The Heart is an Ember to My Memories
It seems like yesterday
where parties and drinks never end
sunsets and rises with purpose every day
but all it took just two years to suspend
masks took away my smiles
social distancing is like the Great Wall
i am a water buffalo dredging through water in feet and not miles
No dances no singing just crawl
are we there yet
because my memories are becoming a blur
i am drowning in my own fret
i can’t remember the way we were
but my heart is that ember
lights up my mind and flames my soul
there can be sunshine in december
i cannot wait to be whole
The pandemic was a form of stagnancy when everything slowed down or stopped. Manufacturing of supplies slowed, and transportation and distribution of products slowed as well. Overall economic activity slowed, people became more fearful, depressed, and suppressed, and their movement became slower and more hesitant. This effect occurred across the globe to a different degree in all of us, and it affected our physical and mental health. We became more stagnant, moodier, and slow. We tended to gain weight due to the limitation of activity. Our minds became sluggish and mental health took a toll. Even if we did not have the COVID infection, our minds were not as clear and our memory was not as sharp as they were before the pandemic. All of these problems occurred because of the energetics of stagnation.
A famous TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) physician in the 1900s named Zhang, Xi Chun coined the phrase, “Aging is a form of Blood Stagnation”. This basically means that aging and its conditions are a product of our decline in blood flow to different parts of the body. Blood flow is enabled by the function of the heart, its vessels, hormones, nerves, and others. Our heart is the main driver of all. Without this “pump” we cannot push blood and other essential fluids around our body. Our heart beats about 100,000 times a day, 35 million times a year, and 2.5 billion times if we live to at least 66 years old. Those are a lot of heartbeats and they can never stop or rest.
Throughout our lifetime, there are many habits or behaviors that can injure and damage our hearts. Smoking, inactivity, over-work, poor nutrition, over-consumption of alcohol, disease, infections, certain drugs, extreme exercise, certain endurance events, certain dental problems, graveyard shifts, early menopause, sleep apnea, hepatitis C, poor sleep—all can contribute to injury to the heart. But we humans are strong and our hearts are strong so we may not feel or be aware of these small subtle injuries because they occur gradually although these injuries can become serious more quickly as we get older.
Our brain is an exquisitely sensitive organ complex that responds to minute changes in heart rhythm, volume, and cadence. Many brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis are affected by neurovascular changes in the brain and in the body. The connection between a healthy heart and a healthy brain is indisputable. If we are good downstairs, we are good upstairs and that is why paying attention to our cardiovascular health will help us to live a long, vital, and most importantly—a highly conscious life with powerful cognition and a good memory.
Our emotions are deeply connected to our heart. Strong or extreme emotions such as anger can be damaging to the health of our heart. Loneliness and depression can be equally toxic and damaging. Negative states of mind, including chronic stress, may increase the risk for heart disease or worsen any heart issues that already exist. An injured heart can cause a negative state of mind that creates a perfect storm, a vicious cycle of declining physical and mental health.
What can we do to balance our emotions and ensure good heart health? It begins with the relationship with yourself: what kind of story do you tell yourself? Are you self-critical? Do you ignore your body? Be kind and be forgiving to yourself. Every day when you wake up in the morning, be grateful that heaven gave you another day to live and love your life. Your heart is the ember to your memories; not just any memories but the most beautiful memories of your own existence.