Heart and Mind

The heart has eyes which the brain knows nothing of. -Charles H. Perkhurst



I have spent many hours thinking of why and how we make choices- what causes us to act upon one thought and leave the others behind. So often in life we think we are doing what we need to, only to later regret our choices so deeply. It is ever so important to understand why we choose to do the things we do, so that we can avoid pain and find happiness.



There is something undeniably metaphysical inside each of us that is beyond the explanation of simple chemical reactions in the brain making our choices for us. Most would answer that it is our soul. This is my belief as well, but the soul itself is governed by two parts- the heart and the mind. When we are faced with a choice or dilemma in our lives, it is these two things that shape our decisions. But each is so very different in the way it trys to guide us and often this brings about indecision or conflict within.



These internal conflicts arise from everyday things like the heart desiring ice cream and the mind telling us it is not healthy- to the larger battles involving love and friendship. But which side should you listen to? It often depends upon the situation. There are things that can generally be set in one side or the other. For example, you should not choose a new car based upon the color that your heart fancies, but upon the data your mind gathers. Practical things should be mostly governed by the mind. However, issues such as love, friendship, and religion should be lead by the heart. And then there are times that both are required, such as in the discipline of a child or in the choosing of a puppy at the pound.



The mind tries to sway us by computing the most logical route to take. It weighs cautiously the odds and possible outcomes. Often though, it is full of memories or fear that keep us locked away from life, reminding us of what we read here or saw there or suffered then. The mind is the cautious, fatherly and worrisome side- trying desperately to keep us from harm no matter the loss of happiness and growth.



The heart is ever hoping and reaching for more. It begs to take the chances that the mind fears. The heart is what gives us courage to do what we are told we should not, the strength to do what we think we can not and the hope that all will be worth the risk. Even when the outcome is negative and the heart breaks- it amazingly keeps getting back up and crying out for more life. The heart is the child, the artist and the lover inside us- emotional and ever striving for happiness.



There is a strange, rather paternal relationship between the two. The mind attempts to keep the heart safe with it's caution, and the heart rebels against the mind with all it's passion. To live a life guided only by the mind, is a very safe yet miserable existence. And to always give in and follow your heart is reckless and can bring much pain.



Once we recognize that there are two governing sides to our soul we must next understand how important it is to know where each thought is coming from. For it is a terrible thing when we do not understand the bias behind an argument. An example of this would be that you would want to know if your friend was a hard core Catholic before you went to her for advice regarding abortion. Just as you shouldn't trust in a salesman working on commission as to which product is of the highest quality in his store. We must acknowledge the nature and origin of each thought about an issue so that we may put our faith and trust into all our decisions.





The foolish block out one sides arguments and run with the side they are most comfortable with.



The wise listen to each and know when to trust the mind and when to trust the heart.



And the enlightened know how to make the two want the same thing.



All of us have been the fool, the wise and the enlightened at some point in our lives. We must understand why we have such conflicting thoughts and what brings us to our decisions. Ideally, we need to listen to both the heart and mind while understanding each side's agenda. We should continually strive to keep ourselves safe when there is danger but also know when to follow our heart for something that is worth the risk.