An open heart is an open mind. Mind is the heart of the matter. If the mind is messed up, everything that matters in our life will also be messed up. The mind is messed up when we don’t keep it tidy. A tidy mind is one which is put in order. Peace of mind is more important than the material things of this world and more important than the mind is the Self (the soul, ATMAN). If we do not put our soul work first, then our mind is out of order and out of control. That mind becomes narrow and stingy, and gives one a heavy heart. Really, a heavy heart is simply a mind that is burdened with the thought of “little me” (ego).
Opening our heart means opening our mind to the wisdom of Consciousness; it means broadening our awareness and looking beyond our small self. It has absolutely nothing at all to do with being kind or gracious with the wicked and selfish-minded people. If we are open to those who are dead set on using us and abusing us, then we are definitely going to be used and abused, and we might even end up dead.
One whose heart is open is not stuck in their ego. Though they may still have ego, they do not live for their ego, nor do they try to please the egos of others. They are not people-pleasers; they are pleasers of soul, they are pleasers of the pure consciousness.
In our heart of hearts we are nothing but pure consciousness. When we remove all our mental debris we discover in the core of our being the pure state of Divine Love. That state of being is beyond wanting and desiring; it is beyond expecting, projecting, prospecting, accepting or rejecting. In other words, it is free of all selfish motives.
An open heart is a mind free of selfish motives. It is a mind devoid of any ego-agenda. When our heart is open and filled with divine wisdom, we become the source of solace and inspiration. We become a beacon of Light in this world, and when we depart from here we leave the mark of goodness and pass through the rays of the sun into eternity. OM