H: Heart and Capacity for Changedreamimages (10)

A soul is far too large to hide : Maggie Schien

I could have written, ‘A heart is too large to hide’ –

The heart changes with age. As the heart grows, we can forgive but not forget. We are able to work it out in ways different to our usual modus operandi. We may find ourselves more compassionate towards ourselves for all our foibles and thus towards others as well, as we come to know them warts and all, a little better. There seems to be a heart-felt attitude change that sits better with us. It’s a more inclusive rather than an exclusive view of the inner and outer worlds –

More and more I find myself asking: Do I want or need to do this? Do I have the heart for this particular task? Will it bring a happy increase to me and/or others? These are important questions only to myself I know.  At times I ask myself if I’m hiding from my self or keeping my self in obscurity because I do not want to face it – my self – for whatever reason. And habit – do I know my habits really well? I would think because of a habit being a habit we would know it well, but it’s one of those strange things – we’re not terribly aware of the unconsciousness from which they operate and how we are on an autopilot reaction even when they are not beneficial to us. I speak for myself. Many habits are healthy – thankfully!

 I want Hermes to come to my aid, to help me consider my stuck-ness in a new and meaningful way, to help make alive again that innate creativity instinct we all have. For Hermes to shoot his winged arrow straight into my heart and transform the blank space into a creative and growing space.

I know that Hermes is active in my night life when dreams come to me. And in the day too – Hermes Trismegistus – psychopomp, guide, messenger –

tHermes2

40 Comments on H: Heart and Capacity for Change

  1. Thanks for another interesting post, Susan. I wonder if you’re traveling still. I’ve also noticed a change of heart as I’ve aged. Less judgment, more forgiveness, although I’m still not good at forgiving myself. The resentments are often funny from the place where I now stand, and I hope in time that perspective will permeate everything. Astrologically, I have Moon and Mercury on the same degree, so there is a combining of these changeable feminine and masculine body/mind energies.

  2. It’s true I do find myself more compassionate toward myself and who would have guessed? My younger self would object today.I find myself asking do I really need this thing or that? It was important once but now it isn’t. Thanks,Susan. You have inspired me again

    • Thanks so much Sharon! If I think back I also think my younger self would have objected! Before I get into reflective mode (luckily there is no time) I’ll end 🙂

  3. I nice combination for H–heart, habit, and Hermes. I had to look up Hermes Trismegistus, but Hermes was also a messenger and bringer of wisdom, as well as trickster–and sometimes we need to have a bag of tricks to change our habits. 🙂

    • Thank heavens for the trickster Merril, He keeps us on our toes. Good thought, I’ll ask him for a bag of tricks … actually come to think of it, I’m constantly juggling that bag.

  5. May your longing come true Beth – the heart can weigh heavy at times. May the wheel turn and your tender heart regain its strength.

  6. My Heart is fragile these days…Hidden in mists aimed at protecting it from Harm. I long for prior days of Freedom and Hope for its return.

    • Am re-posting this Beth as I didn’t stack it properly-

      May your longing come true Beth – the heart can weigh heavy at times. May the wheel turn and your tender heart regain its strength.

  7. Hi Susan – we consider more as we get older … we’re more aware of implications of what we’re saying or thinking. Habits are good to become our norms … yet I’m sure we all have habits that we don’t realise and are so predictable in our actions/thoughts …

    You are certainly getting us to think with these posts … we can’t operate without the grey mass directing us in someway … even to saying ‘wait’ and think …

    Cheers Hilary

    • Thanks Hilary for your wise comment. Waiting is so hard sometimes but many times so necessary. Even to sleep on it and see how we feel in the morning –

      All best to you, Susan

  8. Q:- Susan asks, “I’m sure they are both very intelligent, in different ways?”
    A:- http://noeticsi.com
    Noetic Systems International
    THINKING FROM THE HEART- HEART BRAIN SCIENCE
    The Central Role of the Heart, a short article by Rollis McCraty, Ph.D., Dir., of Research at Institute of HeartMath.
    “The heart is a sensory organ and an information encoding and processing center, with an extensive nervous system…to qualify as a heart brain.”
    “It’s circuitry enables it to learn, remember, and make …decisions independent of the cranial brain.”
    “This makes the heart well positioned to act as a global coordinator in the body’s symphony of functions, binds and synchronizes the system as a whole.”
    “Because of the extent of the heart’s influence on the physiological, cognitive, and emotional systems, the heart provides a central point of reference from which the dynamics of such processes can be regulated.”
    LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HEART also writes about “Most meditative states that require only a lowered heart rate and not necessarily a coherent rhythm. ..Metaphysical Realm …and Intuition.

    The fields of knowledge are acquiring softer boundary lines among them. I sense that all things seem to be reciprocally interconnected.(Joe)

    • Thanks Joseph for this excerpt. I like how it’s called a ‘heart-brain’ which makes me think of eg ‘liver-brain’, ‘kidney-brain’ etc …

  9. My thoughts, too, Susan, generally. A friend said to me this morning in discussing finding one of our grandchildren to be so much like ourselves — little mirrors — “No wonder people don’t like it when I do that.” 🙂

  10. I think it is important to question whether certain tasks create happiness, instead of saying “yes” and regretting it.

  11. ‘The unconscious from which habits operate’ … remains a mystery for me as well, Susan. I try to do the right thing most times, yet I find myself guessing … am I letting a long-ingrained and perhaps not very good habit take over? Like that second glass of wine, or staying up too late, sacrificing important hours of sleep.
    Great, thought-provoking post. Thank you.

    • If I think of my habitual way of responding to some things Silvia, I am very unimpressed with myself – and the last thing I want to do is to examine them … ah well, here in SA it’s getting late and I WILL aim for an early night tonight. Thank you for coming by 🙂

  12. Acting from love/heart is what I aspire to do. I’m learning slowly. It’s such a bliss when my heart, my mind and my soul are aligned.

    • I aspire to that too Gulara! Wonderful when there is a feeling that all is well aligned! Thank you for coming by ..

  13. What we love to do can change over the years. I used to do a great deal of crafts, but my eye sight is not cooperative. Nor did I have the time for awhile. Then I have volunteered with children’s organizations or organizations that helped children for many, many years. Finally, I decided it was time to go in a different direction. I’m involved with a Historic Maritime Museum that also has a Visitor’s Center. I talk with visitors about our town and I LOVE IT! This job has brought so much joy into my life as well as friends. Let your heart lead the way, and you will find happiness!

    • How lovely is that Gwynn! Yes, our interests can change hugely over the years and what once brought us joy no longer has that pull. Your example is a clear one.
      ‘Let your heart lead the way, and you will find happiness!’ is a lovely way to end your comment thank you.

    • Thanks Pat. I just like to think of Hermes winging his way through my unconscious. He’s not the only messenger but I like to think of him darting an arrow or three to prick me where I need it!

  15. It’s true. To truly forgive, we have to change the way we feel or think about something. When we harbor the anger or resentment, it only hurts our own hearts. Maybe our hearts do soften, or change, with age.

    • Thanks Mary – I reckon for many of us our hearts soften/change with age … we see things differently and we all want peace of mind.Hanging onto resentments hardly allows for that!

  16. We are who we are. I realize this when I read old writings and find myself thinking the same way most of the time. I just don’t fall for some of the things I fell for before.

  17. The older I get, the more my ‘heart’ questions revolved around “Is this heart-healthy?” Not something I used to worry about!

  18. As I find ‘Change’ to be a huge part of my transformational ‘Middling Years’ I feel I will be deeply relating to many, if not all, of your A-Z Challenge blog posts this month.

    ‘The heart changes with age’ … ah! That’s so well stated Susan, for often with aging, or increasingly so, we allow ourselves the capacity to change our minds in matters of the heart. Thank goodness! What a rich and liberating gift we give ourselves.

    How’s that for a happier, healthier habit to hone … tis a journey of love, also it keeps us young (Jung) at heart! Couldn’t resist. Bright spring wishes, Deborah

    • Lovely Deborah thank you! Keeps us Jung at heart as we hone in and home in to what is of value to heart mind body and soul. 🙂 Bright autumnal wishes to you dear Deborah!

      • Silly me! Of course it’s autumn with you there in South Africa, I keep forgetting! Ha-ha! It must be all to do with ‘the Change’ (Menopause!) that I’m going through! 🙂

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