from the head to the heart
“The Longest Journey you will ever take is from your Head to your Heart” - Thich Nhat Hanh
I love this quote by Thich Nhat Hanh. But perhaps, the journey doesn’t have to be that long. In-fact, sometimes it can be a short journey that only takes a few breaths or a good friend who can guide us home back into our hearts.
In addition to it being a journey from the head to the heart, it is also a journey between the ego (which is part of the mind) and the soul (which rests in the heart). I often perceive it as a pendulum because it can swing back and forth rapidly. The ego causes us so much suffering. It is the part of the mind that has thoughts and beliefs related to judgement, shame, victimhood, and other lower vibrational energies. When we get lost in the ego, the soul can indeed feel a million miles away. But it’s always closer than we think. It’s so close in-fact, that it’s always actually ‘right here’!
You see, the soul never goes anywhere. It patiently waits for the ego to settle back down and rest quietly within itself. In the same way that waves rise and then fall back into the ocean, the ego rises and then falls back into the soul. But the mind is mean to be a tool for the soul. When we think kind, caring, loving thoughts about ourselves and others, or are guided to engage in purposeful work that is in service to others, the mind is serving its highest purpose. But when triggered by external circumstances into its ‘egoic nature’, we distance ourselves from the soul. Such is also the case when we try to manipulate others for the purpose of maintaining the feeling of being powerful and in control.
So how can we experience ‘less ego’ and ‘more soul’? The first step is to notice. When we meditate, that’s exactly what we are doing. We are noticing something. When we are suffering at the hand of the ego, we can notice the ego at work. We can step back and see it for what is, an unruly child. Then, we can patiently watch the ego begin to settle down in meditation. Yelling at the ego won’t work. Nor will willing it to go away, trying to push it away, or vilifying it as something that shouldn’t exist. But through the simple observing of the breath or the repetition of a mantra, the ego naturally settles down a little bit. It begins to retreat back towards it’s origin, the soul.
With a little more quiet, we can then hear the whisper of the soul. It can come through an inner-voice that is gentler than the ego, as a vision, or as just a feeling. The soul will almost always have a message for us. It is always aware of the lessons that are meant to be learned through every life experience. Once the soul has space to reveal itself, the ego is likely to quiet down even more until it retreats fully into the soul where it can quietly rest. Through daily spiritual practice and deep inner-work, over time, the ego can even dissolve in the heart of awareness of the soul until there is only a trace of it left. This is the path the masters take.
But for most of us, the goal is to simply have a healthier relationship with the ego. To notice it. To see it for what it is. To learn skills that can help us to quiet it down before it gets even more out of control, before the stronger emotions come thrashing around with it. Meditation and other mindfulness practices are our greatest ally when it comes to meeting these moments with as much grace and ease that’s possible.
You can begin that practice right now. You can stop, close your eyes, and notice your breath or repeat a mantra. Do it everyday and you’ll see that when the ego flares up, it will settle down again a lot more quickly. It will have less control of you. And slowly, you’ll start to drop even deeper in the heart-soul like all the great masters have done. This is the sacred space where orginal love exists. It is the love of God that is present within you. It is the cosmic, expansive, eternal love that radiates outwards from the core of your being encompassing everything and everyone.