What Does Your Heart Say?

Posted on 23rd May 2024 at 16:32

So often through life we seek advice, this constant search for meaning and understanding. Naturally we are inquisitive, always learning and absorbing information but how do we process this!? How do we feel?

Our mind is a vast and complex thing. I haven’t the depth of knowledge to begin unraveling this here but I know that we forge patterns and in turn habits taking hold. It’s said based on one small study that it takes, on average, 66 days for a new habit to stick. Once the habit is engrained we then have quick access to the templates which we have formed, many of these so useful. We form connections between neurons in the brain and create memories, we remember how to ride a bike, to walk, to swim, to cook, to speak, write and read the list goes on… On top of this we create many templates throughout life to essentially keep ourselves safe. A situation arises and we reorganise and strengthen connections between neurons, this is called neuroplasticity, and in the case of building habits – long-term potentiation. Each time you perform the new action while trying to form a habit, you need smaller cues or triggers to activate the same network of brain cells.

The thing is, life changes, it evolves. We grow and evolve and things will not be as they always were. This means that some of these templates won’t work consistently as we change, our circumstances change and we evolve with deeper understanding.

What does your heart say? The heart is an amazing thing and also learns, remembers senses, and feels. This knowledge, more a deep knowing. Trusting this is beautiful. The heart knows all along, long before the mind yet if we don’t feel into what we know the mind takes over and leads us once more back to a template, a systematic way of moving through this life here on earth.

Why listen to the heart? For me, from a spiritual perspective I know that when I go against the heart difficulty follows, this presents in many ways. Dis regulated nervous system, physical illness in the body, lack of sleep. The mind attempts to protect but often from a habit or already imprinted coping mechanism. Trauma sat beneath these layers.

Now this is all only my own thought process, no solid research but that’s part of the enquiry. When trusting what my heart says I know that I feel a sense of balance inside even if all outside of me is unsettling. When I don’t listen I get lost in my head once more. I’m diverted away from the peace and love due to trying to do the right thing, but by who?

Mindfulness brings awareness, awareness brings trust and trust brings alignment.

When I’m aligned, I feel freedom, love and the capacity to move through the difficult days, enjoy the experiences and more than this to come back and connect with love.