Heart Brain

The best thing I learned when I got sober

Is that our heart has a brain.

A complete neural network…

I know, it sounds insane!

The only thing crazier would be not to listen to it.

And if you pay attention here,

Then I’ll try to talk you through it.

Habits are defined as

Unconscious and repetitious automatic behaviors.

For many of us

These little autopilots are seen as sort of saviors.

But for most of us, good or bad,

They’re not doing any favors.

For instance,

We can tell ourselves anything we want to

And we choose,

“You’re fat”,

“You’re ugly”,

“You’re old”,

“You’ll never make it”.

As if these lies inside our minds

are so obviously blatant.

See, our thoughts are habitual.

Ya, that’s right,

That means we talk to ourselves like shit

like it’s a ritual!

It’s pitiful.

We’ve gotta change these patterns.

I believe that it is critical,

And because our thoughts consume our minds,

Control our bodies,

It’s parasitical.

But, when you recognize a habit

It’s no longer a habit by definition.

It becomes a choice,

Which means that if we pay attention,

We can decide which thoughts to give a voice!

Next, our thoughts create emotions.

Those are guided by our heart,

Which many of us, without even knowing,

Try to outsmart.

We try everything we can

To pretend we don’t feel pain,

So we bury the sadness,

Sweep the guilt,

Ignore the shame.

We seek outward instead of inward

Just to try and lay the blame,

But I’ll tell you firsthand,

Self-medication’s a risky game.

It doesn’t help that all of society feels the same!

Why else would they sell liquor

On every corner down the lane?

That’s insane.

Do you know why they call them spirits?

When alcohol is distilled,

The evaporation process looks like the spirit is being sucked from its source.

Ironically,

It does the exact same thing to our very own life force!

Because we’d rather have no soul than to feel sorrow.

So we snort, smoke, and drink

Like there’s no tomorrow,

Failing to realize

That it is not time that we can borrow!

Until we’re worn down,

Beaten,

Ill,

And hollow.

Talk about self-medication,

Now that’s a tough pill to swallow.

But our bodies are our vessels,

And they can teach us if we listen.

See, we have everything we need,

We just gotta close our eyes

And go inside,

To catch the transmission.

But you gotta give yourself permission,

Or else our shell

Can easily become a prison.

Our compass is internal.

It can point us in the right direction,

But most of us are too goddamn scared of a little introspection!

Our compass is eternal.

And we need its knowledge desperately.

From answering life’s questions,

To carrying the very blood that we bleed,

So, I challenge you to Gratefully

Check in with your heartbeat

As many times as it takes

For you to see,

And feel,

And believe,

Differently.