Is Your Heart-Wall Over-Protecting You?
When the emotional walls we build to protect ourselves begin to suffocate us and prevent us from living our truly authentic selves, something needs to change, and that change is usually a change of heart, I've come to find 😊
More specifically, it involves removing your Heart-wall.
In the Emotion Code, a Heart-Wall® is understood as an energetic barrier made up of trapped (Heart-Wall) emotions that the subconscious mind creates around the central, sacred organ to protect us from emotional pain.
So just think about that for a moment. When we experience the loss of a friendship, heartbreak, rejection, grief, betrayal or other deeply painful events, it makes perfect sense that a part of us might want to prevent us from experiencing that hurt ever again.
Perhaps a failed relationship left us so distraught that we became afraid to re-open ourselves up to love again. Or maybe being rejected for a promotion cut so deeply that we stopped putting ourselves forward for new opportunities. Without even realising it, we may put up a subconscious wall to protect ourselves from ever having to experience that level of pain again.
But in doing so, we can end up refusing to move forward, keeping ourselves stuck in the emotional baggage of our past. What began as a way of protecting ourselves can eventually become a barrier to reaching our authentic selves and full potential, a barrier to growth, connection and new experiences. And when those walls dictate how we live, what we pursue and who we allow ourselves to be, they can become incredibly suffocating, preventing us from expressing our true selves.
We may not have consciously decided to build those walls around our hearts, but according to the Emotion Code, our subconscious can create this kind of emotional protection with good intentions.
And in difficult times, the idea is that this very protection serves a definite purpose; it's what gets us through, like a rock-hard helmet that gets us through the hail, or a big umbrella that gets us through the rain. It helps us cope with experiences that might otherwise feel overwhelming.
But what happens when those difficult times have passed? What happens when the hail and rain stop? What happens when the protection remains, even though the circumstances that led to it have changed? Do you really want to still be stuck wearing that annoying helmet? Wouldn't it get hot? And would you really want to continue carrying around that huge umbrella, wouldn't it get so awkward and annoying?
The Heart Protector: A Little Wisdom from TCM
Interestingly, the idea of protecting the heart isn't exclusive to the Emotion Code. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Pericardium is traditionally known as the Heart Protector. The organ of the Heart is considered particularly important in TCM, with connections to our emotional and mental wellbeing, while the Pericardium is understood as a protective layer around it.
Imagine the Heart as an emperor in an ancient Chinese kingdom, with the Pericardium acting as a trusted guardian, or guard, protecting something oh-so very precious from harm.
That guard is essential, of course. But what happens if that guard becomes so protective that nobody is allowed through the gates at all? Not even the Emperor's long-lost loved ones, or essential people who could help him elevate his kingdom? The very protection intended to keep the kingdom safe could also prevent it from experiencing the relationships, opportunities and connections that would allow it to thrive and flourish.
Although the Pericardium and the Heart-Wall® are different concepts, I find this a fascinating parallel to consider. Both invite us to reflect on the relationship between protecting the heart and allowing ourselves to remain open to life.
When Protection Turns Into Overprotection
Have you ever known a parent, say, for example, an over-bearing father or a hyper-vigilant mother, who is so protective of their child that they end up holding them back? Perhaps they worry about every possible danger, discourage their child from taking risks and try to shield them from anything that might cause disappointment or intense pain.
Their intentions are pure, and good. Of course, they love their child and want nothing more than to keep them safe. But at what point does that protection become overbearing, and too much?
At some stage, that child needs to be allowed to grow, make his or her own decisions, experience life and discover who they really are, and who they came here to be. If the parent continues to protect them from everything, they may unintentionally be causigng more harm than good by preventing them from becoming the person they are capable of being.
I think Heart-Walls and our emotional protection can work in very much the same way.
When we've been hurt, a part of us may try to ensure that that level of pain never returns to us again. We might become extremely guarded, struggle to trust people or keep people at a far-away distance. And while that very response may have helped us through a difficult season of our lives, it can become overbearing, and self-sabotaging to our own success, when it continues to dictate how we live long after the experience itself has passed.
You see, I believe we all came here for a reason. Our reason. Our destiny. To do the very thing we were brought here to do. My life's work has been dedicated to helping people unlock that part of themselves and reconnect with the very identity and purpose they came here to fulfil. But how can we do that if we're paralysed by the past, stuck behind the very walls we've built to protect ourselves?
Because, really in trying to protect ourselves from being hurt again, we are also holding ourselves back from who we truly are and all the good that can come to us: love, connection, new experiences and the freedom to express who we truly are.
Sometimes, protection can become so overbearing that it starts to feel less like a safety net and more like a cage.
And perhaps this is the point where we step back and ask ourselves, truthfully, whether the protection is still serving us.
Just as an overprotective parent eventually needs to loosen their grip and allow their child to grow up and become their own person, we may need to recognise when our emotional defences are no longer serving us at all, when they're no longer serving us, but hurting us even more. That doesn't mean abandoning healthy boundaries or leaving ourselves open to more harm. It means allowing ourselves the opportunity to grow beyond the experiences that conditioned us to be afraid and to remain in survival mode in the first place.
Because being protected from every possible hurt isn't the same as being free to live.
When Your Heart Needs Room to Breathe
The same protection intended to shield us from emotional pain may also stand between us and the things in which we want most: love, connection, friendship, joy, intimacy and the freedom to express who we really are.
A Heart-Wall® then, isn't a sign that something is wrong with you. Within the Emotion Code framework, it's understood as a protective response rather than a personal failing. But protection that once felt necessary may no longer be helpful in the present.
We can recognise that our past experiences may have shaped us, but they don't need to define every experience that then follows. We can learn to trust people again, open ourselves up to connection and embrace new possibilities without pretending that we've never experienced pain or hurt.
Sometimes, the first step is simply becoming curious; curious about what we're still carrying and whether it continues to serve us or if it's now feeling a little too heavy, or suffocating even.
Could You Have a Heart-Wall®?
According to the Emotion Code, Heart-Walls® are very common. In my experience, they can contain anywhere from a handful of trapped emotions to many more, sometimes dozens or even hundreds.
But what does that actually mean for you, and how might you recognise whether you have one?
Perhaps you find it difficult to let people in, even when you genuinely want to feel closer to them.
Maybe you struggle to trust others and find yourself holding back in relationships or feel as though there's an invisible barrier between you and the people you love.
You might feel emotionally disconnected, find it hard to express affection or notice that you keep people at arm's length without fully understanding why.
For others, it may be less obvious. You might be successful in your career, surrounded by people and seemingly doing well, yet still feel incredibly alone and that something is missing.
Perhaps you long for a deeper connection, more freedom to express yourself or the confidence to pursue something that truly matters to you, but something seems to keep holding you back.
Also, did you know, the Heart-Wall has physical symptoms too! People with a Heart-Wall often report neck and shoulder pains.
Of course, these experiences can have many causes, and they don't necessarily mean you have a Heart-Wall®. But if any of this feels familiar, it may be worth exploring whether unresolved emotional experiences are still influencing how you connect with yourself and the world around you.
I invite you to book a session with me through Eyes on Emotions and together we can navigate the release of your Heart-Wall.
After all, the walls we build to protect ourselves aren't always obvious. Sometimes, we only begin to notice them when we realise how much they're keeping out, as well as what they're keeping in.
How Can the Emotion Code Help?
During an Emotion, Body and Belief Code session, or my specific package, the Online Heart-Wall Clearing Sessions (6 sessions) package, I use muscle testing to identify trapped emotions that may be ready for release. Where a Heart-Wall® is present, we can work through the trapped emotions associated with it, one at a time.
Sometimes, not always, it becomes apparent, that the subconscious also wants you to know the material in which the Heart-Wall is made of. It, your subconscious, often conjurs up an image of something that is very personal and specific to you, and that you would understand instantly, such as a heart-wall made up of wood. Look at the testimonials from clients I've worked with below to understand further.
The process is gentle and non-invasive. There's no need to force yourself to relive painful experiences, and every person's experience is different. Some clients describe feeling lighter, more open or less weighed down after a session.
Here are two experiences shared by clients I've worked with.
"During the session, I discovered that my heart had been trapped in a concrete bedroom wall, the material my subconscious chose and which I immediately recognised. The emotions released went all the way back to my childhood. My subconscious directed Catherine to release what must have been well over 50 Heart-Wall® emotions. Today, I don't feel like I'm suffocating anymore. I can finally feel the love that emanates from all the people in my life. I feel free, and so, so much lighter and happier." Sarah J., Leeds
And here is another:
"Catherine and I discovered that my heart was buried inside seven coffins! To me, this made sense as there was a period in my life where I was seeing coffin after coffin. It was a very sad time, full of grief. Together, we removed the Heart-Wall® emotions one by one. And now, I feel so much lighter, and happier. The things that happen to us in life can shape us, but they don't have to forever taint us." Alexandra D., Bangkok
Is Your Heart Ready to Let Go?
You know, you really don't have to keep carrying yesterday's emotional weight into tomorrow. And you don't have to blame yourself for the ways you and your dear heart have learned to protect yourself from pain. That protection, somewhere back in time, was deeply needed.
Your emotional defences may have developed for understandable reasons. They may even have helped you through some of the most difficult situations and moments, the most testing chapters and seasons, of your life. But you are allowed to move forward, and move beyond them when they no longer continue to serve you.
If you feel emotionally guarded, struggle to let people in or simply wonder whether a Heart-Wall® may be affecting your ability to connect, an Online Emotion, Body and Belief Code Session offers an opportunity to explore the trapped emotions that may be ready for release, and during our session, we may find there is a Heart-Wall. I find it is often better to let the Subconscious guide us to when it is ready to bring down that wall. There's no point in forcing it, and sometimes, it takes removing regular trapped emotions first.
Your heart deserves to feel safe. But it deserves to feel free, too.
Book an Online Emotion, Body and Belief Code session with Catherine at Eyes on Emotions and take a step towards greater emotional openness, connection and freedom.
The Emotion Code® and Heart-Wall® are complementary wellness concepts and practices. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical or mental health condition, or replace professional medical or psychologicall care.
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