Heartfelt Living, Heart Language and Healing as a Way of Being
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 18 minutes ago
Cameron Tukapua coaches people to heal and transform their lives and relationships through conscious Self-care. Her offerings are based on four decades of clinical acupuncture and teaching experience. Cameron is the author of 'Heartfelt Living – How to Navigate Change and Healing: Your Ancient Wisdom Guide'.
Instinctively, we know our Heart rules our life, yet most of us don’t know how it rules. The sweet thing is that the Heart’s language is plain and simple. It requires listening to deeper parts of ourselves, and now is always the entry point. The wisdom traditions of Chinese medicine, Yoga and Indigenous peoples recognize the heart as the bridge between the worlds of body, mind and spirit. It is home to our higher mind and our pure awareness. It is our doorway to love and connection to others, and it reads how our body feels.
The heart uplifts us, unites us with others, and grounds us. In this way, it connects our inner and outer worlds. When we listen to our heartfelt awareness, we find our best teacher living inside us. Deep down in our heart, we know what feels right and true for ourselves. Acting on that inner knowing helps us show up to life as the most whole version of ourselves, which is “healing as a way of being.”
Seven steps to healing as a way of being
1. Be present
Slowing down and being awake to the mystery of the moment opens the door to the heart. Our heartfelt awareness is engaged by living in the present. This inner knowing is naturally attuned to the oneness of life, the place where all is well and all is one.
A healthy heart’s presence has an open, peaceful, happy quality of being, with an energy that is enlivening. Practices such as prayer and meditation help to anchor this peaceful state, which can generalise into everyday wellbeing. Singing, dancing, having fun and listening to music are other powerful ways to come directly to the energy of the moment.
2. Befriend your higher Self
In Yoga traditions, the Self, with a capital S, refers to the highest consciousness. Our higher Self lives in our hearts and, like all good friends, it loves our attention. Our inner Self is divine, whole and beautiful. It wants the highest for us because it is the highest in us.
“Meditate on your Self. Honour your Self. Worship your Self. Understand your own Self. God dwells within you as you.” – Baba Muktananda
3. Play and have fun
A healthy heart’s energy is light, happy and carefree, like a child. Its sound is laughter. To keep the Heart strong, make time for dancing, singing and music. These are universal ways of powering up our heart energy.
Having fun is essential for a happy, heartfelt life. As a healer who deals with the heavy stuff of life, including death, chronic painful illness, sadness and depression, I have to have fun to survive! When I stop laughing, I know I’m in trouble. For me, it’s time for some uplifting music, a dance, a swim in the ocean regardless of season, time with some wild, freedom-loving friends, a drink or a party. What do you do for fun?
4. Live in allowance
The heart is our unifying organ. It helps us connect and find balance within ourselves, as well as with those around us. Studies show how opening up to others by focusing on positive emotions, such as gratitude and acceptance, can help harmonise all levels of being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. HeartMath scientists refer to this as coherence, a high-performing state that brings out the very best in us.
The Heart’s view is also like the sun in the sky, light and expansive. It is able to see all things as part of one energy. It knows how to live in allowance of different ways of being as a natural part of life.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there.” – Rumi
5. Find your voice
In Chinese medicine, each of the internal organs governs a sense, and speech belongs to the heart. As we give voice to what is true for us, we bring others into our picture. Speaking our truth can help open up more authentic communication.
The heart knows what is appropriate. It discerns how to find the right words and say them at the right time. Truthful, timely communication helps build strong-hearted connections.
In a training with anthropologist Dr. Angeles Arrien, the importance of speaking up by “saying what is so, when it’s so” was emphasized as a tool for healing old hurts. I learned from her teachings that aligning content, context, and timing is critical for effective communication. Misunderstandings can easily occur when these three are not aligned.
Speaking up may make us feel vulnerable, especially if we are not practised at using our voice. At the same time, honest truth telling is essential for clearing conflict and forging real connections with ourselves and others.
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.” – Martin Luther King
6. Free yourself to be your Self
If you want more for your life but don’t know what or how, that’s okay. Many of us have been conditioned to think we should always know where we are going, and when we don’t know, we judge ourselves. The deeper truth is that “life is a mystery” and full of surprise!
“Not knowing” is part of living a Heartfelt life. This way of living is a step-by-step approach rather than a destination-focused approach. This process can give us the courage and confidence to stand up, speak up, and shine.
7. Love your Self
Loving our Self is one of the greatest contributions we can make to our healing. It is a direct route to becoming the most whole version of our fragile, human self.
Disciplines such as Yoga, Qigong, meditation and positive self-talk, when practised with Self-love, transform our lives. These self-care routines invoke high-vibration feelings like joy, bliss and happiness. They help us feel whole and at one with the world around us. This is healing as a way of being.
“Close your eyes. Fall in love. Stay there.” – Rumi
The ancient wisdom teachings are plain and simple. They offer us a language for connecting with deeper parts of ourselves and others. If you are searching for something more for your life, I invite you to come on a heartfelt journey with me. Learn more about my live, interactive masterclasses, “Heartfelt Living” and “Nourishing Roots.” For a deeper dive, individual wellbeing healing and professional development support, join me for one-to-one coaching. Free yourself to be your Self.
Read more from Cameron Tukapua
Cameron Tukapua, Heartfelt Living Coach & Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Cameron Tukapua is a wellbeing coach who shares ancient wisdom teachings from Chinese Medicine, along with Qigong, Yoga, and Meditation practices. She helps people align the head and heart. Cameron has written a book called ‘Heartfelt Living', and her work has been featured in Thrive Global. She offers Individual coaching, online study pathways, and face-to-face wellbeing retreats.
