By Eric L Johnson
Last week I wrote about the importance of listening to our (psychological) heart, a seriously neglected topic in modern psychology, but very important in a Christian psychology. People typically experience their psychological heart in and throughout their chest; and not as identical with their physical heart (Limanowski & Hecht, 2011; Fetterman & Robinson, 2013). This is likely due to the spreading of the ventral vagal nerve – primarily involved in calming, parasympathetic nervous system activity – throughout the chest.
This week I’d like to share an exercise I’ve used that mysteriously promotes a deep sense of calm in our body/soul. It has to do with “opening up” our heart and it takes about 15 minutes. The activity would seem to be implied in a few passages of the Bible where, for example, the Psalmist asks God to search him and know his heart (Ps 139:23), and Paul encouraged the Corinthians to open their hearts to him, as he has to them (2Co 6:11-13).
Find a quiet place with a comfortable chair and sit down, close your eyes, and take a minute to relax yourself and get centered. When you feel settled, first, recall that you’re already holy and beloved by God (Col 3:12), because of your union with Christ. Everything is fundamentally and eternally good about you and between you and him. Next, imagine “opening up” your chest and “airing it out,” so to speak, letting the light in and fresh air. Breathe in slowly, from your diaphragm, as if your lungs had direct access to the air and didn’t need your throat. Notice the calmness that this breathing brings; feel the goodness passing in and out of your chest. In Christ, you have no shame, and you have nothing to hide from anyone. Continue breathing deeply, while in that safe place, and you might pray something like the following:
“I thank you, my God, for this open space we have between us, with nothing in the way. I welcome you into my life.” Rest in his presence for a minute.
“Please let me know you better, my Father, and show me your glory.” Wait for him and see what happens.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart. I long to be seen by you. Show me whatever you want me to know about myself.” Wait for him to possibly respond.
“I love you, dear Father. Thank you for all you have done for me.” Then, let him tell you how much he loves you.
When the conversation feels like it’s over, you can wrap up the exercise and get on with your day.
If you can try this exercise every day for a couple of weeks, please write to us at admin@christianpsychologyinstitute.org and let us know how it affected you.
References
Fetterman, A. K., & Robinson, M. D. (2013). Do you use your head or follow your heart? Self-location predicts personality, emotion, decision making, and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 105(2), 316.
Limanowski, J., & Hecht, H. (2011). Where do we stand on locating the self?. Psychology, 2(04), 312-317.
This is part 2 of 3 for this series.
Eric founded the Christian Psychology Institute a decade ago while serving in Christian higher education. Since retiring from Houston Christian University in May 2024, he has devoted himself to building CPI into a national hub for training, scholarship, and certification in Christ-Centered Therapy.
An accomplished author and editor, Eric is widely respected for his work at the intersection of theology and psychology. He brings over 25 years of pastoral counseling experience and is a frequent speaker at conferences and academic events.
Eric is married to Rebekah and cherishes time with their two children and three grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and bike riding.
