The Emperor, Heart Tarot

Who's controlling your heart - you, or past traumas and early programming?!

Even if you can not fully decide how and what to feel, you can decide how to deal with the emotions, and by that actually do some "reprogramming" if your present program isn't to your liking! 
For one reason or another you might have shut down parts of your heart, so that - even if you are 'open' - you might have trouble 'letting in' for example.

I'm in the middle of experiencing and exploring the great difference between being open, understanding, kindhearted, sharing and caring, and actually Letting In. 
It's one thing to openly share things about yourself and easily answer questions about everything about you and accepting someone fully, and quite another to actually let someone 'come close'. 

Might it be the difference between empathy and intimacy?

(Again, recommending the book What Happened to You :))

Deck: Heart Tarot
Theme: "matters of the heart"
Card: The Emperor