The worst prison is a closed heart and its bars are made of self induced fear. Many never escape its deadly confines for true freedom lies in facing and defeating fear by fully opening your heart : Allen L Roland
When you consciously deny love or run away from love it will effect every cell in your body because love is the very source of who we are.
Denying love is the ultimate NO to ourselves and it raises havoc with our psychic health - or, as I am fond of saying - the greatest remorse is love unexpressed.
In essence, when we deny love we go into a prison whose bars are made of fear.
Let me describe what it is like in that prison since I have briefly experienced it three times in my life and each time it occurred when I consciously denied or ran away from love.
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The world seemingly turned grey.
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Life, in general, seems to have little meaning.
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You feel lifeless and despondent.
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You see spiritual emptiness all around you because the ego is externalizing your own spiritual emptiness.
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You feel lost and alone.
So how did I get out of that prison ?
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I stopped denying love.
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I consciously and courageously went through any fears associated with that decision to say no to my heart.
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And in the process of going through those fears I found and embraced more of myself ~ I literally felt my heart expand as I went through those fears.
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I realized that truly being my authentic self was not only enough ~ it was beautiful !
The path to the soul is through doors of fear !
When you conquer fear by not being controlled by it - you will realize that it is, indeed, the path to the soul.
The Ego resists this path because it wants to be in control and was created to protect you from psychic pain. However, the path of the heart demands that you relinquish control to the soul and become part of something much bigger than yourself.
That is why relationship is the true test of who we are because only in relationship are we forced to face our deepest pain and fears and eventually embrace ourselves .
Love is the great crucible and it demands that we surrender , let go of control and be burned in the fire of realness and authenticity.
Few have the courage to do this but like a moth to the flame - we all, at the deepest level, want to be part of that fire and claim our part in a Universal loving plan. It doesn't happen painlessly !
As such, the ultimate YES to yourself is fully opening your heart ~ for in fully opening your heart you are fully embracing yourself.
It was Gibran who wrote, "think not that you can direct the course of love for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course." In other words, love continually demands that we surrender and become part of its grand design.
So, in summary , the worst prison is a closed heart and the only way out of that prison is by saying YES to your heart at the risk of everything . Only then will you finally defeat fear, experience true inner freedom and enjoy peace of mind.
Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2008/05/07.html
Freelance Online columnist and recognized therapist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations consultations ( allen@allenroland.com )
Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net 
