Self-love hasn’t always come naturally to me. Like many women, I’ve struggled with self-worth throughout my life, questioning my value and ignoring my own needs. It took my spine fracturing—a profound and deeply uncomfortable reminder of both vulnerability and strength—to finally grasp the importance of self-love. When everything else fell away, when the foundation of my physical being was compromised, I discovered that the heart, with its incredible wisdom and intelligence, was the only place to begin healing.
Healing as a Lifelong Journey—or Something More?
For many of us, healing feels like a lifelong journey. I sometimes wonder, though: is it an addiction? Life inevitably brings challenges we need to address, and I wouldn’t take that away from myself or anyone else. But I also believe there comes a time when we can move out of the activity of healing into something deeper: using the power of self-love to evolve.
Healing is essential when life’s challenges demand our attention, but staying in a perpetual cycle of healing can keep us tethered to the past. Self-love, on the other hand, offers a way forward. It’s the bridge that transforms healing into evolution—a shift from simply addressing wounds to embracing the fullness of life with an open heart.
I remember the moment I decided to stop obsessing over healing my body and all the other emotional baggage that surfaced. Instead, I asked myself a different question: Do I love myself enough to do this or that? Then, I listened to my heart. One morning, while journaling with my tea, I asked my heart what it truly needed. The answer surprised me: Let go of the perfectionism. It was a quiet moment, yet it reshaped how I approached my day—choosing grace over pressure.
The Heart’s Divine Intelligence
Through my journey, I’ve come to realise the heart is not just a physical organ—it’s the seat of our divine inner wisdom. Ancient traditions have long taught this, and science is finally catching up. Research reveals that the heart contains approximately 40,000 neurons, forming what scientists call a “heart brain.” This validates what mystics have always known: the heart is far more than a pump. It’s an intelligent system capable of learning, remembering, and making decisions independently of the brain.
Studies show that this “little brain” within the heart regulates its functions and communicates with the rest of the body. Scientists at Karolinska Institutet and Columbia University have identified specialised neurons that control the heartbeat in much the same way the brain regulates rhythmic functions like breathing. Further research, such as mapping the heart’s neural network in zebrafish, highlights the heart’s incredible complexity and its parallels to human anatomy.
While this explains the heart’s physical intelligence, I’m fascinated by how it connects with divine inner wisdom.
Key Connections to Divine Wisdom
The heart plays a dual role as a physiological and spiritual centre. It bridges science and spirituality, helping us access inner guidance. Here are three ways this connection manifests:
- The Heart’s Coherence: Practices like heart-focused meditation create a harmonious state where the heart, mind, and body align. In this state, we’re more receptive to higher guidance and spiritual insights.
- Interconnectedness: The heart generates the body’s largest electromagnetic field, influencing others and creating a sense of unity. This aligns with the spiritual idea of collective consciousness.
- Authentic Truth: The heart’s intelligence guides us toward choices that resonate with our true selves. This alignment is often described as divine will or inner wisdom.
By embracing the heart’s dual role, we can navigate challenges with both intelligence and grace. When we stand at life’s crossroads, the heart reminds us to trust not only what we know but also what we feel—a powerful union of mind, heart, and soul.
From Healing to Evolving: The Role of Self-Love
Healing often begins by addressing what feels broken, but self-love allows us to shift the narrative. It’s no longer about fixing; it’s about growing. With self-love, we step into evolution, focusing on possibility, creation, and alignment with our higher selves.
How Self-Love Fuels Evolution:
- Shifting Perspective: Healing asks, What do I need to mend? Evolution asks, What can I create?
- Empowerment: Self-love gives us the courage to move forward, even with scars, transforming them into symbols of resilience.
- Presence Over Perfection: It invites us to embrace ourselves as we are, recognising that growth is ongoing and multifaceted.
Self-love becomes the foundation of this transition. It honours the past while freeing us to envision a future rooted in authenticity.
Building a Practice of Heart-Centred Self-Love
Creating Sacred Space
Begin each day with a moment of connection. For me, it’s those quiet moments in bed, journaling while my tea steeps, and then walking my dogs. For you, it might be sitting by a window with a notebook, walking through a park, or meditating in a calm corner of your home. The key is consistency—returning to this space daily anchors your self-love practice.
Daily Heart Practices:
- Place your hand on your heart and take slow, deep breaths.
- Ask your heart: What do you need from me today?
- Write a love letter to yourself, offering kindness and encouragement.
- Spend time in nature, reconnecting with your inner self.
- Incorporate gentle movements, such as yoga or stretching, to open the heart.
The Wisdom of Life’s Challenges
Life’s challenges often carry hidden gifts. When my spine fractured, it forced me to slow down and listen to my body and heart. These painful moments became wonderful teachers when I approached them with an open heart.
By asking, What would love do in this moment? We shift from dwelling on the past to taking meaningful steps forward. Healing begins the process, but self-love transforms it into empowerment.
Signs You’re Moving from Healing to Evolving:
- You trust your intuition more fully.
- You honour your feelings without dwelling on them.
- Your choices align with your desires rather than external expectations.
- You celebrate small wins and focus on growth, not perfection.
Moving Forward with Heart Wisdom
The journey of self-love is not a destination but a lifelong practice. Like the hills I wander by each morning—sometimes dull, sometimes glowing in sunlight—our relationship with ourselves has its seasons. What matters is the commitment to show up, day after day, with patience and kindness.
Healing and self-love are not opposites but partners. Healing prepares the soil; self-love plants seeds of growth. Together, they guide us out of old patterns and into lives that feel expansive, authentic, and truly our own.
Heart Wisdom Journal Prompts
Self-Love and Healing
- What does self-love mean to me right now, and how can I nurture it in my daily life?
- In what ways have I shown myself love and care in the past? How did those actions impact my healing journey?
- Are there areas of my life where I’m stuck in a cycle of healing? What would it look like to move forward with self-love instead?
Heart Wisdom
- When was the last time I truly listened to my heart? What did it say, and how did I respond?
- If I placed my hand on my heart right now and asked, “What do you need from me today?” what might it tell me?
- How do I experience the connection between my heart and intuition? Can I recall a time when following my heart led me to a meaningful decision?
Evolution and Growth
- What would it feel like to focus on evolving rather than fixing? What would that shift bring into my life?
- What three things could I create or pursue if I fully trusted my heart’s wisdom?
Reflection on Challenges
- What has been my greatest challenge, and what lesson or gift did it carry? How has it shaped my self-love journey?
- How can I embrace my scars—whether emotional or physical—as symbols of resilience and growth?
Your Journey Begins With Love
Your heart already knows the way. Trust in its wisdom, follow its gentle guidance, and take one step today toward honouring its truth. Every act of self-love is a step towards your truest self.
The heart truly is your most powerful compass—not just metaphorically, but literally. It holds the capacity for healing, transformation, and infinite evolution. The journey begins when you dare to trust its guidance and take that first step.
