Testimonials

Reading about others’ experiences will hopefully help you to see how wonderful it is to finally move beyond simply knowing what your heart can do for you, to really enjoying moments when you are using your heart. Below are some heart sharings from our Reiki TUMMO™ alumni all over the world.

Before learning to open my heart, I didn’t do much, spiritually speaking: I grew up, got married, bought a house, and had two boys. Praying and meditating were not part of my routine.  Then, one day I was guided to touch my heart and to do Open Heart Prayer... My world hasn’t been the same since! 

Life took on a different meaning; it isn’t the struggle it used to be.  Before opening my heart, I would become so angry if a mess was made in the house, or I would grow worried about bills, or get stressed out if the boys were running wild, etc.

But since learning about the heart, I look at everything differently. When my boys are upset, instead of getting so anxious, I smile at them and do everything I can to guide and remind them about their heart. As far as messes go, messes can be cleaned up. So much stress has been eliminated since opening my heart—and whatever stress I do feel now, touching my heart and smiling for a few minutes takes care of it.

The best part, though, of having my heart opened by True Source is being so much closer: feeling how True Source Loves us so completely, and relying on the Blessing to really love True Source more. Praying is also so beautiful, and leaves me feeling so sweet and tender…so Loved every moment.  It doesn’t matter what I’m doing; I know True Source is always helping us, always Loving us completely. 

Crystal Sanders,
Pennsylvania, USA

One very clear realization I had when connecting with my heart was the thought that this is so normal…so natural I think that was a turning point of realizing something big.

Through the “eyes” of our heart, we can see beyond the stories that separate us from others, and instead start to witness the things that connect us. For me, it was the beginning of the relationship with unconditional Love.

Opening my heart has connected me to the mightiest force in existence: True Source. And it is true. It is real. Not an idea or a concept, but a feeling so actual and beautiful that I know—beyond any knowing my brain can ever give me—that this is the Truth, Infinite Love and Light.

Now I know I don’t have a heart; I am a heart. The heart's natural role is to share with others the Love and Light that flows from True Source. What a beautiful journey it continues to be, re-discovering who I really am.

Steve Ray, Educator
Melbourne, Australia

Using my heart has changed my prayer life.  I am now able to feel and experience the Love within my heart, as well as my spiritual connection to the Creator, the True Source.  Praying from the heart—not just with words—allows me to feel and be grateful for the many blessings received; helps me to surrender my problems to, and rely on the Creator’s Love to work on my heart and life; and helps me to realize the importance of forgiving and asking for forgiveness.

At home, being within my heart helps me to smile and be more joyful when interacting with family members.  (It also changes doing housework, which in the past caused resentment).  Caring for family members by sharing the Creator’s Love is so wonderful, as interactions from the heart with loved ones are now gentler, more patient, and more loving.

The way of experiencing and using the heart is the most joyful and wonderful way to live—sharing the Love with others, and loving our Creator, the True Source, more and more.

Sally Mydlowec, Executive Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs,
Pennsylvania, USA

Back then I was Miss Super Busy, with two cellphones and a pager, determined to succeed in the cutthroat business of real estate.  I wanted to be the top agent, selling several properties each month.  But at the time, making just one deal was already challenging.

Yet I was such a workaholic that I kept telling myself, “I am happy being a workaholic.”  I often worked until 2:00 am, on Christmas, on New Years, you name it.

Then one day, I attended a workshop given by Padmacahaya, at the insistence of my brother.  In the middle of meditating, I was awestruck and thought, “Wow, this is really beautiful.”  At that moment, something deep within my heart was touched by the smallest drop of Love…and the most beautiful feeling in the world woke me up from my so-called reality.

Tears came running down my face for over an hour as I kept apologizing, many times over.  I had realized the presence of our wonderful and so Loving Divine Father.  I felt how Loved I was, despite all my wrongdoings.  From that moment on, I vowed to live my life for True Source, because no one has ever Loved me the way True Source does.  I had a purpose.

After opening my heart, I made not one deal, not two, but a whopping 14 deals in one month—and my success has continued with me working even less hours, and my commissions increasing.  But instead of getting excited and driven to sell more, I just realize I am continually blessed. 

Looking back, I can see that we are so good at fooling ourselves.  I have now become so much more open-minded, patient, and caring towards others.  Before I couldn’t even say the word “love” without feeling uncomfortable; now I say it often everyday, with joy in my heart.  I am truly grateful to True Source to have been touched and awakened.

Jennifer Lee, Real Estate Agent
California, USA

Before learning about the heart, when I prayed to True Source, it felt flat, and I was never sure if my prayers were heard.  I remember how I prayed only when I had problems in my life, or because at school or at church a bunch of us were being told to pray together.  Words came out of me without any feeling; I was simply reading prayer lines. 

Now it is completely different: prayers have become beautiful, and I am able to go into a deep state of connection.  I feel how I am communicating with True Source—how my prayers reach up to True Source, Lovingly listening, and are accepted with the beauty of Love.

Sunny Tjandrakesuma,
Perth, Australia

After riding the waves of life for 48 years, I started looking for the real meaning of this existence.  Inadvertently, I came across the Open Heart Workshops given by Padmacahaya Institute, and my searching ended here.

In learning about the heart, my life changed.  Anger, arrogance, and other negative emotions dissipated—not because I was holding myself back from expressing them, but because they naturally started to resolve from within.  As a result, my life has become more in harmony with my own family, and with other people.

In the past, I sought success for its own sake in this material life.  But with the heart, I realized how temporary life is; how we should enjoy it in good health, calmness, and happiness.  Mere worldly success did not bring me those wonderful things. 

By using my heart, wherever I am, I can avoid bad situations, and be within the peace, beauty, and joy of life...while continuing to be productive and enjoying it.

Willy Iskandar, Business Owner
Jakarta, Indonesia

My life shifted after I opened my heart.  The facts of my external life are still the same; but my heart attitude and my whole self have changed, and are still changing. 

Now that I have found my heart, I am able to stop worrying about my situations, and have even become grateful for them.  In my daily life, I am more relaxed and not stressed out anymore (even though sometimes I am extremely busy, and my job is filled with turbulence).  Surrendering to True Source, feeling the joy and peace, has also helped my biggest burden—a suppressive, desolate sadness because of loneliness—to lift more and more.

With our hearts, we are able to feel and to realize the presence, beauty, clarity, and the absoluteness of Divine Love for every being.  To be allowed to experience this is the biggest joy I can imagine.

Thank You, True Source!

Angela Frenz, Contractor
Germany

I am a mother with six children and ten grandchildren.  In the religious sermons that I attended, I kept hearing that praying must be accompanied with a smile and that it must come from the heart.  With all the prayers that I did, I was quite content with my connection with True Source. 

Then I started learning how to open and use my heart.  I could feel the differences clearly before and after opening and using my heart.  I became calmer, more peaceful, and more joyful.  It was beautiful.  I was able to get into a deep state when I pray, and I could really feel the beautiful connection every time I called out to True Source.  I also started to feel the longing for True Source, and I surrendered more.   

When I went on my pilgrimage again, I could definitely feel the difference between that pilgrimage and the previous one.  I was filled with peace, joy, and beautiful feeling.  Everything became more beautiful without anything holding my feeling back.  Neither the hot weather nor the throngs of people could affect me.  I was able to be there with gratitude and sincerity.

Hj. Rusmala Dewy,
Palembang, Indonesia

I have never been taught how to open my heart and go into my heart in my many years as a priest and a missionary.  By opening my heart, I am able to feel, enjoy, and be grateful for God’s ever-present Love, which is a blessing for both myself and the congregation that I serve.

Fr. Ignatius Sudaryanto, CICM
Jakarta, Indonesia

Often, I find myself sharing that before opening my heart, I sincerely believed that I was making great spiritual progress.  But as I reflect back, it seems as though it was all a dream—quite unreal,quite empty and devoid of feeling. Now, as I enjoy the experience of learning to open my heart, the feeling is so wonderful, so beautiful…tears of joy arise.

I continue to honor the traditions I grew up in as a Buddhist Lama.  Externally, there will always be diversity within spirituality.  I spent a whole life building bridges between cultures and spiritual traditions, and encouraging all I met to be more tolerant and open.  But internally, at last, I have truly found, truly experienced our unity, our common ground.  Real unity, within the realm of the heart.

Lama Thubeten Gonpo Tsering
Illinois, USA