Living through the heart

Our minds are necessary tools, but they have come to dominate us. The mind always splits things up and categorises and labels things. It is the domain of separation, and it reigns through fear. Our worries and preoccupations have their source in our thinking. Problems with sleeping, phobias and obsessions all originate in an inability to switch off incessant circling thoughts. Our minds are meant to be our servants, but for many of us, they have become our masters. We do not realise we have a choice, that we can use our minds for problem-solving and mundane tasks, but that we do not need to live through them. We can embrace a different way of being, a less fear-based separate existence. This is the way of the heart.

The way of the heart is not something reserved for people who meditate for hours a day. All of us can try it. In both Christianity and other religions there is an emphasis on the heart as the seat of divinity, of light, within the human being. The physical heart has a connection to the heart centre in the subtle body, which is connected to love and compassion.

Connection

The way we live through our heart is to recognise that love and compassion need not be qualities that we feel sometimes, but can be the centre and the moral compass of our lives. This includes self-love, and caring for yourself as well as others. A sense of connection and fellowship with others changes your experience of life on this planet. You do not feel so isolated and alone. The connection of the heart is a light that you feel in your own heart, connecting you with the hearts of others. The experience of fellowship in the heart’s lights is not dependant on being in the same room as another person. You can feel this connection with people you have never met on the other side of the world.

Just as the internet has connected humanity through technology, the understanding of a heart-based way of living is the new direction for humanity on an emotional and psychological level. We have had our fill of trying to work everything out with our minds, with our reason. At times of great stress, you can sometimes feel the power of your own heart, and feel the connection to your own inner light. This can be the start of your journey into heart-based living.

The kind of change in direction I am talking about is not a sentimental experience. You don’t just suddenly start being nicer to yourself and others. It is not about stroking ruffled feathers or loving everyone in a sentimental or physical way. It is about understanding the power of your capacity to feel deeply. And to trust this as a way to navigate life, rather than just trusting your mind. You still need to use your mind, for all the mundane everyday things, but you do not need to trust its direction the rest of the time. Here you can turn to your heart and feel a different way to be. A way that does not need words. A way that gives you a deeper experience of life.

If you are bewildered by this concept and don’t know how to embrace a heart-centred way of life, you can start by being honest about how you feel right now. Most of the time we ignore how we feel and just rush around regardless from one thing to the next. Take a few minutes to breathe and feel your own heart. This is not always easy to do as sometimes we have buried heartache, pain we don’t want to acknowledge which rests in the heart. If you feel this, rather than running away from it into the next activity, allow this pain to surface, acknowledge it and release it with your breath, for as long as it takes. It may seem easier to bury it and go back to the next thing on your agenda, but heartache will only harm your body and mind in the long run, if you ignore it rather than allowing your heart to heal. A wounded heart can heal if you give it time and space and attention.

Living through the heart makes life much simpler. Being in touch with how you feel gives more texture and depth to your experience. It makes it easier to live each day without a preoccupation with yesterday or tomorrow. It also helps you to work out what is truly important.

As a human being your ability to connect with other human beings and feel with them is the next step for humanity. The power of the individual and the power of the collective have both had their day. It is time to embrace a heart-centred way of living that acknowledges the worth of every single person, while recognising the power of our hearts' connection to unite us, as we work together for a better future.

Caroline McCutcheon is a writer, healer, and medium who lives in the Alto Alentejo. Her new book ‘Evolving with Spirit’ is available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and from her website: www.carolinemcc.com

Caroline McCutcheon is a writer, healer and medium who lived for fifteen years in a small village in the Algarve.  Four years ago she moved with her husband to the Alto-Alentejo. To read more about her, and her work go to: www.carolinemcc.com

Caroline McCutcheon