Many modern cultures, particularly in the west, believe that we are capable of rational, reasonable thought. We believe that logic is a road with a certain endpoint, with no other possible conclusions. We believe that absolute answers can be found by traveling this road. As a result of this belief, we also think that emotions cloud our reason and make us irrational, thereby causing the absolute, correct answer to elude us.

This belief has been best characterized by the fictional character Spock in the "Star Trek" TV series and films. Spock, as a logical being, believes that true enlightenment can only come by following that logical road to its inevitable end. In his world, the one thing that will prevent attaining this state is his emotional self. His struggle with his feelings is often portrayed, and they inevitably cause him to behave irrationally when he gives into them.

This cult of the mind probably began in earnest with the ancient Greeks, who believed they could logically solve all problems. As logic increased in worth, emotional intelligence lost value. It's not too surprising that women took the brunt of this fall, as they are often considered to be the "emotional" half of our species. This view is inaccurate, however, and does more damage to men in the long run than it has done to women because it has fostered the belief that men aren't—or shouldn't be—emotional beings.

The belief in the logical road is certainly an illusion. There is no one answer. There is no one road. And if we believe we can understand anything without the use of our emotional selves, then we are surely lost, because it is our emotions which enlighten us and guide us to the answer that we need in any given moment.

We spend a great deal of time and effort cultivating logical thinking and little or no effort teaching emotional intelligence. Many people probably can't even identify their true feelings most of the time. They aren't taught to notice them, much less name them. Rather, most people are taught to ignore their feelings because they "get in the way." Small wonder that so many people are so unhappy. If you don't understand what your feelings are, then how can you listen to them? How can you navigate your way to happiness without this knowledge?

Emotions are the doorway to your happiness because they are also the primary vehicle of communication from your Spirit. While Spirit certainly does address your mind, it most often addresses your feelings. "I just have a feeling," or "I get a bad feeling about that," we say. This is Spirit communicating directly to you. If you are accustomed to ignoring your feelings, then you can't hear your Spirit. And if you rely on logic to make your decisions, then logic will often convince you to do things that you don't want to do, or that you have a bad feeling about. If you truly don't want to do something, then you probably shouldn't. Those are your feelings talking to you. And if you do it anyway, the result is that you will feel angry or sad that you are going against your own wishes. If you do this consistently, you will be unhappy.

Your Spirit wants you to be happy and joyful. That's all it wants for you. That's all God, however you view that, wants for you. Logic, however, is the ego's best tool. It's also the preferred tool of other people's egos. If you allow logic alone to sway you, then it's very easy for other people to influence you and talk you into doing things that are against your own interests, or that simply make you unhappy. If you want to be a musician, but logic says that you'll be more "responsible" and make more money as a banker, and you listen to that, you may spend your life never pursuing the one thing that truly brings you joy. And that's a tragedy.

Your mind matters, but your emotions inform your mind, because your emotions are more closely informed by your Spirit. If your heart is not guiding your head, there is no rationality. It's just your ego calling the shots and pretending to have the answers. But when your heart guides you, your Spirit guides you, and then you are truly on an enlightened road.

The mind and the heart are partners; they need one another. They are yin and yang. They are two equal fields in your energy body as well. You cannot create without both. You could not exist without both. Journey into your emotions, and you will discover your true power. Stop giving it away to the false god of the ego.

Related links:

• To heal, feel
• Your head is a liar, but your feelings tell the truth
• Healing your inner child
• What it means to speak your truth
• Opening the heart