions to surface. In this step, we dive in to touch what’s been locked inside. We follow the breath into our hearts and listen. We can ask “what’s in my heart?” Usually it’s a two or three word message that bubbles up, like: “I’m afraid”, or “be careful”, or “go for it!”
The second step to heart-based living is to tune into the feelings behind these initial pearls of heart-wisdom. “What is my heart telling me?” If you hear: “I’m afraid” or “be careful”, that’s informing you that you need to spend some time allowing the associated emotional imprints to emerge. We do that by feeling whatever is there and accepting the feeling no matter what it is: Fear, anger, sadness, depression, happiness, joy. Tune into it, and allow it to move and flow.
As we allow ourselves to tune into these emotional states, we move the energy. When energy moves, there is room for heart-wisdom to emerge. Tuning in to the heart is what takes practice, because we’re used to turning to the mind to find our answers. But the truth is, our hearts know. Our minds will rationalize or justify. But the authentic tuned-in feelings of our hearts, will always lead us to compassionate and wise choices.
The final step in this 3 part formula to heart-based living is: Lighten up! This is an essential part of the 3 step process. It means that after we do some intense emotional healing, we consciously choose to relax, enjoy and embrace the gifts in life. At first, we have to really focus on this and make it a priority. Because in dealing with emotions, we can easily get stuck in a state of perpetual healing and forget to enjoy each day.
So in this final step of heart-based living, we commit to looking around us and seeing beauty and joy, even if it’s just a small thing, like a flower or a bird’s song or the smile of a loved one. Heart-based living – living in the heart – is a balanced place, and in that balance, we make room for more joy and peace, not by ignoring, but by embracing the wisdom of the heart.
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About the Author
Ronna Prince is the filmmaker behind the new extraordinary new film “Sacred Journey of the Heart.” An Official Selection at the LA Femme Film Festival and featured at Sedona International and Awareness Fest Film Festivals, “Sacred Journey of the Heart” is a powerful and inspiring documentary that traces the role of the heart in connecting us to our higher selves, our spiritual essence, each other, the planet and the cosmic design. The heart is the single organ that not only creates a unified field among all people, but also creates a harmonic field with the earth itself. The compelling film reveals how modern science is proving what ancient peoples have known all along: we are all connected – and that connection is the human heart. Featuring such luminaries and bestselling authors as Greg Braden, Joe Dispenza, Mary Morrissey, Colin Tipping, Sarah McLean, plus Dr. Rollin McCraty and Dr. Deborah Rozman of HeartMath, along with an array of other spiritual leaders, indigenous elders, and scientists, the film is designed to give people new tools to achieve a state of “heart centered balance,” so they can create a peaceful state of connection in their own lives. For more information, go to: www.sacredjourneyoftheheart.com
