As an idiom, “heads up” means to watch for danger. Hyphenated, “heads-up” is a suggestion to be more aware. Some individuals go through life with their heads down*, literally as well as figuratively. They may be “ducking for cover” or, more frequently, are just lost in themselves. The fog of their ego causes ignorance about life itself.
All of us, occasionally, do walk with our heads down while we are engrossed in our thoughts. Today, too many of us might walk - or drive - with our heads up when talking on our cell phones. In either case, and as a result, we are less conscious of our surroundings here and what is happening now. That can be dangerous; it can also limit both our human and spiritual awareness. We must have our “heads up” - in this place at this time - to live life fully and divinely, too.
When mothers say “mind your manners” they mean to be aware of how we behave, usually because other people are watching. Mindfulness is one basic principle of Buddhist practice, especially during meditation. They should not only sit with their body erect - meditators with their heads down may be asleep - they must also maintain an awareness of the flow of their sentiments, thoughts and sensations. They then realize that all of them are impermanent.
Psychotherapists often urge mindfulness to their patients, they might call it self- analysis, to be cognizant of the motives for their actions and to become aware of the unconscious reasons for their thoughts and emotions. Therapists themselves must be mindful not only of what their clients say, with their words and/or their body, but also their probable unconscious or unexpressed motivations. Practitioners must keep their own personal problems in abeyance.
When a physician asks for your symptoms, you must be mindful of what your body is telling you. Your auto mechanic will say the same about your car. When we do not have our “heads up” about our life as lived, we cannot know how to improve it. Some spiritual persons speak of heads up literally; they say that they feel more at one with the world while their head is lifted, while either standing, walking or sitting. That is often quite effective, yet it is not always easy to do.
“Pay attention!” is a more forceful idiom than heads up. We could be aware someone has entered the room, still must be attentive to recognize who that person is. Mystical realization is frequently said to be an awareness of the divine. Attentiveness is integrating that awareness into our active consciousness in daily living. By literal definition, attentive means both “paying attention; observant” and “mindful of the well-being of others; considerate.”
In the latter usage, attentiveness means to keep our heads up to the needs of others. Earth revolves on its axis; the world does not revolve around “me.” Whether it be politically, financially, socially, or even psychologically, other people are more important to all of this life than our individual, ego self. Spiritually, the divine essence does pervade all of existence. Soul is in every person, which unites them with all other people and all of existence always.
To “clear your head” means to become more attentive to what is happening around you. To “clear your mind” is to become more conscious or aware of what is going on inside you. A clear mind will better see the oneness in all; a muddled mind will only see “me” and “them,”