Head vs Heart

Thinking or Feeling

We frequently use parts of our body as metaphors for modes of Spiritual functioning.

The head, housing the brain, is used to describe all activity in which objective, analytical logic is used to determine our actions. The head is associated with our conscious mind

The heart, the body's engine room, is used to describe all activity in which emotion and feeling is used to determine our actions. The heart is associated with our subconscious mind. It is also through the heart mode that we are open to influence from our guides and the wider Spiritual reality otherwise known as God.

In Cabbala the spheres of Hod (intellect) and Netzach (emotion) respectively symbolize the qualities of head and heart.

Renowned psychologist Carl Jung uses thinking and feeling as extremes on a single dimension in his system of personality classification.

Inevitably we all use both thinking and feeling (head and heart) every day, though for most of us one of the modes is dominant, though the dominance may switch according to our circumstances. For example, in times of calm we are better able to objectively analyze various alternatives before making an informed decision. However, when we are under stress we may not be able to consider matters with such cold logic. At these times our emotions are likely to carry more weight.

You are probably aware of your dominant mode of functioning but if not, or you want confirmation, an online test such as HUMANMETRICS Jung Typology Test is useful.

Neither mode of functioning is superior. We have been granted the use of both because both have a role to play in a successful existence. One approach is to use one's head to gather and analyze data. This data is then passed to the heart, which adds in its own unfathomable 'X' factor before determining the appropriate action.

Self analysis can reveal whether one mode is too dominant. In such a case we should actively encourage the growth of the weaker one. This is achieved simply through practice. If we are overly reliant on our head we could force ourselves to consciously apply heart functioning, making space for emotions. Keep doing this until it eventually becomes second nature.

Alternatively if we are overly reliant on our emotions we could engineer situations which force us to apply our intellect.