My heart is the lighthouse through which my soul shines

A few weeks back, I opened up to my yoga instructor, Cristina Madrid, about the dichotomy I felt during our heart-opening classes—my absolute favorite yet undeniably challenging. She responded by repeating my words: "Lying on the block with the heart open is uncomfortable. The heart doesn't stretch the way I would like it to." Her additional remark lingered in the air, "Discomfort is our medicine."

In resonating with her perspective, I've come to understand that for me, the discomfort itself is the goal. It acts as an essential checkpoint; before we experience discomfort, we may not recognize areas where we aren't truly well. The discomfort of those yoga exercises prompted introspection, urging me to pause and reflect. Within that discomfort, I unearthed a persistent complaint I had grown accustomed to: "I am not as loving as I would like to be." This complaint came bundled with its familiar excuse, "That's what I learned while growing up." But deep down, I know better, and I hold the responsibility of nurturing the expansion of my heart.

In the following week, while meditating with inspiration from Macarena Chiriboga's Quantum Empowered course, I grappled with the challenge of opening up my heart. I used to think that sharing our love and magic meant connecting with the universe through our crown chakra—an imagined ray of light extending from the head into the cosmos. Yet, the real struggle emerged when trying to move my energy from the heart to the crown. My thoughts unintentionally held back the subtle light of my being, which included dreams, feelings, and emotions. This realization highlighted the crown chakra's role as the channel for releasing excess matter to the universe, allowing for a renewed energy flow. On the flip side, the heart is where we share our love, soul, and spirit. It's the hub from which we serve the world and manifest our dreams. Now, in my mind's eye, I see the heart's space as a continually expanding circle, always charged and emitting a radiant beam of light forward from its center.

This newfound perspective sheds light on why our heart-centric classes with Cris emphasize stretching the chest forward and gently pushing the heart beyond the body. It's a metaphorical act, symbolizing the breaking down of physical and emotional barriers, enabling the radiant energy within to flow freely.

Through discomfort, I find the opportunity for growth—a transformative journey where my responsibility is not just to recognize but actively contribute to the expansion of my heart, embracing the challenge as an integral part of the path toward becoming the loving person I aspire to be.