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Most of my adult life, I’ve thought of my heart as just an organ in my body that thrived on low-cholesterol foods and occasional daily exercise. I also believed if I didn’t take care of my heart, I would die early, the way my father did at age 56.

My view of my heart, however, changed recently when I watched a film by Drew Heriot, the director of the movie The Secret. I knew that this new film would be special because Drew and Author/Producer Baptist de Pape had come together to create a movie that was 5 years in the making. I planned my week around watching the movie, picking a Saturday afternoon when I would have time to lock the front door of my condo, turn my phone off and sit on my hardly ever sat upon sofa. What I forgot, however, were the tissues. Nobody told me that I might need them, too.

As the film began, I was swept into a story of a young samurai and his quest for heaven, as he was living in his own private hell. He sought out the help of a sage who guided him on a journey of self-discovery, a journey from his head to his heart.

As the film progressed, the samurai and I were guided and mentored by some of the most influential spiritual teachers of our time, including Paulo Coelho, Mark Nepo, Immaculee Ilibagiza and Isabel Allende, to name a few. Dr. Maya Angelou told me “If you don’t know what to do, do nothing. Don’t fill your time with trivia.” She smiles. “Simply do nothing. Simply sit. Don’t do anything and you may be able to hear your heart.” I leaned in closer to the screen and also learned from Maya that I can actually talk to my heart. I asked myself: If I could hear my heart, what would it say? When my heart finally answered, would I have the courage to listen and, better yet, do what my heart was telling me? I soon realized that my heart needs more than a low- fat diet and exercise; it needs to be nurtured.

Eckhart Tolle, another film co-creator, joined me on this wonderful Saturday afternoon journey, telling me that The Power of the Heart will connect you with who you are at the deepest level. Like many people, I have done some personal work over the last 30 years to figure out how to do this, and now I finally understood that the journey to connect with myself lies in my heart, not in my head. That Saturday afternoon I also learned about the scientific proof, through the Heart Math Institute, that my heart is much more than a physical organ. As we live through our heart, we can actually transform our views of money, health, relationships, and success. The heart is an inexhaustible source of love and wisdom that far surpasses that of the mind. I am fully on board.

As I witnessed the emotion of the samurai and the teachers in the film, I heard tales of great hardship and even the horrors of war (physical and self imposed). I learned that I can forgive others, as well as myself. I found myself thinking of all the times I was mad at someone. Did it really matter? What toll did it take on my body, and whom did that welled-up anger serve? In the end we discover the power of forgiveness and the healing it brings not just to us but to the world as well.

I reached for another tissue. I was not sad. I was moved. Maybe I was becoming enlightened, as years of anger and self-doubt were being understood and examined as I continued down the path with a now-expanding heart.

As your journey begins, if you find the courage to ask your heart the questions, your heart will surely give you the answers you need to go forward. Relationships will heal. You will find grace in forgiving an enemy, and you will realize it is okay to just sit and be. Don’t we all want to see the good in people? The Power of the Heart calls us to explore ourselves and discover the treasures we hold in our chest, revealing that with an open heart anything is possible.

By the end of the movie I became a Samurai, changed forever. I found hope that I can mend my strained relationship with my daughter. I learned that total strangers can complete bucket lists and that my heart is more than a glob of tissue pumping in my chest.

My heart opened, and I was speechless. I resolved to sit on the couch more often. Needing a good five minutes to reflect on all the lessons I learned in 90 minutes, I was glad I locked the door and turned off the phone. As the credits rolled for The Power of the Heart, I realized my journey from my head to my heart is just the beginning and a wonderful way to begin my 57th year.

Michele Cohn
Creative Director
Beyond Words Publishing

Michele works very closely with Baptist de Pape. De Pape explores the realm of the heart and what it means to live from that space, rather than living merely from the head. This change of emphasis led directly to some astonishingly synchronistic events.

From his spiritual awakening blossomed the concept of a movie in which he would interview the leading spiritual teachers, authors, and scientists of today. Baptist went on to film and become good friends with many of his interviewees and was generously helped by Gary Zukav, Eckhart Tolle, Maya Angelou, Isabel Allende, and others. For more on the film, please visit: http://www.beyondword.com/product/the-power-of-the-heart-DVD