Have you got a heart
Have you got a heart
Traditionally it is considered to be the seat of the emotions - compassion, kindness, generosity, humility and, above all, love. Importantly the “heart” is the seat of feelings (gut feeling) and empathy.
It is needful to recognise that we all have a “heart”; but do we listen to it? Is it submerged by the “necessities” and pressures of work, or the idea that we have to be in control, to have it done “my way”? The ‘heart” is important and to bring it back to its rightful position we need to exercise reason to acquire or regain a balance between pure “head”(a cold logical thought process) and pure “heart” (running on feelings and emotions). We forget that “head” is often a euphemism for ego. This is our view of ourselves, and the steps we take to maintain or boost that feeling of importance and power that many of us seem to crave, often tend to over ride our true feelings as expressed by our heart. It can take a real effort to step back, find some space to examine our reasons for the proposed activity and think, “Is this the best course of action for the result required or anticipated?”
Reason has to do with choice – and choice, in many instances, is really an ethical issue (certainly in business). It has to do with determining what our principles or values are (which are from the heart), and then using reason to discriminate (in any given situation) between right and wrong, correct and incorrect, truth and untruth. In business, in government and in life generally, there are five main levels of discrimination:
1. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for the Family (or me).
2. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for the Community (or firm).
3. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for Society.
4. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for the Nation.
5. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for Humanity.
Each level is a significant step up from the previous one and always incorporates the previous level or levels. Not many of us ever experience the burden of discriminating at levels 3, 4 or 5. But no matter what the level, we have to consider our “heart”, and reflect on the effects our actions will have on others - we need to look at the bigger picture.
We now come to the nub of the bigger picture which is ethics. This is an amalgam of our heart (feelings and emotions) and our head (thoughts). It is necessary, to be ethical, to remember two things:
(1) to always treat others as you would like to be treated, and
(2) to ask yourself, “if EVERYONE did what you are doing (or propose to do) would the world be a better place”? (Refer to the five levels mentioned above).
There is no other viable option.
The effects that thoughts have are profound, if not generally recognized. One may wax poetical and say that as an arrow is released from a bow, so is a thought formulated and ‘released’ from the mind – it cannot be recalled. It cannot be ‘unthought’.
In fact we are made or unmade by ourselves. In the armoury of our thoughts we forge the weapons with which we could destroy ourselves and others. Alternatively we may fashion the tools with which to build for ourselves all that is necessary for happiness, prosperity and peace.
It may seem a strange or whimsical statement to make, but thoughts are things. They are creative, they have substance. Everything we have began first as a thought. I do not mean the casual or passing thought, but thoughts with some emotion (some “heart”) behind them. Anything conceived, or made by man originates with a thought, be it a bridge, a book, an action or a concept. The flow is Thought, Word and then Action.
Every idea or thought becomes, as it were, a seed; this seed idea is sent out, or held in the mind; it then becomes a concept or word, later to be brought forth or expressed in physical forms. Good hearted thoughts or ideas of perfection result in perfection; heartless thoughts or ideas which are in essence imperfect, result in imperfection. It cannot be otherwise – the law of cause and effect cannot be evaded. I am not talking about, as I said before, the passing thought, but the general trend of your emotive (or heartfelt) thoughts – if the general trend is positive then you will be a positive person with generally positive outcomes – if the trend is negative then the chances are that you will be negative in your outlook and outcomes.
It is the thought behind the action; the intentional (heartfelt) thought, from which the action arises, which is important and must be examined.
If this originating thought is really examined, it will be seen that the root causes of all ego driven (head not heart) or unethical conduct is either fear or desire. Fear of it being discovered that you have done something inappropriate; fear of being rejected by your partner or by your peers; fear that the company may lose market share; fear about job security; fear about not being able to control the situation – the list is endless. This fear is always brought about by the perceived threat of personal injury, physical or financial loss, or loss of ‘face’ (damage to the ego). This is all head not “heart”.
There is also desire. This is the flip side of fear. Desire is fed by the ego (head). The image you have about yourself that has to be maintained (and a fear that it may not last). ‘I want this,’ ‘I must have that,’ ‘I simply cannot live without it.’ Again, it is the originating thought that must be examined.
So, have you got a heart? Recognising that you have a heart and using reason to balance it with the head (ego) is necessary if you are to grow to your full potential as a human being and to ensure that harmony is to be brought about (or maintained) in your life, be it in the work place or the home.
Have you got a heart - To learn more about this author, visit Andrew Campbell-Watt's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
What is meant by heart? I do not mean the blood pump thing that keeps us going. There is a subtle meaning that goes deeper than this – we use it all the time, maybe unconsciously. We say “My heartfelt thanks”; “She has a loving heart”; “My heart sank at the news”; “He has no heart”; “My head says one thing, my heart another”. There are many more similar sayings in the English lexicon.
Traditionally it is considered to be the seat of the emotions - compassion, kindness, generosity, humility and, above all, love. Importantly the “heart” is the seat of feelings (gut feeling) and empathy.
It is needful to recognise that we all have a “heart”; but do we listen to it? Is it submerged by the “necessities” and pressures of work, or the idea that we have to be in control, to have it done “my way”? The ‘heart” is important and to bring it back to its rightful position we need to exercise reason to acquire or regain a balance between pure “head”(a cold logical thought process) and pure “heart” (running on feelings and emotions). We forget that “head” is often a euphemism for ego. This is our view of ourselves, and the steps we take to maintain or boost that feeling of importance and power that many of us seem to crave, often tend to over ride our true feelings as expressed by our heart. It can take a real effort to step back, find some space to examine our reasons for the proposed activity and think, “Is this the best course of action for the result required or anticipated?”
Reason has to do with choice – and choice, in many instances, is really an ethical issue (certainly in business). It has to do with determining what our principles or values are (which are from the heart), and then using reason to discriminate (in any given situation) between right and wrong, correct and incorrect, truth and untruth. In business, in government and in life generally, there are five main levels of discrimination:
1. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for the Family (or me).
2. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for the Community (or firm).
3. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for Society.
4. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for the Nation.
5. Discrimination to determine the best course of action for Humanity.
Each level is a significant step up from the previous one and always incorporates the previous level or levels. Not many of us ever experience the burden of discriminating at levels 3, 4 or 5. But no matter what the level, we have to consider our “heart”, and reflect on the effects our actions will have on others - we need to look at the bigger picture.
We now come to the nub of the bigger picture which is ethics. This is an amalgam of our heart (feelings and emotions) and our head (thoughts). It is necessary, to be ethical, to remember two things:
(1) to always treat others as you would like to be treated, and
(2) to ask yourself, “if EVERYONE did what you are doing (or propose to do) would the world be a better place”? (Refer to the five levels mentioned above).
There is no other viable option.
The effects that thoughts have are profound, if not generally recognized. One may wax poetical and say that as an arrow is released from a bow, so is a thought formulated and ‘released’ from the mind – it cannot be recalled. It cannot be ‘unthought’.
In fact we are made or unmade by ourselves. In the armoury of our thoughts we forge the weapons with which we could destroy ourselves and others. Alternatively we may fashion the tools with which to build for ourselves all that is necessary for happiness, prosperity and peace.
It may seem a strange or whimsical statement to make, but thoughts are things. They are creative, they have substance. Everything we have began first as a thought. I do not mean the casual or passing thought, but thoughts with some emotion (some “heart”) behind them. Anything conceived, or made by man originates with a thought, be it a bridge, a book, an action or a concept. The flow is Thought, Word and then Action.
Every idea or thought becomes, as it were, a seed; this seed idea is sent out, or held in the mind; it then becomes a concept or word, later to be brought forth or expressed in physical forms. Good hearted thoughts or ideas of perfection result in perfection; heartless thoughts or ideas which are in essence imperfect, result in imperfection. It cannot be otherwise – the law of cause and effect cannot be evaded. I am not talking about, as I said before, the passing thought, but the general trend of your emotive (or heartfelt) thoughts – if the general trend is positive then you will be a positive person with generally positive outcomes – if the trend is negative then the chances are that you will be negative in your outlook and outcomes.
It is the thought behind the action; the intentional (heartfelt) thought, from which the action arises, which is important and must be examined.
If this originating thought is really examined, it will be seen that the root causes of all ego driven (head not heart) or unethical conduct is either fear or desire. Fear of it being discovered that you have done something inappropriate; fear of being rejected by your partner or by your peers; fear that the company may lose market share; fear about job security; fear about not being able to control the situation – the list is endless. This fear is always brought about by the perceived threat of personal injury, physical or financial loss, or loss of ‘face’ (damage to the ego). This is all head not “heart”.
There is also desire. This is the flip side of fear. Desire is fed by the ego (head). The image you have about yourself that has to be maintained (and a fear that it may not last). ‘I want this,’ ‘I must have that,’ ‘I simply cannot live without it.’ Again, it is the originating thought that must be examined.
So, have you got a heart? Recognising that you have a heart and using reason to balance it with the head (ego) is necessary if you are to grow to your full potential as a human being and to ensure that harmony is to be brought about (or maintained) in your life, be it in the work place or the home.
Have you got a heart - To learn more about this author, visit Andrew Campbell-Watt's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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Ethics and Life - Written by Andrew Campbell-Watt. I have a B.Comm,a Post Graduate diploma in Business and I am a qualified Life Coach.With some 45 years of business and life experiences I have much to offer anyone who needs guidance or advice in Ethics, Life Coaching and/or Stress Management
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