Heart-Centered Living
From a young age, we are taught to respond to the world using our minds and not our hearts. While our mind is a beautiful gift, it is through our spiritual heart that we find truth, wisdom, and connection with our Higher Self. In every moment, we have a choice — living from the head (logical thinking - intelligence) or living from conscious awareness using the head and the heart (emotional intelligence).
Living from one’s heart means living from a place of love. It’s about living consciously and considering the impacts and ripple effects of one’s actions, not only to oneself but also to Mother Earth and humanity.
If it sounds a little too spiritual or ‘woo-woo’ to live from one’s heart, you may be surprised to learn that research from the HeartMath Institute indicates that the physical heart appears to be involved in the processing and decoding of intuitive information. It further states that the heart seems to receive and respond to intuitive information.
Helen Keller referred to this when she said, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched...but are felt in the heart”.
Living from the heart doesn’t mean closing off the mind. Humans have physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies; part of the human experience is balancing these four bodies. In subsequent topics, we review this concept and the four bodies in more detail. For now, we highlight that the mind is a powerful tool, and when the mind and heart work in alignment, we are able to express greater compassion and understanding. Our communications and connections with one another are enhanced.
There is a misconception (commonly found in the business world) that living or leading from the heart is a weakness and that living from the heart is soft. Nothing could be further from the truth. The heart intelligence can offer great strength and clarity. According to the Heart Based Institute, “When we are actively living a heart-centered life rather than one dominated by the mind, our health, relationships, and productivity are naturally enhanced while our stress levels and other negative patterns and emotions are dramatically reduced”.
Imagine if all of humanity shifted from making logical mind-based choices to using their intuition and making heart-based choices. What do you think the world would look like? What changes would take place?
We would transcend fear-based programming and our mind’s limited conditioning. Divine love expresses itself through us whenever we allow it. When we live from our heart centre, we tap into this unwavering, unconditional, unbounded love.
Discussion Questions
What is your experience of living from your heart centre—is it easy, hard, or a work in progress —and why do you think that is?
What strategies do you use to return to the heart when you become aware that you are responding on autopilot or from a reactionary mode?
What does it mean to use your heart when listening to and communicating with others? How does this differ from other communication styles?
What experiences have you had when you’ve made choices or acted using your intuition instead of logic, and what was the result?
What obstacles are there to living from your heart centre?
Worksheet – Heart-Centered Living
7 Ideas on How to Facilitate Living Life in a Heart-Centered Way
Set the intention to connect with and live from your heart.
Engage in a practice that allows you to slow your thoughts (meditation, conscious walking, sitting in nature, etc.).
Tune into what you think about something, and then tune into how you feel about it with your heart. Are there any differences?
Consciously direct your breath to flow in and out of your heart centered.
Feel where there is resistance, perceived vulnerability, or fear, and work through this so it doesn’t prevent you from living in a heart-centered way.
Pay attention to the divine nudges and signs you receive, no matter how small.
Ask God/Source for help with your intention to live from your heart.
My Personal Heart-Centered Living Plan
How do you facilitate living in a heart-centered way? Please note your personal ideas.
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