Whatever's Written in Your Heart

For much of human history people didn’t locate their thoughts and emotions within the brain. The ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be the organ associated with an individual's intelligence and life force and was preserved for the afterlife, while the brain was removed and discarded. In numerous places the Bible uses the word "heart" as a place of intellect, thought, emotions, character, love, compassion and faithfulness.

Recently I read a study that suggests gut instincts don't come from your gut, but rather your heart. The findings did not indicate your heart is terribly good at providing insight into what to do, nor did the research indicate any particular way to improve decision making.

Then, you may ask, why bother talking about it? The study did find evidence there is more to the idea of trusting your heart than we may realize. People who were more aware of their heartbeat, meaning those who could estimate how fast their hearts were beating without directly measuring their pulse with their fingers, were better at tests that relied on intuition rather that logic or strategy.

The heart is the central link between itself, our brains, and our hormonal system. The heart is in a constant two-way dialogue with the brain; emotions change the signals the brain sends to the heart and the heart responds in complex ways.

Following the path of the heart can be a messy business. There might be bumps, bruises, cuts, and scratches as you move along the road. The mind may be the content of who you are, but the heart contains the distillate of your very being, the essence of what makes you who you are. Listen to your heart.