A conscious mind correctly functioning is a guardian for the heart. A weak and permeable conscious mind makes no distinction between that which should or should not be allowed into the heart, much like a border crossing guard asleep at his post.

The world is full of dubious and nefarious agents. Anyone who interfaces with the world as it now is without caution and thoughtful consideration is putting him or herself at risk. Conversely, there are many hidden gems at large in the world. Err too far on the side of caution or suspicion and you risk overlooking that which is worthy of note.

One of the challenges anyone involved in education or public speaking faces is that of overcoming doubt, pre-judgments and aloofness. I don’t think I’ve ever looked out over a crowd of listeners where no one had arms crossed in the beginning. Arms, as you know, serve many purposes. From the standpoint of body language, arms provide a physical shield for the body and a symbolic shield for the mind.

A shield protects its bearer from people and memes. When the shield is up, the message is “I’m not ready to trust you.” It may also say “I’m not willing to make myself vulnerable in this setting.” Part of any speaker’s responsibility early in any presentation, then, is to create a safe, inclusive and inviting atmosphere.

One of the challenges we face as a company in the field of integrative medicine is to create environments where people can be themselves, without pretense or heightened self-consciousness. Most people are understandably nervous in a new and unfamiliar crowd and the typical crowd arranges into two camps: peacocks and ostriches.

Both are strategies that obfuscate the reality of the individual. My team works very hard to appreciate the value inherent in each participant. As I’ve written many times before, we need one another and no single person is complete in and of himself. Hence the need for collaboration.

Professional titles are rarely an indicator of value. Neither are looks, educational degrees, relative wealth or the “right” connections. One of the great challenges in working with people is to help them look beyond appearances, for appearances as we know, are often deceiving.

The wise person looks first upon the heart of those he meets. The rest is just details. To look upon the heart of others you must first be open-hearted yourself, for prejudice, closed-mindedness and professional hubris distort the perceptive capacities of even the sharpest minds.

While I certainly wouldn’t advocate entering into every new situation with arms wide open, I do feel that it is important to approach life with an open and welcoming heart. Both can coexist, and it may be useful to approach a new situation with honest skepticism and respectful caution.

It never hurts to let people earn your respect. You needn’t judge them, for people prove themselves out over time. One of my favorite aspects of my present job is watching people come out of their limited, protective and isolationist shells. To do so takes courage, trust, a desire to contribute and an uncommon dynamic.

That dynamic is catalyzed in the presence of collaboration. If people who merit respect collaborate, the masses will listen. If, instead, they feud without regard for commonalities, disparage rather than uplift, then the opportunity for a generative outcome is greatly reduced if not lost altogether.

Remember this the next time you attend a class or teach one: arms crossed, no matter how tight, can be relaxed to reveal an open and generous heart. Whether the arms are yours or those shielding the body and mind of another, do your best to see that they come to rest.