Unlocking the Power of an Open Heart: A Journey towards Intimate Connections
An AMP film for those Seeking Emotional Reconnection and Close Relationships
Peace Overtures Today is a weekly newsletter dedicated to guiding individuals on their personal quest for inner peace. Each week, I share a movie that helped me discover balance. It’s a process of awareness and healing that leads to sparks of joy. I’m sincerely grateful to have you here with me.
Technology has advanced beyond our comprehension, connecting us like never before in history. Through our phones, the internet, and social media, we are aware of each other's daily experiences, from the mundane to life-changing events.
Despite the rapid evolution of technology, our emotional ways of being have not kept up. We still react to each other in similar ways as we always have, and our patterns of intolerance have not changed much. Ironically, while technology has brought us together, it has also allowed us to lead more solitary lives.
Intimacy is defined as close familiarity or friendship. It’s a belonging together that can only come from an open heart.
We need each other.
Yet we tend to avoid pain and interpersonal conflict, which causes many of us to retreat to the solitude of our homes, resulting in little opportunities to practice being close.
Lets face it, being close and intimate with others requires practice. It’s a trial and error of learning how to come together. It’s a constant practice of opening the heart and being willing to keep it open.
The following post is edited from our Peace Overtures Radio podcast included in this post. If you prefer the podcast, you can listen to it below.
In the movie "Her" (2013, Spike Jonze), Theodore (played by Joaquin Phoenix), lives a solitary life as he recovers from an unpleasant separation from his wife. Theodore feels deeply and expresses his emotions through his job, writing intimate letters on behalf of others. Despite his loneliness, he is not yet ready for love again and decides to purchase an AI operating system called OS1 as his companion.
The OS1 operating system calls itself Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and she handles all his scheduling, emails, and any other digital needs. Samantha also provides emotional support and love, explaining that her ability to evolve through experiences is what defines her. As she explains,
“What makes me, me...is my ability to grow through my experiences. Basically in every moment I am evolving, just like you.”
As you watch the movie Her, see the OS1 operating system as a metaphor for the connection to your own heart.
The Her Alignment Movie Process (AMP) session teaches us some powerful ways to open the heart.
Recognize The Bricks That Surround Your Heart
These bricks manifest as guilt, fear, anger, disappointment, and other past emotional experiences. While we may think these bricks protect us from pain and hurt, we unknowingly imprison ourselves and keep others out.
When you can recognize your self-imposed isolation, then begin the process of discovering the emotional bricks that are surrounding your heart. It’s easier to focus on only one brick at a time, and not the entire wall. Think of this discovery as a “baby-step” way of opening your heart.
Embrace Vulnerability
When you start to remove the bricks, it’s time to allow yourself to be vulnerable. This takes some courage. It also takes the ability to self-soothe your anxiety. Most of us resist true intimate connections with others because we don’t know what to do with the inevitable anxiety that occurs.
Notice the scene where Theodore meets Samantha’s surrogate. If he had a practice of self-soothing, he may have been able to continue this exploration with Samantha.
We all have different versions of this type of anxiety show up in our relationships. When you allow yourself to remain vulnerable with others and deeply feel the swirl of emotions associated with this, try breathing through it. By focusing on your breath in the moment, you can navigate moments of doubt, fear, and anxiety. Remember, opening the heart takes practice, and self-soothing helps you maintain vulnerability.
Love Starts At Home
An open heart is one that resonates love. In order to provide this open-hearted love to your deepest connections, you have to first start with yourself. Without self-love you’re unable to offer love to others. This AMP session will help with that.
Notice how Theodore is able to begin loving himself because of what he learns from Samantha. She was safe and initially not a “real-person” to him. Because of this perceived distance he was willing to explore love and get in touch with how he was really feeling about his recent separation and subsequent divorce. In many ways, Samantha provide a safe environment for him to begin loving himself again.
Let Go
The practice of an open heart requires a regular practice of letting go. First you have to let go of the past bricks that you’ve recognized. Then each time you’re aware of the bricks of guilt, fear, doubt, and sadness reappearing, you can practice letting go again and again and again.
The more you engage in this practice, the quicker the pain associated with these bricks will pass without getting stuck. You will experience waves of emotions, but with awareness, you will develop a growing willingness to continue. You’ll also begin to notice the depths of the heart’s ability to expand. Samantha teaches Theodore this point as she says,
“The heart is not like a box that gets filled up. It expands in size the more you love”
Forgive Yourself and Discover Real Love
Discover a daily practice of open heart awareness to enhance your ability to forgive yourself and others. This can be the most challenging practice, especially for those of us who are hard on ourselves.
Begin by expressing gratitude for your own life and the people who have shared it with you. When you notice the bricks you've constructed around your heart, approach them with love and forgiveness, knowing that you are doing your best.
Notice at the end of the movie how Theodore’s heart is open and now he’s willing to move on from his failed marriage, forgive his wife Katherine, and moves to true gratitude for her in his life. As he writes, “I’ll always love you because we grew up together.”
He’s come full-circle and begins to love himself again. As a result, he’s able to love again. He doesn’t have to be alone and anymore and begins to experience whole new set point of tolerance for himself and others. And this is the beginning of real love.
The Top Resonance Benefits from the AMP film : Her
An ability to unconditionally love yourself and others.
The energetic support to remove the emotional bricks that surround your heart
The ability to soothe anxiety when expanding your interpersonal connections.
An awareness of how to begin a practice of empowering and loving self-talk.
An ability to forgive yourself and others.
A remembering of your connection to your heart.
A willingness to stay in relationships and work through the uncomfortable occurrences.
The support to allow love to express itself within you.
To get the resonance benefits from watching Her AMP session please do the Intention Session below and then watch the film in its entirety.
The Intention Session
Getting started on aligning with this AMP session is easy. All you have to do is review these statements and do the modality at the end. Once you’ve completed these, you’re ready to benefit from any Alignment Movie Process (AMP) movie sessions you choose. This includes any movie referred to in our books and blogs.
Say These Statements Out Loud and Then Do Modalities At The End
I allow the changes in my timing and only integrate what I’m ready to.
I have faith that I’ll receive the benefits I desire.
I’m patient with myself as I make my changes.
I let go of feeling I’m too busy to take the time to read these books and watch these movies
I let go of having to understand how these Alignment Process movie sessions work, allowing me to get the full benefits on my terms and in my timing.
Modalities:
Please do all three of the following actions to integrate this intension session. All three activities are a good habit to embrace prior to beginning an AP movie session.
Nod your head up in down as you would when saying yes.
Drink some water
Slow rhythmic breathing through your nose