Questioning from the Heart of the Matter

The two most vital cardinal experiences we can all relate to are birth and death, and while they may be both predestined experiences for us as humans, they are definitely not experienced in the same way. We celebrate birth at the coming of life, and encounter fear and grief in times of loss. While in our minds we all know, that everything that lives must also die, the true understanding and acceptance of this reality can only be found in our hearts.

Fortunately, as human beings we are not subject to question from the mind alone, as we all share the ability to ask questions from the heart.

How does one ask a question from the heart? And, how do we know if we are really asking from the heart and not the mind?

Granted, this is an ability that we may not have mastered in our lifetime. In our daily lives, we rely on our minds for the questions and answers, to assist us in all our practical matters. While there are those who are fortunate enough to know their hearts in a spiritual way, many of us are simply unaware that this ability exists within us. Many of us remain unaware, until the day comes that we personally confront a "Cardinal" life experience.

Experiencing the loss of a loved one is a cardinal transition. It is not only an eternal transition for the one who died. It is also a unending transition the for the loved ones left behind. While the survivors may not have died, they all share in the cardinal experience of transition and their lives are changed forever. The shining ray of hope is, that in the very midst of these difficult transitional times, our hearts have the ability to literally "take over".

How can our hearts take over our minds?

As we undergo times of extreme transition we may at first experience the inability to think as we normally do. We experience a loss of concentration, become forgetful and act without thinking. These are all signs that our mind is in recession. The good thing is:

It is only when our minds begin to recede... that our hearts can actually begin to succeed.

We know our heart is taking over when we begin to feel a sense of heaviness in our chest. We may experience palpitations. At times it may feel as if our heart is actually breaking. As painful as these feelings are, they do serve a noble purpose. They force us to focus our attention solely upon our heart and it is from this place that we are able to ask questions and often, "experience" the answers.

Unlike our infinitely inquisitive minds, our hearts do not have such vast array of unanswered life details. Our hearts respond only the cardinal questions, the questions that pertain a higher plain of existence. From the heart we ask questions about the mysteries of God, eternal existence and the meaning of life and death. While it may be true that we must die on earth, it is only from our hearts that we can sincerely question the reason, why? The most significant thing is, that without the interference of our thoughts and fears, from our hearts, we can ask; if there is a heaven, or another place, dimension or space where we may continue to exist despite what we witness in the world we live in.

While our hearts may ache, it’s important to understand that heartaches are manifested within our bodies to remind us; that even though our daily lives may require the use of our minds, we must never forget that our heart is the true center of our being.

Once we begin utilizing our heartfelt ability to question, how do we get the answers? As we may have learned from our initial contact, communicating with our heart can be a very painful endeavor. So, how much more painful will the answers be? Fortunately, once the heart is in charge there is no more pain involved. Once in position, the heart automatically places you into a receptive state of being and it is from this space that you have the ability to receive the answers, from the Heart.

                                                                    ~ Jeanne Marie Antoinette

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