To Live from the Heart, Love is Not Enough
What does it mean to live from the heart?
To live every moment guided by love. Isn’t that the dream?
Walking around every day feeling in our whole beings the love we have for our friends and family. Feeling blessed, connected, full of joy, and eager to share all the goodness we have. Oh, and the well-being of loving ourselves! Self-love, self-acceptance, self-worth. Love that wants to be celebrated, for we are perfect as we are! To nurture and be grateful for every single moment. Wouldn’t that be a better life?
But love is not the only thing that lives in our hearts. As every challenging interaction we have with other people shows us, love is slightly more complex than that.
In my spiritual practice, we say there are three flames burning in the heart.
The first one is the Flame of Love.
The second one is the Flame of Truth. Wisdom. Honesty.
What is the point of being loving, nice, and kind to everyone if it is not fully honest? If we don’t act on our words and feelings, our thoughts and words are not connected to our deeds? If we are nice even when we don’t want to be nice?
There are many levels of wisdom. Existential wisdom; who we are, where do we come from, why are we here.
There’s our collective reality; how we treat the environment, the social and power structures we have created, and no longer serve us.
Then there’s our self-awareness, and being honest in our relationships. What do I want? What do I need? How do I want to give love and receive love? Can I say clearly what I want and stand for myself? Do I go after it?
And the other way around. What is it that I don’t want? What I don’t like? What goes against my values?
If I am engaging with someone and I don’t agree, how do I stand for myself? What are my boundaries?
If I am dating someone, but then I don’t want to anymore, can I say thank you for the time we shared, and walk away, respectfully, in honesty, love, and presence? Or do I ghost them, express myself badly, or even worse, stay there when I don’t want to stay and end up hurting myself?
We are here to heal, not to hurt others or ourselves.
Truth serves love. Self-love. Self-acceptance. Self-respect. This wisdom brings much empowerment to love.
Love, without truth to fuel its potential, is a bit weak. Truth without love can be harsh. I’d say love and truth together is a pretty strong combo.
The third flame is the Flame of Transformation.
The transformation that occurs inside of us when we act out of love and truth for something bigger than you and me.
That’s the flame of devotion. Purpose, service, divine love. Big love that allows us to be our higher selves.
We are perfect as we are & we need to grow. Both, together, are true. The flame of transformation fuels us with love for the journey of growth.
Would a mother allow her small child to eat a whole gallon of ice cream?
Living from the heart is not eternal fluidity, to allow anything, being nice saying yes to everything.
Because living in truth will not allow that. Wisdom knows how to nurture us for our best.
Connecting to the chakras, the heart energy center is governed by the element of air.
The air we breathe fuels our flames, and as we breathe in and out we are taught that we are to receive and to give back.
It is the element of water that is all about fluidity; not air. The element of air is more concerned with ideals, with direction.
Air is the element in between, connecting what is above and what is below. Heaven and Earth. Higher body, lower body.
As I see it, living from the heart is living in alignment.
Alignment of the three flames.
Love, truth, transformation.
Living from the heart is bringing Earth closer to Heaven. It is integrating all our different sides. It is not an integration of the rational mind, but an integration that can only be done with love, truth, and devotion.
Living in such alignment is a lot of work, but it is work that is done with clarity of purpose, in connection, devotion, and joy. Isn’t that the dream?
Living from the Heart Requires Healing our Hearts
When we start putting attention in our hearts to waken the different flames, it is normal to stumble upon old sores. All old emotional injuries, things we did not dare to do, or say aloud are stuck within. Often we don’t even consciously remember these things.
As we open our hearts, these old feelings start moving and calling for our attention. They have been there waiting for us all along, to be ready to take care of them. The only way to do it is to no longer ignore our hearts. To no longer abandon ourselves, and our dreams. Slow down, and let what is within reveal itself. Healing can be painful, but the reward is immense, as this process allows our higher selves to show up.
Most of the time these sores are around our inner child, for our inner child also lives in the heart. The first step to healing is to connect again to that child. Let her play, let her express herself, let her love life. Recover a sense of joy.
That also includes becoming a better parent to ourselves. Acting out of love and honesty with ourselves. Self-love, self-awareness, self-nurture.
So sit with your heart, pay attention to what is going on there. Invite emotions to talk to you. Be honest, and loving. Be the playful child and the nurturing parent. And breath into those three bright flames.
Hi, I am Aline Ra M, spiritual guide, energy worker, and tea lover.
How about a heart meditation for more ease and grace?
