What does it mean to open the heart? People often believe that opening the heart means we make ourselves more vulnerable to others, to being hurt, rejected, or disappointed, or to be being overwhelmed by others pain. This misconception is based on the reality of the ego and false personality, which sees opening the heart as opening to gain something we need and do not have. But from the perspective of our essence, our inner divine nature, opening the heart is to open more fully to the deeper truth that is within the heart, not to something outer that is other than ourselves. Our heart is an organ of perception, and the more open it is, the more it perceives the divine in ourselves and in others. When it is fully open it is divine love itself. We perceive our hearts to be a radiant center of love. This divine love loves self and other equally. There is no co-dependency, no need to find love outside the self. At the same time though, it attracts love as like attracts like. We find love, compassion and non-judgement all around us, and feel the same for ourselves. This is the nature of the hearts essence, and is our divine birthright.