There are clear differences between regulating our emotions through mind-based approaches – such as emotional intelligence, mindfulness, or cognitive-behavioral strategies – and learning to open our spiritual heart and live a heart-centered life. This article explores the intersection, distinction and benefits among these two methods.

Mind-Based Approaches – The Benefits and Limitations

In mind-based approaches, the key is using the mind to monitor or reframe our thoughts. And it is this ability to mindfully witness or cognitively reframe our thoughts that help us to reduce emotional reactivity in our lives.  Being mindful can definitely help in “creating space” by learning to step back and observe the drama we create rather than being identified with our emotional reactivity.  Becoming an observer teaches us to detach from the unwanted visitors that dance in our minds so that the patterns temporarily subside. However, more patterns in the background continually come to the forefront and it takes ongoing diligence to manage our thoughts. When the mind is dominant, patterns involving arrogance, insecurity, frustration, and judgment of self or others can infiltrate our thinking in such subtle ways that they become part of our normal consciousness.

In addition, sustaining a positive vision isn’t always easy from within a mind-dominant state.  For example, when unwanted life events happen, our emotions may oscillate between fear and optimism as we worry about the future followed by a reframing of our thoughts to see the bright side for a while.

However, mindfulness and other mind-based approaches provide valuable benefits. Without them, we can easily get stuck in negative thoughts and emotional patterns for extended periods of time with no reprieve. Through effectively utilizing mind-based strategies, we can learn to increase our self-awareness which allows us to better manage our emotions. 

Yet, when we compare the benefits received from being heart-centered and allowing ourselves to be guided by our innate heart wisdom, the results of mind-based strategies are limited.

Profound and Lasting Transformation through a Heart-Centered Approach

When we learn to live with an open spiritual heart, the quality of our thoughts, interpretations, and conclusions is very different from those personal growth approaches that utilize the mind as the key to managing unproductive thoughts and emotional patterns. 

Our spiritual heart is most special because it is the doorway to our connection with True Source, the Source of Unconditional Love and the Source of our spirit or true self. Heart intelligence is the natural quality of innate heart wisdom that can only be accessed through our spiritual heart, not our mind.

When we are properly heart-centered, our spiritual heart and mind come into alignment.  This allows our thoughts, perceptions and responses to be positively influenced by our heart because our spiritual heart is the center of peace, calm, joy, and gratitude. When we respond at the heart level, the same event can be experienced from a totally different perspective than when our mind is in charge. And as we learn to be grounded in being heart-centered, things that used to trigger us might no longer trigger us at all, or at the very least, the frequency and intensity of our emotional reactivity to the trigger is significantly reduced. Resiliency and the experience of thriving rather than striving become the natural outcome.

It is commonly said that our deepest truths are known in the core of our hearts. Learn more about why our spiritual heart is the key connection to happiness, effortlessly managing emotions, and experiencing deep and lasting fulfillment in all aspects of our lives.