Heart and Mind Connection
 | Author:
Ellie West, Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy
Inside Inspiration: Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy |
Heart and Mind Connection Ellie West, Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy Throughout history, many cultures have emphasized the importance of following or listening to our hearts. When we speak of the “heart,” we are not referring to the physical organ but our spiritual heart. Our heart is the key to our deepest fulfillment and the entrance to experiencing a deeper relationship with our Creator/God, characterized by peace, gratitude, joy, and unconditional love.
We are taught to respond to the world through our minds from a young age. Our mind is a beautiful gift, but it is not the core of who we are. The essence of who we are is our heart… the "central wisdom of feeling as opposed to the head-wisdom of reason”. The mind is not only limited by its ability to grasp certain concepts but can also be emotionally sensitive and dimmed by our life experiences. When our mind is in charge, we may experience stress, burnout, negative attitudes, un-forgiveness, and relationship issues… to name a few.
Most problems arise when our hearts and minds are not aligned or working together. I have personally experienced this many times over the course of my life. My thinking got in the way of what my heart was saying or trying to teach me.
Perhaps, we do not know how to love or show compassion…all the time. It is easy to love and be compassionate when we agree or share the same lifestyle. We can love and be gracious to strangers or those who don’t know us well, but it is harder to love and be compassionate to those closest to us. Why? Because they can hurt us the most. We have pain and conflict because we are imperfect people trying to coexist with other imperfect people.
But when we listen to our hearts, we can connect to our true selves and start to see people not for their actions but for who they are. Our hearts can guide us toward making decisions that align with our values and priorities. By listening to our hearts, we can cultivate compassion, gratitude, forgiveness, and love, leading to deeper connections with others and a more meaningful life.
Compassion cannot be learned overnight or taught in a classroom. It is a quality that requires self-reflection and learning to see the world from another’s perspective. One of the ways to cultivate a heart of compassion is by practicing empathy; learning to understand the feelings and experiences of others. It is by putting ourselves in their shoes that we can truly understand their situation and respond with compassion.
Many factors can compel people to show kindness to the less fortunate. For some, it may be their personal experiences or struggles that drive them to help others. For others, it may be their faith or belief system that inspires them to serve those in need. But the most compelling reason to show kindness is simply the right thing to do. As human beings, we have a responsibility to care for others. When we do, it not only benefits the person we help but also creates a ripple effect that impacts the entire community.
So the question is, how do we access our heart’s wisdom? It starts with being still and quiet, finding time to reflect and pray while we listen and express our emotions in a healthy way. We can practice gratitude, acknowledging the gifts and blessings in our lives. We can ask ourselves what we truly desire and what brings us joy.
In conclusion, cultivating a heart of compassion requires consciously aligning our minds with our hearts. We must learn to practice empathy and view the world with an open heart, ready to respond with kindness and generosity toward those in need.
By doing so, we can follow in the footsteps of Mother Teresa and make a positive difference in the lives of others. Following our hearts can lead us to a more fulfilling and authentic life where we experience love, joy, and peace. It may take time and practice to tap into our heart’s wisdom, but it is worth it.
As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote in The Little Prince, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye”.
To Connect with Ellie FB/IG @Coachelliewest
