Pathwalking 85
While we are singular beings, we are made of many components. Some are physical and tangible, like our organs and limbs and such – some are intangible – like our soul, spirit, and emotions.
While exploring the topic of trust, I touched on three separate but equal aspects that make up the human experience. I thought it might not be a bad idea to explore these further, as they play a greater part in our make-up than just with regards to trust.
What I am on about is the concept of heart, mind and instinct. I am not talking about the physical embodiments of these, I am exploring the abstracts.
And what ARE these notions, exactly? That’s what I want to get into. I would argue that these three aspects of our individual self are a part of our decision making process we usually don’t even realize. Each one examines a given choice, and weighs in on it. Sometimes they are in complete agreement. But sometimes, they are in conflict. Yet each is equal to the other, even when they are seemingly imperceptible. Each plays its role generally on a deeply unconscious level. They break down as follows:
Mind. Put in the simplest terms, this is your thought. Your logic circuit, if you will. Reason, deduction, analysis of any given situation or choice. Mind for me has always been the easiest of these to reckon with. I KNOW is a statement of mind. Mind develops over time, and as we learn and study and grow, we gain more mindfulness. For some, like me, it is the analytical and logical that we allow to dominate this triumvirate. I can figure it out. I can learn it.
Heart. Put into the simplest terms, this is your emotion. Your ‘feels’, if you will. Whatever choice is before you, whether it is great or small, there is a deep-seated emotional reaction. This is heart. It can manifest itself in numerous ways – a feeling of contentment, a feeling of anxiety, a feeling of joy, a feeling of fear, etc. Heart is emotion, heart is often without logic or simple explanation. I FEEL is a statement of heart. For some it is the emotional that they allow to be the dominant of these three notions. Sometimes, though, heart gets confused with instinct.
Instinct. Put into the simplest terms, this is your gut reaction. Not a matter of thought, but it can FEEL like a matter of emotion. This is that sensation tingling the base of your skull, or stirring butterflies in your stomach without explanation. This is that knowing that you cannot easily attach an emotion or a thought to. This is that sense of utterly illogical, but solid sensation you just have complete certainty or uncertainty about. My gut says or My spidey sense is tingling or Can’t put my finger on it, I just KNOW. Instinct can feel like the emotion, but it is more visceral and more primordial than emotion. I THINK is often a statement of instinct rather than mind.
Instinct often gets overridden by heart and mind. It is a matter of nature versus nurture, and as we are more genuine in our nature in our youth, we are better at following and understanding our instinct. The older we get, the more we are taught to ignore instinct for the more logical heart and mind. But instinct is just as powerful. I just knew I should have zigged when I zagged. I knew it was right, but did it wrong. I knew it was wrong, but did it anyway. Instinct either ignored or unrecognized.
Yet each one of these three tenets are equally important. I have found along the way that if I trust only one over all others, I cannot accomplish what I may have set out to do. If I only KNOW something, but have no thought or feeling to it…or I only FEEL it, but do not think or know the reason…or I THINK it, but I cannot fully know or feel it – then I have 1/3 of the information necessary to make my decision or choice.
Of course, just to throw a wrench into the works, there are going to be times you can only experience heart, mind OR instinct, and neither of the other two can be found. I honestly do not know the why of this, I just know it to be so. I hypothesize, though, that perhaps this is due to human nature, and the need to a singular option at times. Its rather curious, but I DO think that as I get more in touch with the notion of these three aspects, I have experienced this issue less.
Knowing that we are composed of mind, heart and instinct makes it easier, I believe, to recognize their roles in our choices, and thus to bring balance into our lives. Pathwalking being about choice, it is important to know the role this trio of maxims play in our decision process.
We are made of great complexities, but that is just another part of why I find it so important to find and make my own Path in this world. Balancing heart, mind and instinct is yet another practice in the constant journey.
Which do of these three concepts do you most resonate with?
This is the eighty-fifth entry in my series. These weekly posts are specifically about walking along the path of life, and my desire to make a difference in this world along the way. Thank you for joining me.
The first year of Pathwalking is available in print and for your Kindle.
Follow me here!
