Heartbreak

Spiritual teachings frequently reference the heart, typically viewing it as something that transcends the mind—a source of consciousness, our true essence, and the engine behind everything we do.

Here is what one of our Harmony members shared regarding this topic in a discussion over on the "Religion" board:

Harmony said:The "heart" represents the sum of all our desires and traits.
If you take a moment to examine any opinion or insight you hold, you will find they are all driven by specific desires or needs. Without desire or need, there would be no thought at all.

How do you define the heart? 🙂

Victor Hugo: "Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart."

Anyway, the heart is easily the most fascinating muscle out there—it’s got this whole intrinsic system driving everything, whether you're looking at it from a medical standpoint or just some deep, spiritual angle.

What do I know? My heart seems to be somewhere between my eyes, I guess. 😬

And then there are those who argue that while the physical heart sits on the left, the "spiritual heart" resides on the right side.

mistybison said:And then there are those who argue that while the physical heart sits on the left, the "spiritual heart" resides on the right side.

The heart is right in the middle—just like the muscle.😉

The heart is a raging wildfire 🙂
That’s the first image that pops into my head when I think about the heart 🙂

mistybison said:Spiritual teachings frequently reference the heart, typically viewing it as something that transcends the mind—a source of consciousness, our true essence, and the engine behind everything we do.

Here is what one of our Harmony members shared regarding this topic in a discussion over on the "Religion" board:

How do you define the heart? 🙂

The soul, being immaterial, resides within the region of the heart and possesses no physical connection to the body. That is where all those stories come from regarding the heart as the essence and the seat of consciousness.

brightnomad5 said:The soul, being immaterial, resides within the region of the heart and possesses no physical connection to the body. That is where all those stories come from regarding the heart as the essence and the seat of consciousness.

I guess that’s just talking about people with "high energy" in their heart chakra, haha.😬

The old-school way you write that word, heart (you still see it hanging on in words like heartfelt), actually keeps this link to the roots mid, middle, center.
Basically, the heart is the center (of a person).

mistyfox812 said:The old-school way you write that word, heart (you still see it hanging on in words like heartfelt), actually keeps this link to the roots mid, middle, center.
Basically, the heart is the center (of a person).

Duh.

mistyfox812 said:The old-school way you write that word, heart (you still see it hanging on in words like heartfelt), actually keeps this link to the roots mid, middle, center.
Basically, the heart is the center (of a person).

That’s actually pretty interesting 🙂

For me, though, "heart" just feels like a synonym for love.

If we didn't have hearts beating in our chests, how on earth would we express any emotion at all?
For those with a truly resilient heart, even the most overwhelming passions can be mastered;
they won't be allowed to consume them from within like some bitter, wasting disease.
Those with weaker hearts tend to get swept away by poetry—writing verses and reciting rhymes just to cope...
But the heart remains our only true sanctuary.
Without it, we wouldn't even exist.

Charles White11 said:If we didn't have hearts beating in our chests, how on earth would we express any emotion at all?
For those with a truly resilient heart, even the most overwhelming passions can be mastered;
they won't be allowed to consume them from within like some bitter, wasting disease.
Those with weaker hearts tend to get swept away by poetry—writing verses and reciting rhymes just to cope...
But the heart remains our only true sanctuary.
Without it, we wouldn't even exist.

Aria... wow, Charles White11... you really gave me something to chew on there.

Where did these lines come from, though?

Charles White11 said:If we didn't have hearts beating in our chests, how on earth would we express any emotion at all?
For those with a truly resilient heart, even the most overwhelming passions can be mastered;
they won't be allowed to consume them from within like some bitter, wasting disease.
Those with weaker hearts tend to get swept away by poetry—writing verses and reciting rhymes just to cope...
But the heart remains our only true sanctuary.
Without it, we wouldn't even exist.

So, what kind of solace do people look for in religion?🙂

By the way, I’ve got a pretty weak heart—I tend to get lost in poetry myself. 😳

Charles White11 said:If we didn't have hearts beating in our chests, how on earth would we express any emotion at all?
For those with a truly resilient heart, even the most overwhelming passions can be mastered;
they won't be allowed to consume them from within like some bitter, wasting disease.
Those with weaker hearts tend to get swept away by poetry—writing verses and reciting rhymes just to cope...
But the heart remains our only true sanctuary.
Without it, we wouldn't even exist.

Someone once told me...

...a poet is just someone whose heart is exhausted, even if it never actually beat...

Made me think about this.

boldgull19 said:Aria... wow, Charles White11... you really gave me something to chew on there.

Where did these lines come from, though?

My dear, they just bubbled up from Serena in a matter of two minutes while I was pondering what to write (and no, she isn't "him" just yet).

To all you wonderful people who felt moved to respond—here is my take:

We all seem to equate the heart with religion, or poetry, or our own grasp of the sublime, or cheap little bursts of emotion, or even just the way we experience love... But I suspect we're missing the mark. The heart is so much more than that. The heart is... well, without it, there wouldn't even be an "us" to speak of.

Charles White11 said:My dear, they just bubbled up from Serena in a matter of two minutes while I was pondering what to write (and no, she isn't "him" just yet).

To all you wonderful people who felt moved to respond—here is my take:

We all seem to equate the heart with religion, or poetry, or our own grasp of the sublime, or cheap little bursts of emotion, or even just the way we experience love... But I suspect we're missing the mark. The heart is so much more than that. The heart is... well, without it, there wouldn't even be an "us" to speak of.

Damn, you really felt that one... 🙂

Gotta love that feeling, right? 😉

Charles White11 said:My dear, they just bubbled up from Serena in a matter of two minutes while I was pondering what to write (and no, she isn't "him" just yet).

To all you wonderful people who felt moved to respond—here is my take:

We all seem to equate the heart with religion, or poetry, or our own grasp of the sublime, or cheap little bursts of emotion, or even just the way we experience love... But I suspect we're missing the mark. The heart is so much more than that. The heart is... well, without it, there wouldn't even be an "us" to speak of.

thump, thump, thump... Serena, Serena, Serena... yeah...

Charles White11... brighten up my day, my night, whatever... 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

The heart isn't just some "thump-thump" little thing today
A heart only truly earns its name when it’s nailed to a cross
Anything else is just empty bluster—honestly, goodness me