Listening to Your Three Brains: Mind, Heart, and Gut
When we talk about wisdom, we often think of the mind — logic, reasoning, and planning. But science and consciousness practices are showing us that the mind is just one part of our inner intelligence. Our body holds its own deep knowing through the heart and gut — the three “brains” that guide us toward alignment, clarity, and fulfillment.
Image found on Unsplash by THLT LCX
The Three Brains and Their Intelligence
1. The Mind (Head Brain)
Our head houses the brain most of us rely on daily: for analysis, memory, and decision-making. It’s fast, logical, and essential for navigating the world. But alone, it can overthink, judge, or get stuck in loops.
2. The Heart (Emotional Brain)
The heart isn’t just pumping blood — it’s sending complex signals to the brain. Research from the HeartMath Institute shows that the heart communicates with the brain via electromagnetic fields, affecting emotional regulation, intuition, and resilience. The heart “brain” helps us sense alignment with ourselves and others, notice subtle emotional cues, and make decisions that feel deeply right.
3. The Gut (Instinctive Brain)
Ever felt a decision in your gut? The enteric nervous system in our digestive tract contains millions of neurons — often called the “second brain.” Scientists like Dr. Michael Gershon have shown that the gut’s neurons send constant feedback to the brain, influencing mood, instinct, and even clarity of thought. This brain is wired for survival, intuition, and sensing opportunities or danger.
Why Alignment Matters
In our modern world, the mind often takes priority. We overthink, plan, and problem-solve — sometimes at the expense of our intuition, emotional guidance, or gut instincts. But each brain has a role:
Mind: plans, strategizes, organizes.
Heart: connects, senses, empathizes.
Gut: instinctual guidance, safety, and creativity.
When all three are aligned, decision-making becomes clearer, relationships deepen, and life feels more expansive. When they are out of sync, we can feel tension, indecision, or emptiness.
It’s Not Lost: Your Brains Speak a Universal Language
Even if it feels hard to “hear” your heart or gut, their language is coded in your DNA — it’s intuitive, physical, emotional. Practices like conscious connected breathing, mindfulness, and somatic exploration help us translate this language, letting the body’s intelligence inform our choices.
How to Tune In
Pause and Notice: Before big decisions, take a moment to breathe and feel. Where does your body respond first?
Belly Breathing: Deep, conscious breaths into the belly create space for gut signals to emerge.
Heart Awareness: Place a hand on your heart, notice the rhythm, and ask yourself: “What feels aligned?”
Journaling or Reflection: Write down insights from each brain — head, heart, gut — and notice patterns.
The Benefits of Three-Brain Alignment
Greater clarity and confidence in decision-making
Increased emotional regulation and resilience
Heightened intuition and creative flow
Reduced stress and tension
A deeper sense of wholeness and presence
When we honor all three brains, life flows more easily, decisions feel grounded, and we step into deeper trust and our truest potential.
🌬️ Through conscious breathwork and embodied awareness, you can reconnect with all three, learning their language again and bringing them into harmony.
If you’re curious to explore this in a guided space, I’d love to welcome you:
👉 Join my next Group Breathwork Session
👉 Or dive deeper in my 6-week online course From Pressure to Presence
References & Further Reading
Modern science is beginning to confirm what ancient traditions have always known: that wisdom lives throughout the body, not just in the head.
Heart intelligence: The HeartMath Institute has decades of research showing how the heart communicates with the brain and nervous system, influencing emotions, decision-making, and intuition.
Gut intelligence: Dr. Michael Gershon, often called the “father of neurogastroenterology,” describes the gut’s enteric nervous system as a true “second brain” in his book The Second Brain.
Integrative perspective: Neuroscientist Dr. Dan Siegel speaks about “interpersonal neurobiology,” highlighting the importance of aligning body, brain, and relationships for well-being.
