Dear First name / Friend,
One of my teachers always says, “logic makes poor medicine”. A reminder that we can’t think our way out of emotional experiences (try as we might!) Instead, we need to activate the heart, thus calming the nervous system and lighting our way through the shadows. As Nelson Mandela teaches, an integrated head & heart is a formidable combination.
What happens when we activate the heart?
As my family was experiencing COVID last month I leaned heavily on my heart. I would rest my hand there and open to its whispers. My heart would remind me, with a soft knowing, “you are doing the best you can”, “I’m sorry this happened", “may you surrender control”. My heart held my fears and whispered kindness. Connecting to the heart, rather than logic, allowed me to open to the silver linings of the experience and deeply connect with my family.
Yet that logic is so seductive!
It often looks like intellectualizing or reasoning with ourselves: “it’s going to be fine”, “stop worrying”, “I shouldn't care about X,Y,Z". This does not help as it doesn’t speak to the emotional experience. Often a part of us will buck and say, “but what if it’s not fine!” Pulling us into a tug of war with our experiences, disengaging us from the present moment.
