In the context of this blog, I make the difference between opening the heart and awakening the heart chakra. I will start with the awakening thing also called activating.
People everywhere have the bad habit to think in term of box or container. Your house, your ipod, your cellphone, your computer, your television they are all boxes or containers. An energy center like the heart chakra is not a box therefore it cannot be opened or closed, saying that you are opening your chakras is an incorrect statement, the concept of closed chakras can’t possibly be applied.

Activating or awakening are more correct labels. Awakening the heart chakra simply means to increase its vibrations once the chakra vibrates faster or finer should I say, it is possible to do more with it, this is the same for all the chakra, “opening” the so-called third eye is just changing the vibrational rate of the 6th chakra.

Now opening the heart is something different it is accepting self-love, self-respect and self-worth, demonstrating compassion and loving others as yourself, consequently doing this make the heart chakra vibrates in a finer manner.
The more you have painful past memories the more complicated it will be to “awaken” your heart chakra. For instance as a “personality” you might be observing a stream of consciousness in yourself that chants “Oh Gosh, I have been so hurt by men, there is no way, I will let this happen again”. This stream of consciousness , this energy is making the process of demonstrating love and awakening your heart chakra more difficult.
If you encounter difficulty with that forgiveness and comprehension are the solution, as you understand your condition you forgive the past and move on.

A list of related entries:

Healing the Heart

The heat in the palms of your hands

Tolerance

Meditation Mastery Activations First experience

Brain Sync Attract Love

What is the love meditation ?

Some doors are best left closed ..not really

Installing Love