Valentine hearts showing up everywhere in February appear to be mostly the result of savvy marketing campaigns, yet having a month defined by a big-hearted love fest right in the middle of it, prompting us to openly express tender affections, is certainly lovely. 

Such a heart-centered month naturally lends itself to reflections on the physical and emotional health of our own heart, and Editor Linda Sechrist leads the way with a comprehensive look at cardio care in, “Rethinking Heart Health,”. Beyond standard prescriptions for proper nutrition, exercise and stress management, a holistic approach explores the psycho-emotional components, as well.

After many years of research, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, an integrative cardiologist and bioenergetics psychotherapist, concluded that heartbreak was one of the major causes of heart disease. His work now helps patients to repair and reopen a broken heart by releasing harmful long-repressed emotions. What emotions are seeded in your heart? We invite you to sit quietly and listen.

Each day, I like to take time to tune into my heart’s desire and ask how I can best express it today. Inevitably, thoughts and inspirations flood in; someone might come to thought accompanied by a feeling that we need to connect; other times, the phone rings and they’re on the line. 

Intimate relationships are effective laboratories for opening and healing our hearts. I am witnessing many people moving through transitions lately… mirroring, I think, the deeper, more authentic connections and life openings we all long for.

In preparing for this month’s interview with author Katherine Woodard Thomas on her Calling in “The One” phenomenon, I enjoyed looking into her online course and find value in her work. As a single woman, I resonate with her insights for attracting love by going within to discover and release our hidden barriers to receiving it.

Kathryn reminds us that usually, “A gap exists between how much we think we want love and how much we are actually open and ready to receive it. Until we bridge that gap, we will covertly keep love at bay, and won’t even realize we are doing it.” Instead of running around trying to find love somewhere out there, she teaches us how to come a love magnet.

Yes, it’s tough work to overturn internal issues and patterns that keep resurfacing and sabotaging our best intentions. The good news is that we now have updated approaches to assist us in more quickly accessing and releasing blocked energies. You’ll find plenty of local licensed psychotherapists and life coaches using more interactive methods and problem-solving tools to help you realize the next level of healthy self-awareness and happiness.

My Valentine’s Day wish is that you fall unconditionally and deeply in love with yourself first, so that your loving cup runs over to naturally flow outward and extend to all you meet. Let’s see how much love we can spread around this month!

To heart-centered living,

Sharon Bruckman, Publisher