If we let it, trust it, live through it, our heart knows, sees, hears all. It becomes our compass however turbulent the environment, carrying a wisdom on which we can rely.
When we think of the heart, beyond its life-supporting function, love, kindness, empathy, compassion, courage, passion come to mind. All, of course, are qualities of the heart.
Perhaps less lauded is the quality of discernment. Defined as the ability to judge well, or of being able to grasp and comprehend what is less obvious or obscure.
And isn’t this a quality we need now more than ever in and age of fake imagery, of single-pointed and divisive narratives, narrowing our thinking to black and white which excludes new possibilities and renewal of a world desperately in need.
Discernment enables us to take a deeper and higher view of events, synthesising differing viewpoints to expose a richness of thinking. Our relationship with seemingly opposing viewpoints and ideas of right and wrong becomes sounder, more grounded in reality and truth.
Discernment supports the deeper insight and understanding of self and others that ensures right relationship. It fuels our compassion so that we bring the right help to others in right measure, however challenging the circumstances and even when that means applying ‘tough love’.
And it shapes our passion, the fieriness of heart, into focus and right action, rather than wasting energy pointlessly railing at the fates.
Cultivated through deep reflection that connects us to a higher wisdom, discernment might sound like a tougher quality than that which we normally associate with heart. At one level it is and yet it is also essential to elevate our contribution as a member of the human family to creating a better world.