I want to thank you from the bottom of my lungs.” It doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Why do we pour our hearts out, have our hearts broken, and do things with all our hearts but not our liver, kidneys, or any of the other seventy-seven organs in the human body? The answer lies deep in our history and touches upon something fundamental in human nature. For the ancient Egyptians, the heart was more than just a physical pump; it was imbued with a divine spark, serving as the vessel of an immortal soul. Similarly, Mayan rituals held the heart as a sacred offering.
Today, we find ourselves revisiting this ancient wisdom through the lens of modern science. In my cardiology practice, the echoes of these old beliefs resonate in the harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary treatments. Breath practice complements blood pressure medications, Stoic principles provide solace to stressed-out hearts, and mindfulness often takes precedence over medication. More health care professionals are beginning to recognize the importance of love, laughter, and lifestyle habits, sometimes even before turning to Lipitor, Lexapro, or Levitra. Our renewed understanding of the heart’s role—encompassing its physical, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects—is increasingly relevant, echoing in the emerging fields of psychocardiology, psychoneuroimmunology, interpersonal neurobiology, and lifestyle medicine.
This journey through history isn’t merely academic; it’s a crucial path to unlocking the full potential of our hearts—a potential that has been whispered about for millennia but is only now being fully understood and appreciated.
Since the dawn of civilization, humans have revered the heart as more than a biological organ. Its symbolism extended beyond physiology into the realms of emotions, soul, wisdom, courage, and the interconnected nature of human existence. Tracing the anatomical heart’s role through time offers insights into our multifaceted physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health.
Ancient Egyptians revered the physical heart as a vessel for the spirit, identity, and the immortal soul. This belief manifested in their mummification practice, where the heart was left within the body because of its eternal significance. In the afterlife, they believed the heart would be weighed against the feather of Ma’at, the goddess of truth, with a heavy heart indicating a life devoid of virtue (Carelli 2011).
The Incas also believed the beating heart was the source of human vitality (Tiesler and Olivier 2020). They viewed the heart as the holder of the “way away” or the living energy of the wind, which they considered the source of all emotional and spiritual life. Similarly, the Mayan civilization of Mesoamerica held the physical beating heart in the highest regard. The heart was seen as an embodiment of life and spirit, so much so that it was offered as a sacrifice to honor their gods in religious rituals or to seek their favor during times of crisis, such as droughts or famines.
In ancient Greece, the heart held a position of paramount importance, transcending its biological function. Greek philosophers and medical practitioners revered the heart as the seat of human consciousness, emotions, and the very essence of life. This belief was deeply ingrained in Greek philosophy and medicine, shaping their understanding of health and well-being. Aristotle, who lived in the fourth century BCE, believed the heart to be the center of the soul, the source of vital energy, and the origin of bodily heat. (Polansky 2007). He believed the heart’s rhythmic pulsations mirrored the order of the cosmos, suggesting a connection between the individual and the universe. The heart’s significance was also evident in Greek mythology, where it was often personified as a powerful deity. Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was closely associated with the heart, and her influence was often depicted through its power over human emotions.
In China, the concept of “Xin” transcends the physical heart to signify mind and spirit, illustrating the inseparability of these elements in perception and emotional balance (Chung and Oh 2022). Dr. Scott Greenapple, who has spent thirty years in Eastern medicine, applies this integrated view in his practice. He told me about how he combines acupuncture, Qi Gong (a traditional Chinese exercise and healing technique involving meditation, controlled breathing, and movement exercises), and meditation, focusing on illness prevention, performance enhancement, and mental well-being. His experience in these areas also informs his work in sports medicine and peak performance. He explains that “in Chinese philosophy, xin can refer to either one’s heart or mind.” They are not seen as separate entities but as one.
Similarly, in Japanese culture, Kokoro embodies the heart, mind, and spirit, highlighting their unity. This perspective, rooted in his experience with Eastern medical philosophies, emphasizes the seamless integration of the heart and mind. This concept contrasts with the more compartmentalized view prevalent in Western medicine.
In caring for patients, Dr. Greenapple incorporates the holistic view held in Eastern cultures, where the heart is central to physical life, mental experiences, and emotional balance. He offers insights into why traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) views the heart as the “ruler” or “monarch” of the body (Zhao and Li 2023). He explains the heart, according to TCM, serves as a conduit between our mental experiences and the body, playing a role in mental clarity, emotional equilibrium, and physical health. This understanding echoes the ancient and enduring belief in the heart’s integral role in our emotional, spiritual, and physical health. This perspective aligns with current trends in health and wellness that recognize the interdependence of mental and physical well-being.
Like traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy, the Ayurvedic traditions of the Indian subcontinent promoted a holistic view of health and healing (Nishteswar 2014). Ayurveda, meaning the “science of life” in Sanskrit, has been a cornerstone of Indian philosophy and medicine for over three thousand years. It prescribes a balanced interaction among physical, emotional, spiritual, and social health. Disruptions in one area, such as physical health, were thought to cause disturbances in others, like emotional or spiritual health.
These heart-centered perspectives prevailed even into the Renaissance era, as poets encapsulated the heart’s emotional essence in sonnets and plays. Today, expressions like “heart aching” or feeling “heavy-hearted” and the heart emoji’s symbolic representation of love and affection attest to these enduring beliefs.
This excerpt from Just One Heart: A Cardiologist’s Guide to Healing, Health and Happiness by Jonathan Fisher has been published with permission from HarperCollins India.