Let Your Heart Be Your Guide

All of us have a primary world view about human nature (humans are intrinsically good or evil), God’s nature (God judges/punishes or God loves/forgives), and the purpose of life (to be successful or to love and be loved). We often are unaware of our own world view, even though it directs our feelings, thoughts and actions every day.

Our world view would appear to stem from our mind/brain, but research is showing that the heart controls the brain much more than previously thought. For example, thanks to the 40,000 sensory neurons in the heart, the heart relays more information to the brain on a daily basis than vice versa. As noted by Joel Kahn, MD, the neurons within the heart enable the heart to learn, remember, and make decisions independent of the brain's cerebral cortex. Furthermore, the heart emits an electrical field 60 times greater in amplitude than the activity in the brain and an electromagnetic field 5,000 times stronger than that of the brain. What would it mean if our world view came from our heart rather than our head?

If we want our world view to be in sync with that of Jesus—which, after all, is our goal as Christians—then we need to pray through the heart rather than through the head. The following prayer offered by Fr. Ed Hays in Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim can be our guide: “Broaden the boundaries of my heart that it may encompass more than it did yesterday.” Whereas in the medical world an enlarged heart is a danger sign, spiritually it is a sign of an expansive world view in which love and compassion guide our choices. As it turns out, "Let your heart be your guide" is wise advice indeed!