Disce ing Your Heart From Your Head

Over the years, many people have asked, "How do I distinguish between my head and my heart?" and "How do I stop the incessant ricochet of thoughts that prompts my constant anxiety. Learning to differentiate the fear-based chatter of our brain from the voice of our heart requires consciously slowing down, creating space so that we can expand our awareness of ourselves and our experience.

The perspective we see with our head can only view life from the past. The analytical brain is like a computer that can scan, access, and store data, yet cannot tap into inspirational, creational energy. This information takes the form of negative mindsets, beliefs, and patterns stored on its hard drive such as "Be careful not to let your guard down," "If you take that risk, you'll get hurt," and/or "Don't confide in anybody, because they'll let you down." All of which only produce a lack of trust in ourselves and our own experience.

In contrast, our heart gives us information from an expanded, present-oriented point of view, and guides us without judgment, negativity or criticism. It whispers, "I know" instead of "I think," "I trust" instead of "I believe," and "I create" instead of "I wait." Our heart nurtures an inspired, introspective and integrated relationship with ourselves.

Sometimes it's difficult to find time in our busy lives to be quiet and listen to our hearts because our minds are filled with endless to-do lists, obligations, and distractions. We constantly make excuses for not having the time to develop this intimate, loving relationship with ourselves. Unfortunately, we often spend most of our time playing out past events or worrying about future outcomes, which interrupts our experience of the present moment-our heart speaking to us. More often than not, we hear the voice in our head that judges us instead of the loving, accepting voice of our heart.

To better tune in to our heart's voice, we have to set aside time each day for quiet reflection and meditation, increasing the length of time spent alone. It does not matter where, when, or how we spend this time. What matters is that the sacred space we create is a safe sanctuary where we can practice observing and listening to ourselves without judgment or resistance. We can watch how our incessant mental dictates surface and distinguish them from the experiential, present and sensory information that comes from the heart. We can cue our brains to step aside by touching the center of the chest, using a mantra like "Open my heart." Such simple cues help us let go of our negative thoughts and focus on our connection with an energy source through our open heart. Then we can follow our heart and use our head.