There are a few versions of this quote but the essence of the message is the same.
“The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart.”
~Thích Nhat Hanh
Modern society glorifies both the physical doing and having aspects of living life > which is driven by the “head” or mental thinking…
…while it diminishes and makes “weak” the emotional or feeling aspects of being human and living from the “heart”.
If you use (or were raised with) expressions like:
- “Suck it up, Buttercup.”
- “Just push through.”
- “Get over it.”
- “Just let it go.”
And if expressing your emotions and being vulnerable was discouraged or even seen as shameful, you may have some healing to do…(that is IF you desire a happy, healthy, peaceful, calm, abundant, fulfilling and meaningful life.🙋🏻♀️)
Because this culture perpetuates themes like ‘survival of the fittest’, ‘more is better’ and other ‘dog eat dog’ beliefs, we’ve devolved into a society driven by trauma, lack, greed, consumption, not good enough and never enough…driven by the constant need for more, more, more….
And this constant need – this head/heart misalignment paired with emotional suppression – is why we SEEK OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES for answers and for relief…by constantly being busy, researching, numbing or tuning out, by over-indulging, over-consuming, over spending, over-improving (home or self), over working, over-scrolling, over thinking…over-ing in general.
As a society, we are WAAAYYYY TOO MUCH in our heads and NOT ENOUGH in our hearts….and it painfully shows with skyrocketing obesity, disease, mental illness, addiction, suicide, violence, crime, injustices, division, homelessness, poverty, debt, etc….
Although you may not experience this in your neighborhood, you know it’s not far away and it will only get worse as the innate beauty and love of humanity seems to be crumbling in so many places right before our very eyes…
SO back to the quote… What is THE BEST next step we can take as members of this struggling society? How can you and I help?
Well, the answer is definitely not about sharing your views or opinions on social media. It’s not even about adding more to your helping, volunteer or activism plate (unless your heart is called to serve and you have that desire and capacity)…
The answer is actually much simpler than that…
This time is calling for each of us to expand more into our heart space (and inversely relying less on the head or mental side) so that we create more balance or harmony between the head and heart. It’s an integration – not a perfect 50/50 balance – but more of an ebb and flow dance…
How do you actually do this?
You start by allowing your emotions to be seen and felt within you.
Then you allow those emotions to be expressed – either verbally, in writing or your creativity, through touch and/or physically moving in and through the body.
Ultimately, emotions are stored in our consciousness, in the physical body until they are allowed to be expressed — which is how we stay healthy — and conversely, if not allowed to express, is how we get ill.
Sounds simple enough…maybe even eye-rolling-ly TOO simple 🙄.., but if you, like me, have spent your entire life – decades – suppressing, disconnecting, diminishing and denying your emotions, I can tell you it’s not simple or easy at all.
It’s awkward AF. It’s cringy. It can make other people squirmy and roll their eyes,,,which can trigger feelings of rejection or shame….
I don’t know about you, but no one really teaches us how to be vulnerable. Not many of us have been encouraged or shown exactly how to express emotions – especially uncomfortable or “negative” emotions – in a healthy or effective way.
But woah, man, do we learn how to keep quiet, lay low “behave” and fall in line. 🫥
We’ve been taught through our societal systems and family dynamics how to follow rules, to escape and avoid emotions by constructing personas, patterns and walls to shield our hearts from any emotional pain (and even excitement).
In our desperate mission to tamp down our emotions and suppress, we’ve failed to understand that it is that very same heart energy that carries ALL of our emotions that can also bring love, joy, intimacy, connection and vital life force to our human existence…Without the emotion, we’re more like drones or robots.
The journey from your head to your heart truly IS the longest, bravest, yet most impactful one you’ll ever choose to make. If you decide to take that step, know that you’re not alone. ❤️🩹
