When we talk about the brain we instantly remember ‘thoughts’ and for the heart, we remember ‘feelings’, in other words, it is the mind and emotions.  If you put this as an example, like in a car has so many parts that are designed to work for so many functions, even in a single gearbox, one gear is moving forward and the other is moving behind.  It is the command (or the function or change of gear) that changes the directions, likewise, in a single human body, two distinct parts deliver contrasting functions – the brain and the heart, two parts that one commands and the other delivers, ironically the second one blamed for no reason.

The heart blamed every time for every inhuman act. The reason humans think this way is because our elders taught us this way.  Have we ever re-analyzed this?  Following the elders is one effective way of development, however, on the other hand, we need to analyze whether our path of going is correct or not, during our journey of life.  There could be hundreds of reasons that some of our elders could have been misled by their seniors or taken the wrong path without any knowledge or influenced or forced by somebody or some reason to catch the path that we are travelling on.  Hindu religion, otherwise called Sanatana Dharma always encourages arguing anything with logic and with the intent of exploring, not merely opposing anything meaninglessly or for self-ego.  In the form of enhancing knowledge of one owned already and the one is pursuing, the Hindu religion has the option called Tarka Shastra – the philosophy of dialectics, logic and reasoning and art of debate that analyzes the nature and source of knowledge and its validity.  As most of you know the Sanskrit term ‘Tarka’ means debate or argue and the term ‘Shastra’ means teaching, giving knowledge, instruction or some command, etc.  As I said earlier, Tarka must be used for a reason to enhance one’s knowledge.

This is how that goes:  Tarka Shastra has two parts, called Purva Paksha and Apara Paksha. If a learned develops any doubts or wants to enhance any points, he/she raises a point (Purva Paksha) and the other party either clarifies or criticizes it (Apara Paksha). This is how the debate will start. Each party will try to support their point of view by giving various references at their best-obtained knowledge level. The Tarka does not imply a purely logical analysis but also a complex activity of discourse guided by strict definitions and goals by these learned scholars. 

That means a human i.e., a learned human must follow the footsteps of ancestors and should learn to analyze whether what he/she follows is the right one.  This is for self-learning and updating or re-establishing one’s understanding.  This kind of teaching is only available in Sanatana Dharma.

What the modern education system is saying about such logic or reasoning of study is also to be discussed here for better clarity and understanding.  If we talk scientifically, the communication between the heart and the brain is a dynamic, ongoing, two-way dialogue with each organ continuously influencing the other’s function.  Research has shown that the heart communicates to the brain in four major ways: neurologically (through the transmission of nerve impulses), biochemically (via hormones and neurotransmitters), biophysically (through pressure waves) and energetically (through electromagnetic field interactions).  Communication along all these conduits significantly affects the brain’s activity, moreover, one research shows that messages the heart sends to the brain also can affect the performance of it. 

Some of the first researchers, Mr. John and Mr. Beatrice Lacey, in the field of psychophysiology examined the interactions between the heart and brain. During 20 years of research throughout the 1960s and ’70s, they observed that the heart communicates with the brain in ways that significantly affect how we perceive and react to the world.

Now the point is your thought becomes your feelings and eventually your action/behavior.  Unlike what we think heartless action or behavior of a person is nothing to do with the heart but the reflection of the brain.  The brain needs reasoning to analyze the thing and act.  The heart does not need any outside inputs to behave on its own but receives command from the brain.  Heart attacks happen when the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart is blocked, causing the death of heart muscle tissue.  The way you manage your anger (few emotions) can have an influence on your heart.  Emotions such as anger and hostility ramp up your “fight or flight” response. When that happens, stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, speed up your heart rate and breathing.  Your blood vessels tighten. Your blood pressure soars.  You’re ready to run for your life or fight an enemy. If this happens often, it causes wear and tear on your artery walls.

“If you have a destructive reaction to anger, you are more likely to have heart attacks,” says cardiologist Dave Montgomery, MD, of Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.

Hence it is the brain that runs the show, why blame the heart alone?

The concluding point is the next time you hear somebody blame the heart for some atrocity, remember the brain’s deep involvement in that.  Your brain is the CPU of your entire computer body.  Why blame the poor heart without any reason?

Balaji Canchi Sistla

6-12-23 from Chennai, India

Reference:

https://handwiki.org/wiki/Philosophy:Tarka_sastra

https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/heart-brain-communication

https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/features/how-anger-hurts-your-heart