Open Heart - Open Mind?

[Starman]

Is having an open mind the same as having an open heart? Personally I do not think that it is. An open heart has more to do with unrestricted feelings while an open mind is accepting of various thoughts or ways of thinking.

But how open should we be? Open to the extent that anything goes, or are there limitations to being open? Being open is often associated with being liberal, but open-ness is also associated with spiritual development.

American society is more open today than it was 30 or 40-years ago, with lots of liberal views becoming mainstream; views which were once shunned or thought of as fringe, and some in our society think that this open-ness is not a good thing.

So I’m just curious, how do you view open-nes, or being open?

[Shivani Devi]

Is having an open mind the same as having an open heart? Personally I do not think that it is. An open heart has more to do with unrestricted feelings while an open mind is accepting of various thoughts or ways of thinking.

But how open should we be? Open to the extent that anything goes, or are there limitations to being open? Being open is often associated with being liberal, but open-ness is also associated with spiritual development.

American society is more open today than it was 30 or 40-years ago, with lots of liberal views becoming mainstream; views which were once shunned or thought of as fringe, and some in our society think that this open-ness is not a good thing.

So I’m just curious, how do you view open-nes, or being open?There are two different types of open-ness, restricted and unrestricted.

The first, I reserve for sensory things - like information and opinions and environmental influence.

The second type, I reserve only for God.

The first type brings about understanding and clarity of thought.

The second type brings with it the endless unfolding of spirit.

The first type brings with it restraints in heart, mind and body according to self-perception.

The second brings with it totally unrestrained movement of heart, mind and body without perception.

The first represents a willingness and keenness of the spirit to adapt and change.

The second represents the willingness to surrender the spirit to that which has always been.

In the presence of God there is no limitation about how open one can be.

[Khalli]

Necro that was beautifully written.:hug3:

[Shivani Devi]

Necro that was beautifully written.:hug3:Thank you...heart wrote it. :hug2:

[Starman]

To Nacro's heart........Namaste.:hug3:

[Mr Interesting]

I can't even begin to think in that way. I mean we are what we are when we is where we is.

Opening and feeling openings? That kinda makes sense but as for where the mind stops and the heart begins, or even what each is and might be as a different thing... that's completely beyond me... I have no idea, and maybe it is that I simply don't want to know, maybe I already know and have forgotten... I don't even know that... but openings and sparks, I kinda get that.

There's a woman at the moment and she kind of appeared a while back and it felt like she might have something, what that something was I have no idea but it was like my ears peaked... as if I was listening for something I couldn't quite hear.

Then she started appearing more often and I could hear something, it was quite loud and brash actually... on the surface, as it were, but then there was something too on the edges, quieter, a curiosity. And so the question became can she hear? Yes, it seems she can and then it's like what does she hear and where are the edges.

Long story short... yes, she has the spark, there is a glowing ember but the walls are high. Maybe the mind is the walls and the embers, the sparks are the heart... that's kinda neat.

[tainamom]

for me, open heart is when your heart chakra is opening and you are able to tap into the Unconditional Love from the Source of Love. This will help you to tap into the innate heart wisdom and will not negatively affect your mind. Our mind can be controlled by either our innate heart wisdom (heart chakra) or emotions (located in the solar plexus). So when someone says an open mind, you must also have an open heart because an open heart has wisdom and uses discernment. some people will try to convince your mind that something bad is really good, but with an open heart, you will not be fooled. just from my experience.

[intj123]

whatever opens her legs is good

[Robinski78]

Is having an open mind the same as having an open heart? Personally I do not think that it is. An open heart has more to do with unrestricted feelings while an open mind is accepting of various thoughts or ways of thinking.

But how open should we be? Open to the extent that anything goes, or are there limitations to being open? Being open is often associated with being liberal, but open-ness is also associated with spiritual development.

American society is more open today than it was 30 or 40-years ago, with lots of liberal views becoming mainstream; views which were once shunned or thought of as fringe, and some in our society think that this open-ness is not a good thing.

So I’m just curious, how do you view open-nes, or being open?


For me, it's quite simple... If something is to be opened, the general purpose is to put something in, or take something out... The giving or receiving... The extent of the opening, is (or should be) at least equal to the size and/or shape of that being extracted or implanted: for obvious reasons...
That to me is 'ground rule stuff' - that needs little ratification...

Just one of my points of view, that others might not be ready to engage with...

Robbie....

[naturesflow]

I am open to what is. I am aware when I am open, I feel something, I relate, I listen it moves me in some way.

Life opens me when I become aware I am being something in life moving with life. When I am more aware of myself in many ways of being open in myself, I notice the change in me in a variety of ways. I notice the reactions my body creates in the movements of life moving me.

I make choices in all that about how I choose to deal with all this in myself.
Am I open to myself to know what is moving? I know how open I am when I am both moved and unmoved. Balance then shows me what remains. How I feel, how I relate to those feelings. What I choose to build on in that experience will reveal how deeply I allowed the experience previously to show me itself more complete within me once more expressing/experiencing myself with life, in me, often when it requires me to open to more of the same, I know I might have missed something, so I listen and open to more.

Openness for me is being observant and noticing myself moving with life and how I am in all that. Balance often shows me now, I don't have to strive to be open, I just notice myself in reflection of being myself in all that.

[Greenslade]

But how open should we be? Not the best of questions, in my humble opinion. 'Should be' takes us away from ourselves and into what is not us. We are only 'here'.

The Universe simply allows. It does not say 'You should be open' it simply allows you to be open, closed or shades in between. It is in that allowing that the consciousness comes because it no longer stems the flow - and all consciousness is consciousness just the same. In a more poetic way there is a stream of consciousness that flows through us, thoughts and beliefs are like the flotsam that is carried on the current to be noticed one moment then allowed to continue its Journey in the next to be replaced by another belief or thought. Anything else is degrees of stagnation.

[Jared.L]

I do not think it is the same. You may have open mind, but closed heart. And vice versa. I think open mind is for the new information and physical experiences. And open heart is for new feelings, spiritual experiences.

[Molearner]

Is having an open mind the same as having an open heart? Personally I do not think that it is. An open heart has more to do with unrestricted feelings while an open mind is accepting of various thoughts or ways of thinking.

But how open should we be? Open to the extent that anything goes, or are there limitations to being open? Being open is often associated with being liberal, but open-ness is also associated with spiritual development.

American society is more open today than it was 30 or 40-years ago, with lots of liberal views becoming mainstream; views which were once shunned or thought of as fringe, and some in our society think that this open-ness is not a good thing.

So I’m just curious, how do you view open-nes, or being open?

Starman,

They are different. Think about it. If one has an open mind that implies that they are open to all evidence and remain open to new evidence. It implies that they can recognize that previously they were wrong, in error or mistaken. This can be a life changer. It can lead to forgiveness, empathy, the humbling of one's self.........the recognition of the dangers of judgment, etc. I said that it can lead to these changes. The caveat remains whether one can expand this beyond specific instances and adapt it to be inclusive of all instances and circumstances. In other words, I am saying that some allow themselves to be 'open-minded' on specific things but remain close minded on other things.

IMO, to have an open heart implies that one is open minded in all things. Basically I am saying that being open minded can bring change and lead to having an open heart whereas one that is said to have an open heart already is open minded.