Thoughts on progression through the chakras?

[Stranger]

Reading the Q'uo archives, I came across the following fairly recent message (September 19, 2015):

Now, with such an attitude in place, one may move up the system of energy centers to that ray which we have called the orange, and we find there that the attitudes that one has towards other selves with whom one has a personal relation are central to this energy center; and also the sense of self that one entertains for oneself is a factor of importance for dealing with the intake of energy at this level. Blockages may occur at this center when difficulties are discovered, either in the relation of the self to itself, or in the relation of the self to another. If these blockages are in place, it is well not to attempt to go higher, for to do so will mean that one is working with higher energies in a way which is distorted at a level below their proper sphere, and it is not possible to correct these imbalances while in the configuration of the higher energy center. Therefore, while for example, it may seem highly desirable to the seeker to be doing work in the blue ray or in the indigo ray center in meditation, this work will not be effective until the clearing of the lower energy centers has been achieved. When one feels joy in relation to others of one's immediate acquaintance, when one feels joy in being who one is, one can then make the effort to move higher in the chain of energy centers, and undertake work within the yellow ray center of activity.

I've heard similar statements many times on the forums here, but they don't seem to match my experience.  My personal spiritual journey started with realizing the importance of love and the open heart, as exemplified and taught by Buddha and especially Jesus. I worked first and foremost on being able to love intentionally, by choice, rather than only when love was automatically elicited from me by favorable circumstances.  This despite being blocked in the bottom three chakras - especially the third.  And this paid off hugely; I still had ongoing problems with my relationships to self, others and my work caused (as I now know) by these blockages, I was able to achieve a great deal spiritually - by seeking loving contact with the Highest, I was able to reach it despite the blockages. 

The key point is that it was the heart that got me there.  The perspective of the heart, of unconditional love, to me, is the only way that I've found to cut through the apparent insanity and emotional maelstrom of this world, and reconnect with one's higher nature; to get sufficient clarity of perspective to be able to heal the lower blockages rather than seeing the world through their distorted emotional "eyes", if that makes sense.  For me also, it has been the ability to access love which has enabled me to directly heal the blockages, one by one, and my guides have confirmed to me that love is in fact the only way to heal blockages.

So my question concerns how this compares to others' experiences?  It does not make sense to me that one should wait until the lower 3 are in balance before proceeding to attempt to live from the heart.  I notice that in the Q'uote above, they mention not doing work in blue or indigo until the lower chakras are cleared - perhaps there is a reason they leave out the heart/green?

[Stranger]

Never mind, should have read further. They clearly say,

The principal effort typical of third density meditative work is the opening of the heart chakra—or the green ray energy center—for only when this center is opened can work in the higher centers be engaged in a way that reflects the polarity we have called service to others.

[sjel]

I have had to pretty much do zero work on any of the chakras because of the intensity of my orange ray blockage. It was only when I began to relentlessly look to my orange center for literally every interaction with the world, every single thought, that it began to unblock. I was devoid of all orange ray energy, that's how bad it was. A complete void of energy, and all the disharmony that that comes with.

The first month I did that there were a few times that I felt my heart open up into this overwhelming, unconditional love space for the whole world - but that energy had to squeeze through the intensely restricted channels of my orange chakra. That's how I know that when I have my lower three chakras open, my heart will come quite naturally - and that's also how I know that my lower three are NOT currently open. Because I don't feel that overwhelming heart energy.

It is only very recently that I started yellow ray work - it has literally not been possible to do ANY because of the orange vacuum. (Thus up until recently I have been an unhappy recluse!).

I wholeheartedly believe, Stranger, that the lower three centers are absolutely essential for work on the heart chakra. No question for me. Until my lower centers are fully and completely open, I'm not even going to try opening the heart, aside from random moments where I'm really feelin' it.

[GentleWanderer]

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[GentleWanderer]

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