In our teacher training session last week our discussion about the koshas lead to an interesting place. As we talked about the mind (manomayakosha) and the deeper intelligence (vijnanamayakosha) it became clear that even in a dedicated group of yogis the question about what it means to and whether it is okay to "follow your heart" is still unanswered.

As we delved into the topic comments about the potential weakness of decisions made from the heart, concerns that emotion may get in the way and the sharing of a favorite saying, "follow your heart but lead with your brain" all came forward. As I listened, I got more and more curious.

For me, bringing the heart into greater focus and challenging myself to lead more and more from there in my life has been the most potent teaching of yoga. My mind is strong and determined. I am smart and can think myself through just about anything. However, when I follow my heart, I feel better. I feel more grounded. I feel less vulnerable. So, where do we get the idea that to follow the heart is weak?

Like any good yogi, I went to Google to find out. And there, the second entry after followyourheart.com and the home of Vegenaise, was the answer. It is engrained in our culture and even our science. That second entry was an article from Psychology Today, Bad Advice: Follow Your Heart.

To read Leslie's full article, click here.