Awakening the Spiritual Heart

The seat of consciousness/spirit or awareness, home of the spiritual heart, is called Shen in TCM and Pneuma in Unani medicine. A disruption of the spiritual heart, referred to as disturbed shen, describes many conditions including deep grief, sadness, melancholy, depression, rage, sleep disturbances and anxiety. In the Unani tradition, the inability to experience joy is a primary indicator of disease of the spiritual heart. Both belief systems held that any extended disruption of the spiritual heart initially led to emotional and spiritual distress, and ultimately to physical ailments. Maintaining a spiritual heart benefits the emotions, spirit/consciousness and ultimately physical well-being.

So how do you awaken it? How do you connect with and heal that deepest part of yourself? In order to maintain a spiritual heart, it must first be awakened. An inward journey, this requires a willingness to find that still place of knowing which resides deep inside each person. Avicenna, the father of Unani medicine, described a three step process for awakening the spiritual heart. The initial focus was on protection, then centering and finally opening or sharing wisdom developed through this inward journey. In order to have a centered heart, one which rests in equanimity, the heart must first be protected. In order to be open, the heart must combine protection with centering, so that true opening and wisdom can flow.

Spiritual Heartedness, in the sense I'm teaching, utilizes many different holistic modalities so one can achieve different octaves of healing. Herbs, flower essences, essential oils, shamanic journeying, meditations and mantras are all part of the healing process. The student can use any or all modalities throughout the different phases of the course. The work truly meets you where you are and takes you as far as you're willing to go on your inward healing journey.