Thinking with your heart

"The men where you live," said the little prince, "raise five thousand roses in the same garden−− and they do not find in it what they are looking for." "They do not find it," I replied. "And yet what they are looking for could be found in one single rose, or in a little water."
"Yes, that is true," I said. And the little prince added: "But the eyes are blind. One must look with the heart..."

Antoine-de-Saint-Exupery-The-Little-Prince


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A Hopi Indian named Sun Chief said:

"I had learned many English words and could recite part of the Ten Commandments. I knew how to sleep on a bed, pray to Jesus, comb my hair, eat with a knife and fork, and use a toilet. ... I had also learned that a person thinks with his head instead of his heart ".


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"When Carl Jung, the great psychoanalyst, went to Taos Peublo in New Mexico in 1925, he met the chief of the native people, Ochwiay Biano. Biano told Jung that according to his people, the Whites were 'mad'-uneasy, restless, always wanting something.

Jung asked him why he thought they were mad, and the chief replied that it was because they thought with their heads, a sure sign of mental illness among his tribe. Jung asked him how he thought and he pointed to his heart. The response plunged Jung into a deep introspection that enabled him to see his race from outside himself and realise how much of the race's character was within him."


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"The Moken, also known as the "sea gypsies", are a nomadic people living off the coasts of Burma and Thailand.

In their language, there is no word for " want."

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I recommend the book " The Continuum Concept ". How many times you use the word "want" when you are with your friends in the middle of nowhere having a barbecue ? Not like "pass me the salt". I mean "want". To "want" more than that. What is there more to "want" than what you already have there ? Want what ? That is how life is for some people and it never ends. No schedule, no bosses, no money, no rules, no clock forever. What more do you want ?
You must be "thinking with your head" to want more.

"Pirates of the Caribbean". A compass that points where your heart desires. Amazing but our culture really needs such a compass.

Who remembers "where he was" when he was little ? From where did your thinking originate ? Where did you feel you "were" ? Your head or your hearth ? I remember believing it was my hearth until someone told me...But I am not so sure of this memory. Anyone here remembers ?

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Those who haven't been exposed to the hypocrisies of a "civilized" education react to things naturally, as they happen. It is in the here and now that they are either happy or unhappy, joyful or sad, interested or indifferent. The superiority of pure Indians like these Guajiros was striking. They could outdo us in everything: when they adopted someone, everything they had belonged to him; and when anyone showed them the least attention, they were profoundly moved"

"I was getting used to this life and beginning to realize that if I stayed too much longer I might lose all desire to leave."

Papillon

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As Columbus wrote of the Arawak (before murdering and enslaving them), "They are so ingenuous and free with all they have, that no one would believe it who has not seen it... Of anything they possess, if it be asked of them, they never say no; on the contrary, they invite you to share it and show as much love as if their hearts went with it...


Ascent of Humanity



[edit on 21-7-2009 by pai mei]

Originally posted by pai mei

Want what ? That is how life is for some people and it never ends. No schedule, no bosses, no money, no rules, no clock forever. What more do you want ?
You must be "thinking with your head" to want more.



[edit on 21-7-2009 by pai mei]

This sounds better to me than anything I have read in ages. Could such a life in this manic day and age even exist?

I feel that at times I am on a living, moving fast track to my death. Blinded by and distracted by all that is modern and man made and unnecessary.

How does one go about thinking with the heart and alleviating himself of this great burden?


Excellent, well written post. S&F for your efforts

It's beautifully said all around, and I learned it all long ago from my own tribe.

I think what really clinched things for me about thinking with the heart instead of the head was the day I realized science had found that brain cells are in the heart.

Imagine that. Who would have thought it? My ancestors sure did.


Do your own research into this.

Here... I'll get you started on your revolution...

www.heartmath.org...


Edit : By the way, I know it doesn't really matter in the end, for all are one. But in case you're curious about what i was saying above, I'm Miami.

[edit on 21-7-2009 by Jomina]

reply to post by pai mei


If one thinks with one's heart, should one therefore love with one's head?

Thanks for the replies

Where is beauty? It is in a butterfly, but when we chloroform it, lay it out on the dissecting table, and cut it apart, beauty is gone. Beauty is in a poem, but when we over-analyze the poem to find exactly what is beautiful about it, beauty disappears from that too. Beauty is in a painting, but can we reduce it to quantitative measures of color and proportion, and then apply these to the standardized production of beauty? No. Beauty is a relationship, not an objective property, and the mass-production of generic relationships produces, necessarily, an aesthetic that is equally phony, generic, and cheap.

www.ascentofhumanity.com...




[edit on 21-7-2009 by pai mei]

reply to post by pai mei


Thank you for your post. Moved me.

What we are all really wanting, is a return path to that place, where we originated and have our true being. Somewhere along the way we got lost in time, and in the desire and lack that it generates, the feeling that there is never enough, but that some day, if we have more we will be satisfied. The only problem is, some day never comes, as it's always only now.

pai mei, Like I've said before. That first caption really opened my mind to something that I never really thought about. I think that the best things in life, are enjoyed with the heart, not literally though. This one subject of thinking with your heart, can lead to many subjects and it should be explored. SnF

I've heard somewhere that the physical heart itself contains bundles of neurons and is capable of a type of thinking, physically, and there are stories of transplant recipients obtaining memory flashes from the doner..

The "head mind" is really a differentiating meaning making machine and an elaborate recording device, so "it" never lives where life is, but instead has us in the grip of a past-future time bound consciousness, and, that we, our "self" IS our mind.

The heart, in the Christian frame of reference, refers to one's "innermost being", and the core of the true self intersects with the ground of all being in eternity.

Wisest post ive read.

The heart will not lie to you.

Last time someone lied to your face, last time someone tryed to get you to cheat on your gf/bf, knowing if your happy, knowing if something is RIGHT,

Nowadays, only your heart can tell you the truth. I believe this can be referred to as "gut instinct", lol... Lose connection, and your #@$*ed.

Originally posted by mariobrother
Wisest post ive read.

The heart will not lie to you.

So spot on!

After a very traumatic event in my life, I came out the others side with a new philosophy: whenever people come to me in times of upheaval and ask me what they should do, I always answer - follow your heart.

That's what I have been doing for the last ten years, and I am a different - and much happier person - because of it.

Thanks to the OP for such a wonderful post.

S&F

[edit on 21-7-2009 by mckyle]

Everyone has their own personal set of core principles that they dwell upon from time to time. It is my belief that as long as we take the time to consciously stick to these values we won't go astray. It's what drives our moral compass and allows for empathy. Honestly, if there's anything this world needs more of, it's empathy.

Originally posted by maria_stardust
Honestly, if there's anything this world needs more of, it's empathy.

Maria, you hit it right on the head!

A star for you and a flag if I could

Originally posted by OmegaPoint
I've heard somewhere that the physical heart itself contains bundles of neurons and is capable of a type of thinking, physically, and there are stories of transplant recipients obtaining memory flashes from the doner..

The "head mind" is really a differentiating meaning making machine and an elaborate recording device, so "it" never lives where life is, but instead has us in the grip of a past-future time bound consciousness, and, that we, our "self" IS our mind.

The heart, in the Christian frame of reference, refers to one's "innermost being", and the core of the true self intersects with the ground of all being in eternity.

I have never heard of the heart having Neurons and just looked to see if this could be possible. INDEED you are correct! There ARE bundles of Neurons in the human heart. They are called "intrinsic cardiac afferent neurons".

An afferent neuron is one that sends information to another neuron. These sensory neurons detect the local mechanical and biochemical changes that occur in cardiac tissue. They send this information to the rest of the intrinsic cardiac nervous systems and in many cases to the brain.

www.heartmath.org...

How cool is that? LITERALLY thinking with your heart!

To say one should "Follow their heart" evokes romantic notions of meaning and clarity as if the solution to our distressing lives is revealed by simply living by what our heart wants. And this is all well and good as long as heart wants what is good.

But I don't see the heart as a kind master. It lies, wanders, distracts, deludes, blinds, hungers... It too must be bridled otherwise these passions would rule and toss us this way and that. We'd be nothing more than large children. Children, too, live by their heart and have you ever wondered why we never need to teach them to be selfish, violent or deceptive?

Even with the millions of lives that have come and gone through the ages the one thing that doesn't change is the condition of the human heart. And even though a tribe doesn't have a word for "want" I assure you they want nonetheless.

All the best men in history have thought with their hearts.

reply to post by TurkeyBurgers


Indeed, I pointed out that website up above.

It's intriguing to think about, and will really change your perceptions on how you think, once you realize that the heart, too, has a bit of a brain.

I wrote this poem and it seems pertinent to the subject matter. My poetry is my greatest expression of heart.

my heart light burns vindictive cinders
my head mind finds a place adjacent
all fractals act as an actual example
raise my hands lucid infusion
color the latent faded ageless
when the time comes i will be ready
steady measure the leisure gesture
invest your time in spirit
can you hear it
he speaks in a secret frequency
open your heart to love light
dove flight
some sight is meant to be hidden
you cannot hear if you cannot listen
this is a world of much beauty rudely awakened
men as creatures must be trained for the remainder
where do i stand in this land of abandon
i am a culture shock product document
a monument to the last days of a failing fabric
weave the trees with a new fusion of leaves
i've seen a great fractal spiral light the night sky
it explodes from the center of my spine chakra
i imagine a tangible thing and manifest catalyst
drown the foundation and cement your intention
learn your lesson in this lifetime and move to the next vector
stage two becomes phase three for the fourth quarterhorse
grab the reins and proclaim the son of man tour de force
align the planetary defiance righteous assignment
find it within and tear it out shouting valiant
i've made this place so that i may erase it
face it

Peace be among all of these, my friends and brethren.

reply to post by djr33222


But..... all the worst men in history have lead us.

Headthinking has brought us nature trails instead of walking in the woods.
Dams instead of working around nature, roads that cut through habitat after habitat instead of winding with them. We need to let our architecture and lifestyles be one with nature, instead of constantly meeting her head on in a desperate struggle to solidify our exit from Eden.

Oh yah, why did we get kicked out of Eden...? For eating the forbidden fruit..

I know of only one fruit that's forbidden in the modern world.. Psychedelic Fruit..

And...we cant talk about that fruit here.. or we get banned....

Headthinking from the ATS up high..... doing there part in solidifying the exit from Eden.



Ask your heart and you know this rings true.


Peace





[edit on 21-7-2009 by Aorticabellum]

reply to post by Aorticabellum


It does...

I like that term "exit from eden". It's pertinent on many levels.

reply to post by monkcaw


And even though a tribe doesn't have a word for "want" I assure you they want nonetheless.

Does a leaf that bobs up and down a river have wants?


We need to ride the wave of reality instead of constantly grabbing at particles and manipulating reality into our minds (not hearts) content.

Peace