I think the heart chakra is very important. I did not always feel that though.

In the past I had learned and practiced Kundalini Yoga as taught through 3HO. This works with the upward flow of energy through the chakras. If there are issues at a chakra then it blocks a flow of this energy, so it is important to open up or unblock all the chakras.

I later joined Eckankar, a light and sound path similar to Sant Mat. There they emphasied only the 3rd eye saying that once that is open then those below would fall into place. This is working more with the downward flow of energy from above. I also had a certain snobbish attitude that I only worked with this higher chakra, let those less advanced people work with those lower ones.

Later still I started reading the newsgroups and Kathy (grailworks) posted about the heart. She is a Sufi so I see where some of that influence came from. At first I still had my attitude left over from Eckankar. So I didn't really "hear" everything that she was saying. There were others also who posted about the heart.

I also started listening to MaharaJi speak, and although he does not teach any kind of system based on chakras, or any other system for that matter, he did mention following your heart and not your head. At first I had a problem with this empahsis on the heart, thinking that somehow this was "lower", less advanced, although I did agree with not being locked into the logical mind. He is where my heart began to be opened.

Another source that mentioned the importance of the heart was the Plieadians (sp?) as channeled by Barbara Marciniak. In one of their tapes they were discussing the spiritual evolution of mankind as a whole. That we were just getting to the stage of opening our heart chakra, starting from the base as in kundalini yoga.

I have started to realize the importance of the heart, the middle chakra between the lower ones rooted in this physical existance and the higher ones connecting to our spiritual existance. It is the "meetpoint" between the upward flow of energy and the downward flow.

As long as we have separate, manifested existance--physical, emotional and/or mental--then the heart chakra is a very important chakra, if not the most important. It is the fulcrum upon which our very existance is balanced.

This is how I understand it now, but I have not lived it fully yet. Thanks for posting the inspirering quotes and the meditation technique. This will help me understand with my heart as well as my mind.

Have fun!

=-Kathy->