Why Is The "Heart Shape" Associated With The Heart?
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Whenever we see a heart symbol, we immediately associate it with the heart, love, and happiness. However, upon closer inspection, this "heart shape" differs significantly from the anatomical heart depicted in medical texts. So why does the modern "heart shape" symbolize the heart as we know it?
The most common explanation is due to a misunderstanding from historical transcriptions. In past centuries, due to religious restrictions, dissection of corpses was often prohibited. As a result, a hand-drawn sketch by Galen, an ancient Roman physician and philosopher, of a deceased warrior’s heart became the sole reference for the heart’s shape at the time. It’s said that the sketch resembled an inverted leaf, which eventually evolved into the modern "heart shape." The symbol was further popularized through cultural products like playing cards and art design, becoming the universal icon we recognize today.
Interestingly, the heart shape was discovered in ancient Indian civilization, the birthplace of yoga and the theory of the human energy field. This suggests that the symbol may have spiritual or energetic origins. In "Hands of Light," a renowned book on human energy fields, author Barbara Ann Brennan observed that the energy fields of people in love or in harmonious relationships would merge and form a "heart-like" shape. This indicates that the heart symbol actually represents the fusion of two harmonious energy fields, symbolizing love, care, and happiness. The physical sensation of a "fluttering heart" is often felt in the chest, linking it to the anatomical heart.
In crystal healing, heart-shaped crystals are commonly cut in this familiar "heart shape" to represent the energy of love, rather than the anatomical heart.
To attract more loving relationships, consider placing heart-shaped crystals in areas where you spend the most time, inviting the energy of love into your life.
The most common explanation is due to a misunderstanding from historical transcriptions. In past centuries, due to religious restrictions, dissection of corpses was often prohibited. As a result, a hand-drawn sketch by Galen, an ancient Roman physician and philosopher, of a deceased warrior’s heart became the sole reference for the heart’s shape at the time. It’s said that the sketch resembled an inverted leaf, which eventually evolved into the modern "heart shape." The symbol was further popularized through cultural products like playing cards and art design, becoming the universal icon we recognize today.
Interestingly, the heart shape was discovered in ancient Indian civilization, the birthplace of yoga and the theory of the human energy field. This suggests that the symbol may have spiritual or energetic origins. In "Hands of Light," a renowned book on human energy fields, author Barbara Ann Brennan observed that the energy fields of people in love or in harmonious relationships would merge and form a "heart-like" shape. This indicates that the heart symbol actually represents the fusion of two harmonious energy fields, symbolizing love, care, and happiness. The physical sensation of a "fluttering heart" is often felt in the chest, linking it to the anatomical heart.
In crystal healing, heart-shaped crystals are commonly cut in this familiar "heart shape" to represent the energy of love, rather than the anatomical heart.
To attract more loving relationships, consider placing heart-shaped crystals in areas where you spend the most time, inviting the energy of love into your life.