Follow Your Heart and Mind

[Sunstone]

Most of us have heard the expression, "Follow your heart". But is that the best advice? Isn't it wiser to act in such a way your heart and mind are reconciled with each other and no conflict exists between them? Would we be better off following our heart/mind, rather than following either our mind or our heart alone?

 

[Sunstone]

Anyone want to tackle this one?

 

[sandandfoam]

Isn't it wiser to act in such a way your heart and mind are reconciled with each other and no conflict exists between them?

I think this is what is meant by living without sin. Dissonance between heart and mind is what I take 'sin' as being.
I think following heart to the exclusion of mind, or vice versa leads up blind alleys.

 

[UnTheist]

What is a "heart"?

 

[Quagmire]

There's a parent/child relationship between the mind and the heart;

Ideally, everything the parent (the mind) does is for the child's(the heart's) benefit, ie, he (the parent) makes all the decisions with the best interests of the child in mind, but he doesn't actually let the child make those decisions.

Of course, there are bad parents who either neglect the child's needs and wishes altogether, or give into it on every matter regardless of the consequences.

Either way the heart and mind wind up resenting each other, not trusting each other, and working at odds against each other.

 

[McBell]

THE HEART IS NOT SO SMART
EL DEBARGE

You know that she is just a heartbreak in disguise
You know that fallin’ for the girl is not so wise
But every time your mind wants you to stay away
Your heart just looks the other way

Oh...oh...she’s all that you want now
Oh...oh...she’s nothin’ you need
No...oh...but there you go
Blame it all on love, you know you should know better

But the heart is not so smart
Can’t always trust it, no
The heart is not so smart
Goes where it should not go

Always seems to find
Its way to trouble, no
The heart is not so smart
Oh, no, oh, no

The heart’s been broken, it’s been bruised and it’s been burned
So after that you think a lesson might be learned
But it keeps falling for the same lines every time
Sometimes the heart can be so blind

Oh...oh...and when you discover
Oh...oh...she’s tellin’ you lies
Oh...oh...well, don’t you know
That the heart is always last to realize

Because the heart is not so smart
Can’t always trust it, no
The heart is not so smart
Goes where it should not go

Always seems to find
Its way to trouble, no
The heart is not so smart
Oh, no

Oh...they say trust your emotions
Oh...oh...your feelings inside
Oh...oh...when it comes to love
Sometimes it’s better that the heart is not your guide

Because the heart is not so smart
The heart is not so smart

The heart is not so smart
Can’t always trust it, no
The heart is not so smart
Goes where it should not go

Always seems to find
Its way to trouble, no

The heart is not so smart
Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh
The heart is not so smart
No, no, no, no

The heart is not so smart
Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh
The heart is not so smart, no, no
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa

The heart is not so smart
You can’t always trust it, no
The heart is not so smart
No, no, no, no

The heart is not so smart
Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
The heart is not so smart, no, no
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, whoa

The heart is not so smart
Can’t always trust it, no
The heart is not so smart
No, no, no, no

The heart is not so smart
Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
The heart is not so smart, no, no​

 

[Random]

Anyone want to tackle this one?

I'm probably the person you want least to answer this, but...

I've been conflicted a lot in my inner life, heart and mind as you say, and I've been given all the usual advice a dozen times over; follow your heart, do what feels right, focus on an objective and have a goal and work towards it, etc.

Everytime I did these things with all my heart and my mind's focus, I ended up still feeling empty and unsatisfied, even when I got what I wanted (or thought I wanted).

Hearts and minds change, always quicker and by softer touches than we imagine, I've learnt; and they can decieve.

To me now, it's all just suchness and thatness...I guess the thought of the last spark of desire dying in a man is fightening to most men (and women), because they define themselves by what they do in the context of pseudo-realistic notions about who they are and what it means to be human, a manly-man or a feminine-woman etc. Under these conditions, one can all too often be led astray, chasing ghosts and illusions thrown up by the heart-and-mind, things that make then not for "soul" or beauty or permanence or security or anything that is desired, but rather toxicity and pollution.

To just be and be content, to stop trying to control the experience of life in all its complexity, is the most difficult thing and requires the overcoming of great fear. But it's then that things become clearer and really start to happen the way you could only imagine before...

If there exists the possibility in your life or anyone elses that the sort of change of mind and heart, a metanoia if you will, can occur and lead one to see openly the tapestry of relationships that transcend the divisions one endures in selfhood, then the unity of mind and heart that assures one's happy place in the here-and-now may come about spontaneously.

(Sorry if I rambled...)....

 

[DallasApple]

Feelings and "urges" bump into logic..All come from the mind..

Most times you are "better off " going with logic.

Blessings

Dallas

 

[Sunstone]

What is a "heart"?

Feelings, intuition.

 

[oldcajun]

Most of us have heard the expression, "Follow your heart". But is that the best advice? Isn't it wiser to act in such a way your heart and mind are reconciled with each other and no conflict exists between them? Would we be better off following our heart/mind, rather than following either our mind or our heart alone?

I'm sure Stalin, Hitler and Mao followed their "heart and mind".

 

[Sunstone]

I'm sure Stalin, Hitler and Mao followed their "heart and mind".

Why are you so certain of that?

 

[Quagmire]

Life is a Frosted Mini-wheats commercial.

 

[Sunstone]

Life is a Frosted Mini-wheats commercial.

I have long suspected as much.

 

[DallasApple]

The evil people...went straight with urges...Like animals..
But they were "injured"..

Twisted minds...Will do twisted things..

Love
Dallas

 

[Sunstone]

I'm sure Stalin, Hitler and Mao followed their "heart and mind".

You seem surprisingly silent on why you believe that, so let me guess... you believe that because a little elf in a forest whispered it to you one day while you were eating magic mushrooms? Am I close?

 

[DallasApple]

I have long suspected as much.

Almonds are "good for you"...(especially if they are raw)

Love

Dallas

 

[UnTheist]

drive-by...

 

[Sunstone]

drive-by...

I'm pretty sure you're right.

 

[YmirGF]

Most of us have heard the expression, "Follow your heart". But is that the best advice? Isn't it wiser to act in such a way your heart and mind are reconciled with each other and no conflict exists between them? Would we be better off following our heart/mind, rather than following either our mind or our heart alone?

I think the advice to "follow your heart" is meant to say "trust your feelings or trust your emotions". When I use this expression I never mean it in the sense that one should ignore what their brain says, but rather, "let your emotions guide your mind" to subsequent realizations. The stress is on guiding and is never intended to mean rule.

 

[DallasApple]

drive-by...

Shooting???

Love

Dallas