BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian
Beliefs
- Buddhist
- Catholic
- Contemplative
- Evangelical
- General Christian
- Hindu
- Jewish
- Latter-day Saint
- More Voices
- Muslim
- New Visions
- Pagan
- Progressive Christian
Topics
- Religion News
- Food and Religion
- Sports and Religion
- Religious Art
- Religious Music and Entertainment
- Religious Events
- History and Religion
- Style and Religion
- Politics and Religion
- Women in Religion
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion
- Business Finance and Religion
- Careers Workplace and Religion
- Education and Religion
- Family Parenting and Religion
- Health Fitness and Religion
- Home and Religion
- Relationships and Religion
- Technology and Religion
- Travel and Religion
Columnists
- Buddhist Columnists
- Business Finance and Religion Columnists
- Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists
- Catholic Columnists
- Contemplative Columnists
- Education and Religion Columnists
- Evangelists Columnists
- Family Parenting and Religion Columnists
- General Christian Columnists
- Health Fitness and Religion Columnists
- Hindu Columnists
- History and Religion Columnists
- Home and Religion Columnists
- Jewish Columnists
- More Voices Columnists
- Latter Day Columnists
- Muslim Columnists
- New Visions Columnists
- Nonreligious Columnists
- Pagan Columnists
- Politics and Religion Columnists
- Progressive Columnists
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists
- Relationships and Religion Columnists
- Religion News Columnists
- Religious Art Columnists
- Religious Events Columnists
- Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists
- Sports and Religion Columnists
- Style and Religion Columnists
- Technology and Religion Columnists
- Travel and Religion Columnists
- Women in Religion Columnists
Resource Library
- 2026 Calendar
- Library of World Religions
- The 100 Most Holy Places on Earth
- Patheos Answers
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Faith Leaders Database
- Anglican Episcopalian
- Bahai
- Baptist
- Buddhism
- Christianity
- Confucianism
- Eastern Orthodoxy
- Hinduism
- Holiness and Pentecostal
- ISKCON
- Islam
- Judaism
- Lutheran
- Methodist
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- New Age
- Paganism
- Presbytarian and Reformed
- Protestantism
- Religion Behind the Scenes
- Roman Catholic
- Scientology
- Shia Islam
- Sikhism
- Sufism
- Sunni Islam
- Taoism
- Zen
- See all religions
Research Tools
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
- Trending:
- Forgiveness
- |
- Marriage
- |
- Consciousness
- |
- Death Penalty
- |
- Election
- |
- Halloween
The Principles of Spiritual Living
- Home
- New Visions
- It’s All About Heart
It’s All About Heart
Last updated on: March 25, 2014 at 12:20 pm by Kenn Gordon
It’s All About Heart 2014-03-25T12:20:06-06:00 Kenn Gordon
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
The other day I caught myself thinking about a conflict I was having with another individual. 
It wasn’t a serious conflict, but something that was causing my mind some dissonance. As I started to pay attention to the direction of my thought, I noticed that the more I concentrated on the conflict, the more the conflict escalated in my own mind.
At one point, I even realized that my heart was racing just a little faster. My mind had managed to create its own adrenaline, and now I was feeling compelled to take action.
I’ve been here before, as I’m sure many of you have. But what occurs far more frequently for me today is that I have the presence of mind to pause and reflect.
When I do that, I realize that there is a law that is at work here, and it’s the law of physics that says an object will continue indefinitely in the direction it is going unless opposed by another force.
When I become aware of what is taking place within me, that’s when I am at choice. And when I am able to take that pause of thought, I can listen to what my racing heart is really trying to communicate to me: don’t run or attack in fear, slow down and open up to love.
Depending upon the level of conflict, it can take a considerable amount of energy to generate the love sufficient to change direction – but I know now that it will take place as long as I continue to focus my mind, and keep my heart open to possibilities.
Our mind is a trickster. It likes us to think that it knows everything, but so often you can see that it changes sides if you just take the time to listen. That inner world that has us so convinced that it holds the answer to everything is a bit like a noisy courtroom where parts of ourselves play the role of both defender and plaintiff.
Our challenge is that we get confused and begin to think that this mind is also the judge. In other words – at some point we stop the dialogue and let one side win – not even realizing that the judge had taken a recess.
Our judge isn’t our Mind, it is our heart. It is that higher part of ourselves that already knows how to engage in the world so that things move forward in a peaceful manner.
Gary Zukov, author of The Seat of the Soul, once wrote that “love heals everything – love is all there is.” John Lennon put it even more succinctly: “love is the answer.”
Fear ensures we continue down the same path. It is love that shows us where we can turn a corner.
Be still my racing heart.
Previous Post

March 18, 2014
The Value of Failure
Next Post

March 26, 2014 What Scares the Snot Out of You?
Browse Our Archives
Select a Category Breath meditation Finding peace Spiritual Living Spirituality Uncategorized
Select a Month October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012
TAKE THE
Religious Wisdom Quiz
Which apostle did Jesus say, "Get thee behind me, Satan…"
Select your answer to see how you score.
Judas John Peter James
Related posts from The Principles of Spiritual Living
The Principles of Spiritual Living
Being Centered Through Mindfulness
The Principles of Spiritual Living
The Principles of Spiritual Living
The Principles of Spiritual Living
TRENDING AT PATHEOS New Visions
Did Prayer Cure His Cancer? Or Was It...
At 4 AM one morning, Joshua W. Brown’s wife awoke to a...
8 Ways a Near-Death Experience Rewires the Soul
Does Consciousness Survive Physical Death? After 50 Years of Research, Dr. Raymond...
Holy Longing: What Our Restlessness Is Telling Us
“One can find so many pains when the rain is falling.” -John...
What this is NOT about. This blog is definitely not about...
Who said the Israelites were God’s chosen? That’s right, they did. Who...
The Spirit World Is the Real World: God...
A Monk’s Wisdom on Body and Spirit I sit with Brother Martin...
view all New Visions blogs
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
- About Us
- 2026 Calendar
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Library of World Religions
- Faith In Media Tracker
- Advertise With Us
- Write for Us
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Do Not Sell My Data
- Contact Us
- Radiant Digital
- Manage Newsletter Subscriptions
- Unsubscribe From Notifications
- Sitemap
Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.
Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In










