If we are going to learn how to live from the heart and not just the mind, then it is useful to know exactly what we are working with — what the Qalb is, what it does, and what it is capable of becoming.

So just what is the Qalb? The Qalb is more than just an organ that pumps blood. It is the locus of our consciousness, taking on the task usually assigned to the mental mind in western psychology. The Quran describes the Qalb as the fount of intelligence and spiritual health. Over and over, and time and again, Allah refers to people whose Heart has been covered, sheathed, ensconced in rust, and diseased. This invariably results in negative Patterns of Force, which direct one toward the carnal slavery of the Nafs, and the distancing of oneself from knowledge of, and as a consequence, the experience of, the Divine, which is Allah.

It is not the eyes that are blind to the existence of the Divine — it is the Heart, the Qalb. The Quran mentions that once a human being begins to willfully disregard the admonitions given in the Quran, and consciously divert from the straight path, that God actually encourages such behavior, to speed one along in one's chosen direction, and thus, the destiny that is the logical end of the chosen trajectory of one's behavior. Whether this means God Himself does the urging, or whether there are angelic beings that, unseen, present opportunities for one to continue along such behavioral paths, is irrelevant. What we do know is that habits do form, for better or for worse, and they become quite powerful, insistent, and often automated, requiring no conscious effort or input.

In my own counseling work, I call these automated and insistent habits — both cognitive and behavioral — Patterns of Force.

What this implies is that the Qalb is a 'vessel' that responds to the stimuli it is filled with, by increasing the knowledge of, and desire for, its contents, whether this data is internal (imaginings and fantasies) or external (actions and real-world experience). We can think of the Heart as an empty glass, bottle, cask, cup, barrel — a porous vessel, absorbing some of what you place inside it. You, the human being, decide what to pour into it, whether it be water, tea, beer, wine, whiskey, or lemonade. The choice is yours.

Filling it once or twice with the same liquid will leave a bit of residual data imprinted inside it, but no real pattern can be established by such infrequency. If, however, the same liquid is poured into it many times, the cellular makeup of the vessel is changed at the 'DNA' level, as it were.

In short order the vessel now begins to both crave the liquid and produce the conditions for its filling all by itself. It not only wants more, but actually generates it from within, filling itself on its own, while manipulating you, the human being, into finding ways of perpetuating the cycle. Even if you decide you want no more of this liquid, you will find the barrel full of it, without you having lifted a finger.

The same goes, however, for any positive input and data that is placed within the Qalb. Good deeds, the remembrance of Allah (dhikr), affirmations and prayers, thoughts of peace, love, mercy, and forgiveness all become Patterns of Force that begin to generate a momentum of their own, much to the joy of the Nafs.

Another way to look at the Qalb is to liken it to a pot of especially rich soil. Every thought, word, emotion, and action is a seed planted within the soil of the pot. If these seeds are planted only once or twice, they die in the soil rather than germinate and grow, although a bit of their essence remains in the soil just for memory's sake, since the Qalb is also the recorder of your life's events.

If, however, the seed, or even several different seeds, are regularly planted, then all of them will sprout and bear fruit. They will grow on their own, of and by their own volition, and in directions and rates of production largely out of your control.

It is very much akin to a wind-up toy soldier that you charged up, faced in a certain direction, and set to march. It will continue advancing in the direction of your choice until acted upon by an outside force — or an inner one. And once the march is started, it is very difficult to move off its path. The path is strewn with its own perils and obstacles, and the soldier will drag you along with it, until it meets its destination, whether that fate is a garden or a fire.

This also gives an inkling into the oft-debated idea that the Quran vacillates between fate and destiny on the one hand, and free will on the other. Every avenue of life has its logical terminus. If you choose to fill the vessel with spring water (the light of spirit), your destiny will be that your cup 'runneth over and surely goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.' If however, you fill it with water laced with arsenic, then your destiny will be filled with discomfort, then pain, then illness and disease, then off to a tragic end.

It is worth noting that according to my own Quranic understanding and education, destiny can change by a change in lifestyle. The soldier can always be made to change his course, effectively ending his marching journey at the garden rather than the inferno. I don't present anything in this book as dogma or absolute truth. It is, rather, a system of working truths that have yielded, at least for me and my counseling clients over the years, great ends in the matter of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health, as well as personal Din.

The Qalb is the filter through which we experience the world. It is through the Heart that we 'see' the world — not physically, for we do have eyes. But the interpretation of the world that we see through our eyes is done with the Heart. And the Qalb, as a filter or veil, will automatically interpret what you perceive based on whatever data you fill it with.

Dhikr polishes the Qalb, stilling turmoil and inviting divine presence. It can be vocal (Jahr), silent (Khafi), or breath-synced. Foundational formulas: Bismillah, Inshallah, Alhamdulillah, Subhanallah.

• •Morning / Evening (100–500x): Chant 'La ilaha illallah' (vocal then silent) — visualize the vibration awakening the heart center with compassion and light, dissolving stress and anxiety.
• •Breath-Synced Chant: Inhale 'Allah' (or 'Hu'), exhale 'Hu' (or 'Allah'). Imagine white light entering the heart and solar plexus on the inhale, expanding radiance on the exhale.
• •Walking Dhikr: Softly chant 'Allah' or 'Hu' while moving; visualize the name inscribed on the heart in Arabic — Alif-Lam-Lam-Ha.
• •Heart-Focused: After basic repetitions, direct attention to the chest; feel the chant's vibration polishing the mirror of the Qalb.

Remember: the Qalb develops Patterns of Force first and foremost by repetition. Mindless repetition of mantras without focus or visualization will work on some level, but not nearly as powerfully as when you do it consciously, with emotion and inner images. You can repeat any Quranic verse or divine name that serves your current state — Ya Quddus to purify your thoughts, Ya Salam to calm yourself and return to baseline. Short personal prayers work beautifully. Always know your end goal before you begin, or you are floating in the sea without a rudder.

One of my favorite chants is Bismillah, Inshallah, Alhamdulillah. I usually say this before I start any important project or make a significant decision.

• a.Bismillah — I declare my intention to do such-and-such
• b.Inshallah — God willing, it will produce results I consider favorable
• c.Alhamdulillah — Whatever the outcome, I know it is for the best and I trust Allah completely. He is the Disposer of all my affairs.

The Bismillah is the beginning of the intention — at the level of the Qalb, where the decision is made to move forward. We hope, dream, and desire the outcome at this level. We feel it moving us from within. This is where we elevate from pure potentiality to conscious and deliberate movement.

The Inshallah is the middle ground of your intention — at the level of the Aql, the mind. This is where you direct your attention to the work of bringing your intention to fruition. You do the necessary work, monitor your thoughts and speech and the way you interact with people — all the while using your mental faculties to hold the image and feeling of success firmly in mind. God willing, it will materialize.

The Alhamdulillah is where we leave the actual results of our attention and efforts up to Allah — and this is the level of the Ruh. The Ruh is the aspect of human consciousness where Allah's desire to draw us near resides. It is the spark of divinity, the breath of Allah's essence breathed into human beings. No matter what the outcome, we say Alhamdulillah, because God knows what is best for our ultimate well-being despite what we 'want.' The track 'The Breath of Intention' on the Hearts In Allah soundtrack is based on this chant and concept.

Another chant I love is what I call the Glorification Chant. I tend to begin my night vigils this way when I am fortunate enough to awaken between 2:30 and 4:00 am, in the time of Tahajjud.

I have had such wonderful experiences and unexpected beautiful results from Tahajjud! There is definitely something special about this formula of waking in the middle of the night to glorify the Creator and Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth. Since this is a voluntary prayer, one can adopt any method of performing it. It is yours and between you and your Lord — don't let anyone beguile you with 'must' this and 'mustn't' that. It is a wholly personal affair.

I present this chant here for your review, always with humility, for you to use or discard as you will.

• a.Subhanallah — Glory Be To God
• b.Alhamdulillah — Praise Be to God
• c.Allahu Akbar — God Is Greatest
• d.La Ilaha Illallah — There Is No God But God
• e.Hasbi Allah — God Is All I Need