Living From the Heart — Rediscovering a Forgotten Way of Being
You know what? Most of us were trained to live from the neck up.
Think about it. From school onwards, we’re rewarded for analysis, logic, problem-solvingand speed of thought. Head-centred skills. Useful, yes — but incomplete. Over time, something quieter gets sidelined: the intelligence of the heart.
And that’s often where the sense of unfulfilment creeps in. Life works on paper, but doesn’t quite land.
The Head, the Heart and the Gut
Spiritual teacher Adyashanti often speaks about three centres of human intelligence: the head, the heart and the gut.
- The head knows through thinking and reasoning
- The heart knows through feeling, connection, and empathy
- The gut knows through instinct and grounded presence
In Western culture, the head dominates. We’re taught to “think things through,” to analyse our emotions rather than feel them, to override instinct with explanation. The problem isn’t demonstrate logic — it’s imbalance.
When the heart is cut off, life can feel flat. Safe, perhaps. Efficient. But missing colour.
What Heart-Centred Awareness Really Means
Heart-centred awareness isn’t about being sentimental or ignoring reason. It’s about letting awareness include felt experience, not just thought.
In Buddhism, compassion (karuṇā) arises naturally when awareness opens beyond self-focused thinking. The heart isn’t something you force open; it softens when resistance drops.
Other traditions echo this. Christian mysticism speaks of “the prayer of the heart.” Sufism centres love as a direct path to truth. Hindu teachings describe bhakti — devotion — as equal in power to knowledge.
Different languages. Same movement inward.
Why the West Feels So Mentally Tired
Here’s a simple but important fact: constant cognitive effort keeps the nervous system mildly stressed. Studies show that chronic overthinking correlates with higher cortisol levels and reduced emotional regulation.
When awareness stays trapped in the head, the body never fully relaxes.
This is why so many people say things like, “My life’s fine, but I don’t feel fulfilled.” The system is functional — but disconnected.
Heart-centred awareness restores that missing link.
A Story That Brings This to Life
There’s a well-known Zen story of a professor who visits a master to learn about meditation. As the master pours tea, the cup overflows. The professor protests. The master replies, “Like this cup, you are full of your own ideas. How can I show you anything unless you first empty it?”
Heart-centred living begins with that emptying — not of intelligence but of constant mental commentary. When the mind softens, something deeper begins to guide action.
Heart Awareness and Energy Work
For people exploring Reiki Glasgow, this shift is often felt physically. As the body relaxes, the chest softens. Breath deepens. Emotions move more freely.
Energy work doesn’t create heart awareness; it removes the tension that blocks it.
If you want to explore this support, you can start here:
Or explore sessions directly:
Many people notice that after sessions, decisions feel clearer — not because they’ve been analysed, but because they feel right.
Meditation as a Bridge From Head to Heart
Here’s the thing: the heart doesn’t open through thinking about it. It opens through presence.
Meditation helps by:
- calming mental noise
- grounding awareness in the body
- creating space for feeling without overwhelm
With consistent practice, attention naturally drops from the head into the chest and belly. This isn’t mystical. It’s physiological. When the nervous system feels safe, awareness spreads.
If you want a gentle way to begin, the 30 Day Quiet Mind Trial starts with a simple five-minute session, available on any device:
And if shared presence helps you stay consistent, we also hold space weekly:
Living From the Heart Doesn’t Mean Losing Clarity
This is important. Heart-centred living doesn’t replace intelligence — it completes it.
When the heart is included:
- boundaries become clearer, not weaker
- compassion becomes steadier, not exhausting
- decisions feel aligned without overthinking
You still use the mind. It just no longer runs the whole show.
A Quiet Closing Reflection
If you’ve felt tired of thinking your way through life… if you’ve sensed there’s more than mental clarity… you’re not imagining it.
The heart has its own wisdom. It’s patient. It doesn’t shout. But when you listen, life gains warmth, meaning, and depth.
Living from the heart isn’t about becoming someone else.
It’s about coming home to a part of you that was never meant to be ignored.