The Light that Shines in Our Hearts
By: Gina Lobito
(6 min read)
As I sat down, I pondered what to write about. I thought of my youth. As a child, my brothers and I would be tasked with raking the leaves that had fallen from the large maple tree that stood proudly in the northeast part of the property where we grew up. Instead of being grumpy, my brothers and I were ignited with excitement and playfulness.
Each of us would choose a rake, grab the large black plastic bags, and race each other to the front yard. We would begin to rake the leaves, but before any leaf saw the end of light and entered into the darkness of the black plastic bags, what would we do? Yup that’s right, we would play in the leaves.
We would create piles of leaves then throw them in the air, jump in, or kick them about. Anything except put them in the bags. Not sure which one of us thought of this, but we decided to create the ultimate pile of all leaves to jump into.
My brothers and I, working together, raked and raked until the pile was monstrous. Well at least it was in our eyes. I am sure my mother, who was watching us from the living room window, would share a different account. As she watched, each of her youngest children, one by one, climbed up the swing set, crawled across the jungle gym portion, stood up tall, without a worry nor fear in our thoughts, jumped from the top of the jungle gym and landed safely into the pile of leaves.
Now that’s TRUST!
As I reflect on this memory, I am filled with joy. Yet, I cannot help but wonder, what is this unseen force that ignites such creativity, playfulness, free spirit, and trust?
More importantly, when did I “lose” it?
As I grew older, adolescence came, and the teenage years. My focus became more about school and athletics. Life simply changed in its natural course. Gosh, as early as I can remember, I loved playing sports. According to my parents, they did not have to teach me the difference between a baseball or soccer ball. I just knew to throw one and kick the other. Naturally, my involvement and love for sports grew and took up the majority of my time, traveling from one city or state to another.
I did notice, I just never felt like I “fit” in. I was not a drinker or someone who partied. I preferred intimate gatherings and did not care for gossip. I just did my schooling, my sports, and would go home. It was in my mid 20’s when I started dating and developing stronger friendships. That’s when I started having lucid dreams and became aware of past life experiences and karmic relationships.
At the time, my relationship with a dear friend became filled with conflict, and we were unable to find resolution. But it was also the first time I felt true love for another human being who was not in my family nor a romantic relationship. There was nothing physical about this. We were best friends. We adored each other as if we were sisters who cared for each other very much, yet we were strangers. We would just look at each other and say, “No, we’re not sisters. Yes, we care for each other.” But something changed. Our friendship just was breaking apart and became intense. We just could not fix it.
My older sister recommended I call Patricia Bankins. She was a shamanic practitioner, crystal healer, and psychic. I called, and to my surprise she answered the phone on the second ring. I barely got a few words out, telling her my name and who my sister was. Boom! She just started channeling, describing the entire past life connection between my friend and me. We were sisters in another life. In that life, I killed her…WOW! I just started crying. It’s important to point out, Patricia spoke more about the ENERGY of this life coming through and playing out in the present time.
I scheduled a healing session with Patricia, and she laid quite a few crystals on me, and checked my chakras (energy centers). When she got to my heart, she said, “Wow, open your eyes. Look at the pendulum. It’s safe to say you’re leading with your heart wide open. Let’s close that a little bit and bring it back to balance.
I remember seeing the pendulum swing so fast that it was parallel to my body. A pendulum is a shamanic tool, usually on a chain with a crystal at the end of it, and it swings or rotates in specific directions depending on the energy or intention given. Patricia used the pendulum to assist in reducing the opening of my heart chakra. As the session was coming to an end, she told me, “ You will come back to this work in your 30’s.”
Forgetting about this experience, It was in my mid 30’s when I began using crystals, studying bodywork, and healing arts. As I worked with a client one day. I remembered what Patricia said. Ha! There I was, in my mid 30’s doing this work, checking clients’ chakras with a pendulum, and using crystals.
What I have learned about the heart energy is that it is creative and emotional. The majority of people keep their heart very “protected” making it challenging to give and receive love. If the heart is too closed, our eternal light becomes dim.
In my opinion, we are all seeking to be ignited and return to the forgotten parts of ourselves which never truly left us. Somewhere along the journey of life, we dim our light and protect our heart.
Interestingly enough, we innately, always return to the light. Often, seeking the light from something or someone external from yourself. It’s in the soul’s divine time that we remember the light has never left you. It’s within your heart. Just fan the flame a little, and the fires within will burn bright. You have to remember to rekindle your relationship with your HEART.
You may be asking, “How in the heck do I do that?”
For me, it became more natural to develop a better relationship to, not just my heart, but life as well. As a student of Shamanism and Metaphysics, part of the way I experience life is in relationship to Earth and connecting to the HEART of the Earth and remembering Earth as a teacher.
To me, that means everything I experience in life is a teacher and has the ability to ignite the unseen forces within my Heart and Soul, connecting me to something greater than myself.
In mystical teachings, such as Gnosticism and Sufism, it’s referred to as the ‘Divine Spark’ which exists in all humans. In Ancient Vedic traditions it’s referred to as “The Light That Shines in Our Hearts.”
I know this light to be referred to as the Three Fold Flame, which exists in a secret chamber of the physical heart. The Three Fold Flame is depicted as three plumes which anchor universal qualities of power/will, wisdom and love.
- Blue Plume – Gods Will, Power, Voice, Throat Chakra
- Gold Plume – Illumination, Wisdom, Crown Chakra
- Pink Plum – Love, Compassion, Heart Chakra
I feel it’s important to note, though the Three Fold Flame may be depicted in the Heart Center, it’s important to not limit it as a fixed point. Rather a conduit of energy which is boundless.
I like to visualize the qualities of the Three Fold Flame as a permeable filter which all experiences of human life run through within the physical body. This Heart Activation is a key to experiencing life
I like to think of the heart as this filter as you experience an inner ascension and reunification with your true self. Anything that is in the way of fanning the flames of your ‘Divine Spark’ will cause, as Carolyn Myss, puts it, a “Soul Alert,” when listened to, will guide you back into the direction of your Heart and Soul, in alignment with your higher self.
I have no doubt, when you begin to fan the flames of your ‘Divine Spark,’ your Heart, you will reignite the creativity, playfulness and trust remembering to play with life and create.
So, for now, I leave you with this quote about the light:
“There is a light that shines beyond all things on earth, beyond us all, beyond the heavens, beyond the highest, the very highest heavens. This is the light that shines in your heart.”
― Chandogya Upanishad
Gina Lobito
All Things Wellness, LLC
ginalobito@soul-inspired.org
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