The Sursum Corda
‘Lift up your hearts’
’We lift them to the Lord’
It’s an ancient command to orient your entire self—mind, body, spirit—toward God’s presence, used for 2,000 years at the Eucharist and available to you every moment of every day.”
Why it matters
It’s the foundation of all Christian worship
The Sursum Corda is the oldest, most universal element in Christian worship.
It dates back to at least the 3rd century and appears in virtually every Christian tradition: Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed, for over 2,000 years.
Billions of Christians over thousands of years have stood and said these words.
It isn’t just a catchy and uplifting slogan - though it is that! - it is grounding us in the ancient Christian faith.
It reorients our whole self. We live in a world constantly pulling us downward: to our worries, our phones, our tasks, our anxieties, our responsibilities.
“Hearts Up” is a call to turn ourselves upward:towards God
towards light and life and love
towards what matters.
It is not gentle suggestion for the church. It’s a summons.
“Lift up your hearts,” God says.
”Hearts up!”, we reply.
Here we are, God.
It’s spiritual stretching
When we say ‘Hearts Up!’ we’re participating in what the early Christians called “the ascension of the heart.”
We’re not just thinking about God - we’re internally climbing. Our soul is reaching upward to join the heavenly liturgy, the worship happening around God’s throne.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. - Colossians 3:1-2
We’re aligning ourselves with actual spiritual reality.
Why this Practice?
Hearts Up! is an ancient command to orient your entire self - mind, body, spirit - toward God’s presence. Available to you every moment of every day.
It’s not complicated. It’s not mysterious. It takes 3 seconds.
You’re learning to turn toward God.
This isn’t a technique I invented. This is what the Church has prayed at every Eucharist for 1,800+ years. When the earliest Christians gathered to break bread, they didn’t start with casual chit-chat. They began by reorienting their entire beings toward God: ‘Hearts up! Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.’
How to Do It
Every Morning:
Open your eyes, welcome the day
Say aloud: “Hearts up!”
Lift your gaze slightly - toward the ceiling, toward the sky
Feel your shoulders lift
Feel yourself turning inward, then upward toward God
That’s your spiritual warm-up for the day.
Throughout the Day:
Whenever you feel distracted, anxious, pulled downward - pause and say: “Hearts up!”
Try it:
Before a difficult conversation
When anxiety rises
When you feel shame or self-criticism
When you’re about to react in anger
Simply to reset and remember: God is here
Try It Right Now
Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing:
Say out loud: “Hearts up!”
Lift your gaze toward the ceiling or sky
Feel your whole being turning toward God
Notice what happens in your body and spirit
You just joined 2,000 years of Christian practice.
What Happens When You Practice
You might not feel anything - at least at first. And that’s ok!
You’re setting your intention. You’re saying: “God is above me, around me, calling me. I orient myself toward God’s presence and power.”
The practice becomes automatic. You don’t have to think about it anymore. You just turn your heart toward God.
Like the earliest Christians. Like billions of Christians over thousands of years.
The more you practice, the more you stretch and strengthen your soul. The more peace, connection, grounding, and JOY you feel.
Your First Week Workout
This week, your entire workout is:
Hearts up! - morning, midday, evening
That’s it. Just this one practice.
Don’t add anything else yet. Let this settle into your rhythm.
After one week, you’ll be ready to add the next practice to your Daily Anchor.
Want to Go Deeper?
Hearts Up! has deep roots in Christian tradition, Scripture, and the ancient church. If you want to understand where this comes from and why it matters:
Where the Practice comes from - Hearts up! (Christian tradition & history)
Biblical foundation - Hearts up! (Scriptural grounding)
Why it matters today - Hearts up! (Modern application)
Meet your Trainers - Hearts up! (Ancient Christian Practice coaches)
Troubleshooting - Hearts up! (Common struggles & solutions)
