Two things are required to awaken in this lifetime: opening your mind and your heart.
As you open your heart and mind, wonderful things happen to you.
With an open mind and heart, life becomes a wondrous adventure, one of continuous learning and creating. You are able to be more in the moment ─ and notice more of the synchronicities that surround you.
On the other hand, when the mind and heart are closed, our view is limited. These blinders reduce emotions to constrictive ones, like fear, doubt, and anger.
It’s essential to open both the heart and mind. A too-open heart can cause you to be naïve and overly trusting. You lack discernment and can be the fool rushing in where angels fear to tread.
On the other hand, if your mind is open but your heart isn’t active, then you may become overly mental and analytical. You know things but are lacking a feeling about them. Feelings may be hard to fathom and identify. You can grow detached from life and love.
As a note, for this article we are speaking of the mind that connects with source, not the physical brain, which filters the mind’s thoughts and energies. The mind uses the brain to communicate with the physical body.
We are also speaking of the spiritual heart here, not just the anatomical heart. The spiritual heart is a bridge to the soul and spirit. It opens us to the timeless realms ─ this connection then sends a transmission so we can be more in our body and present to our experience.
Here are a few suggestions for opening your mind and heart.
Opening the Mind
With an open mind, you are humble as you consider what you know and what you don’t know. You have a beginner’s mind so you can see things afresh.
With a curious mind, you are like a metaphysical scientist seeking evidence wherever it leads, on whichever dimension (material or immaterial) that it can be found. Remember that some areas, such as the paranormal and energy healing may lie outside mainstream acceptance.
So, a discerning mind wouldn’t stop at the status quo, such as current science and psychology. An inquiring mind knows that today’s heresy is tomorrow’s self-evident truth. After all, the earth does revolve around the sun, healthy fats are good for you, and there are better treatments for depression than lobotomies.
To get more insight, evidence or guidance can also come from the invisible realms, such as guides, angels, and masters. 
Furthermore, an open mind can embrace uncertainty, ambiguity and paradox. Looking at the big picture, a discerning mind uses scale and relativity to see relationships and develop understanding of the soul. We then sense what is important and how pieces fit together as life unfolds.
Opening the Heart
A happy open heart goes beyond sentimentality and melodrama. This would include, for example, getting lost in childhood memories (sentimentality) or caught up in conspiracies (melodrama).
The open heart appreciates subtler emotions, evidenced by fine art and music, nature, and kindness. The heart of hearts understands non-verbal language, including vocal tone and gestures. It hears what’s behind the words.
An open heart is grateful for all that one has been given, including the gift of life itself. The heart focuses on the good from the past, the present and what may still come.
Also a loving heart is a gateway to the soul. It helps you heal and grow.
Final Thoughts
An open heart and open mind form a great team, a like Laurel and Hardy, Cheech and Chong, Hope and Crosby.
It takes heaven (our spiritual home) and brings it down to earth, embodying that energy into our daily life. Then the light behind our eyes can awaken. We can see, think and feel at a deeper level.
The veil lifts as we enter a new world, where uncertainty and certainty coexist. We can explore the unknown, and take calculated risks with our mind and heart guiding us forward.
In other words, we embrace the mystery, with a smile on our face and brimming with curiosity. We harness our gifts and talents to fulfill our life.
Besides being a soulful practice and way of embracing life, opening your heart and mind is a rejuvenation practice. Expand your mind, feel the love and much more is possible.
Take a deep breath in through your nose… and feel your mind relaxing and heart opening … As you exhale … feel that lightness, that things are alright ─ and enjoy ease and flow right now.