Going within free the heart from the burden of proof3

GOING WITHIN: Free the heart from the burden of proof

There’s an old Chinese curse that states, “May you live in interesting times.” It was said to one’s enemies when hoping their lives would be full of social and political turmoil. If the times we presently live in are any indication, it looks as though this curse still holds some sway!

Like many of us, I’ve been trying to make sense of the upheaval being played out on the world stage. I’ve been particularly struck by how the ego-driven minds of our times have neither the desire nor the responsibility to be accountable for their actions, beliefs or words.

In fact, most of the responsibility or ‘burden of proof’ is placed on those who want a better-balanced and fairer world—those who take a more heartfelt approach.

Mind vs. heart


heart and brain on a balanceI don’t have to go far to see this opposition up close, for my own rational mind is often demanding proof of what it can’t see. It’s hardwired to place the burden of proof onto others, or onto other aspects of the self; namely, my heart and soul.

Our minds are also hardwired to be in control, and in doing so, to keep repeating the same experiences precisely because they’re familiar. The mind wants to go down the path it knows, even though that path has never particularly worked. The heart, on the other hand, is very much at ease with the unknown and lives for adventure. It grows weary of the familiar, while the mind will do anything to avoid the unknown.

So this burden of proof that the heart and soul are capable of taking the lead in, in order to provide us with rich and fulfilling life experiences, isn’t new. Yet, this burden is a heavy one.

For as long as each of us can remember, the internal opposition between the rational mind and the soulful heart has existed, and it’s mirrored in the outer experiences of our everyday lives. The physical manifestation of this duality is raging at present, and it’s a mirror for what goes on within each one of us, to a greater or lesser degree.

I believe that whatever we can solve from the inside will manifest itself in our outer world. So how do we lessen this burden that’s been ingrained in us for so long? How do we lift this burden of proof? By going within!

When the heart and mind are at odds with each other, the mind is usually telling the heart that it needs proof that what the heart is saying is valid. It’s like the mind sits atop its mountain and waits for proof to be brought to it, while letting the heart and soul scramble to find that proof.

Radio silence


radio silence graphBut what if there was no proof, as is often the case? What if the heart and soul stopped frantically trying to prove their worth, and went radio silent on the mind? What if the heart and soul stopped playing the game?

Well, then, the mind would eventually come down from the mountain and say, “Hey, what about my proof?”

And in response, the heart and soul would say, “Oh, you know what, there’s no proof, I guess you’re just going to have to take a leap of faith.”

[su_pullquote align=”right”]What if the heart and soul could finally understand that they have no obligations to the mind, and that constantly trying to prove their worth is an exercise in futility?[/su_pullquote]

The mind would then become responsible for its own change in perspective, and become the instigator of its own proof. In other words, it would become a partner of the heart, instead of being that all-knowing God atop the mountain!

What if the whole point of awareness was this: to stop playing that internal game with ourselves? What if the heart and soul could finally understand that they have no obligations to the mind, and that constantly trying to prove their worth is an exercise in futility?

What if the heart and soul had enough courage to say, “Hey, we know what we know, and what we bring to the human experience is just as valid and important as rational thought?”

To put trust in the heart is to lift the burden of proof from it, and take the chance on living a more heart-centred life.

The heart has its own intelligence


Don’t get me wrong, the mind is a beautiful and powerful thing; but it always wants to be the boss, and it always, always chooses the familiar.

In this age of deliberate misinformation, we can no longer function on rational thought alone, while excluding the input of the heart and soul.

The heart has its own intelligence, its own intuition and its own functions. We must trust that it’s a masterful leader, and that a better relationship between the heart and head can be possible, when we stop playing the game.

Let’s take a trip towards the unknown, into the domain of the heart and soul, and start living a more heart-centred life!

The answer is always love, always. That’s the domain of the heart and soul.

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[su_panel background=”#f2f2f2″ color=”#000000″ border=”0px none #ffffff” shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]album coverSinger-songwriter Annette Campagne has been part of the music scene for more than 25 years, boasting many accomplishments, including nine albums, several radio hits and tours across Canada and Europe. Her latest album, I AM, is a soulful tapestry of acoustic rock featuring a deep-grounded earthiness and powerful lyrics. Visit Annette at annettecampagne.com.


image 1 Picserver  (CC BY-SA 3.0) 2 Pixabay 3 By Clarkandellen [CC BY-SA 3.0] Wikimedia Commons 4 Courtesy Annette Campagne