Mind is a familiar stranger! Mind cares and heart heals!

GUEST COLUMN: Dr N Prabhudev

Bengaluru Express

Bengaluru, July 11: The heart pumps blood. It is needed for survival. The heart does not have the ability to think! It gut shows strong changes to emotions! But heart can’t itself feel. The brain/mind allows us to think, feel, and act using many systems of neurons that work together. The brain/mind creates emotions and thoughts. The brain guides the functioning of every organ, including the heart. Organs respond to each other and work together. They are in a feedback loop.

Heart has its own mini brain – has about 40,000 neurites! The Brain has -100 billion neurons with 50-60 neurites each! Emotions cause changes in heart rate and have a unique “cardiac profile” for common emotions. Sadness increases blood pressure! Happiness reduces the BP! Fear accelerates the heart rate! Anger increases blood pressure. The heart is closely tied and is often equated to emotions! Heart-to-Heart connections – one between mother and her child! Brain has no heart! Brain is heartless!

The mind is separate from the Brain! Yet mind is inseparable from the brain. The brain always responds to the mind. Nicotine rushes into the brain in a mere 7 seconds. Alcohol, on the other hand, takes 6 minutes. Nicotine and alcohol are a deadly combination! Biology gives you a brain. Life turns it into a mind! Heart is soulful. Brain is mindful!

Life is a never-ending conversation between two very different voices – Your heart, full of passion and dreams, says, “Go for it! Live your life!” Meanwhile, your mind, cautious and logical, counters with, “Think this through. Are you sure this is wise?” The Heart’s Side – Dream Big and be alive! Mind says – Think again!

Your heart knows the way. Run and grab it!” Makes you laugh, challenge your perspective, and fill you with excitement. Your heart says, “Go for it! Heart chases fulfilment! Always hearts dream! Mind tries to reason! It’s your built-in problem solver, the one reminding you of risks, responsibilities, and realities. Heart tries to overpower the mind! Mind is stable but stays vulnerable!

My heart says yes, but my mind says no! No, they’re not being poetic. It might seem like they are using a metaphor, but the truth isn’t so clean. It’s messier and far more fascinating. There’s a reason we say heartbreak when love fails – not mating misfire, dopamine defeat, hippocampal hangover, or cortex crash. All thoughts come from the brain, manifested in the mind, but influenced by the heart.

You have a steady well-paying job on hand! You have a passion for art! Your heart says, do what you love!” Your mind interrupts with, “What about the bills? The mortgage? What if it doesn’t work out?” It’s not trying to crush your dreams; it’s trying to protect you. Often Dreams and Logic do not converge! Your heart and mind aren’t enemies. Often your heart dreams big, while your mind figures out how to make those dreams a reality. Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your soul.

You’ve met someone who feels like a spark of magic in your life. They make you laugh, challenge your perspective, and fill you with excitement. But there’s a catch—maybe your lifestyles don’t quite match, or your goals feel out of sync. Your heart says, “Go for it! This connection feels real, and the mind will figure the rest out.

Life is not about choosing your heart or your mind. It’s about learning to let them work together. Your heart might lead you to a dream, but your mind will help you figure out the roadmap to get there. It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” So, when you’re torn between passion and practicality, don’t rush to pick sides. Instead, let your heart and mind work together to make this decision feel right?

Remember the most fulfilling choices come when you are brave enough to dream and wise enough to plan.

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