Head-Knowledge versus Heart-Knowledge

Head-knowledge is what you know intellectually. It's what you know to do to make good choices, to be functional and participate well in life. It's the good advice you give to friends in need.

So what happens when you are the one in need? Do you heed your own advice? Or do you inexplicably find it impossible to take the actions you know are required to protect yourself, or extricate yourself from a bad situation?

Heart-knowledge is emotional knowledge. It is what you have actually internalized of all that you have studied, and it shows the progress you have made over time. Your heart-knowledge manifests as the actions you take on your own behalf.

Shamanically, the 5th Chakra, in the throat area, governs the energy of the balance between compassion and judgment (i.e. discernment). When knowledge passes from the heart (4th chakra) to the mind (6th chakra), it is transformed by the energies of the 5th chakra. So when knowledge is passed from the heart to the mind, it passes through Judgment and when it passed from mind to heart, it passes through compassion. When the 2 (heart & mind) meet in discernment, the 5th chakra balances them, like the fulcrum of a teeter-totter.

This difference between head-knowledge and heart knowledge is the reason cognitive therapy has such a high failure rate: it focuses on head-knowledge. An intellectual approach is ineffective when attempting emotional healing. The two planes do not intersect prior to healing.

Try It
When you find yourself at a loss to follow advice you know is prudent, sit in meditation and visualize what your life would look like if you did take these actions. Pretend you are taking your own good advice. What would you do? How would you talk differently to yourself? What wouldn't you do anymore? Whom would you seek out for advice?

Blessings,
Caitlyn
www.7StarEPH.com

Balance: collaborating with yourself

This week, we are going to look at co-operation and collaboration. Nothing happens without co-operation, even if we are grudging about whatever issue is at hand. Collaboration, however, is at a much higher level of consciousness. Collaboration cannot happen if there is resentment, anger or any other kind of unwillingness or negativity. True collaboration occurs when unconditional love it present.

Many times in my life I have been so frustrated or depressed, indeed felt so totally powerless over something, that I have just wanted to scream at Father Sky, "OK, I'm done here! I can't do this anymore! I want to go home!" But alas - I had left my ruby slippers back in Heaven and clicking my heels together just wasn't an effective means of transportation. I had to go on. I had no choice but to witness the dawning of a new day. The beauty of it was that it didn't matter if I didn't have the strength - the sun would rise anyway. And actually, it was a relief to know I didn't have to do anything special for it. In fact, I slept right through it! This is one major blessing about being here on Earth. When we rest and rejuvenate after trying so hard, we are rewarded. With a little awareness, I learned I didn't have to try so hard. What counts is that I make an effort.


Try It

List three ways you find balance between resting and effort. Maybe you can enlist a family member of friend to help with a project or even a house chore. For example, my son is only 7, and he helps me with the sweeping. While he is too little to wield a full sized broom, he's might handy with a brush and dust pan. So I sweep the dust and bits of paper, etc., into a pile and he sweeps the pile into the dust pan and throws it out.



Blessings to you, gentle reader,
- Caitlyn