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Heart Shapes in Nature

Heart shapes in nature abound.  The shape of the heart has a deep meaning in almost every culture and whenever one finds a shape reminiscent of the classical shape of heart shape, it provides a little extra beat of excitement.

I have collected such gems over the years and present some in the following blog.

History of the Heart Shape and Implications in our Culture

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History of the Shape of the Heart Icon

 The collage reveals the symbols that contributed to the shape of the heart icon as we know it.  Elements from anatomy of animals that were exposed during sacrifice, from botany with leaves and seeds that reflected similar emotional connections as the heart, and elements of human anatomy associated with attraction, love and romance combined to result in the shape of the icon of the heart as we know it.

Adapted and modified from public domain photograph by Frank Eugene, taken 1898, called Adam and Eve and published in Camera Work no. 30,1910

The Heart Shape in the Skies

heart, clouds, sky, heaven, heart shape, Valentine's day

Heaven’s Heart 

Found a cloud in the sky that said it all… or at least some of it…heaven’s heart.  The art piece is a photograph that reflects all good things about the heart; its place in the heavens, prayer, love, truth, beauty, honesty, and compassion.  The artistic element reflects a window for two way of love and admiration; from the heavens to humankind and mankind to the heavens.

Heart Shapes in the Leaves

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Heart Shaped Leaves of the Linden Tree

The heart shaped leaf of the Linden tree is derived from a photograph taken in Bergen Norway.  The leaf had fallen on a transparent roof and a few drops of water were trapped on its surface.  It reminded me of a tearful end of a romance with tears caught in the heart of the saddened lover.

heart, heart shape, ivy, leaf, heart shape, Valentine's day, romance, love,

Heart Shaped Leaf of the Ivy

The heart shaped Canarian ivy leaf is from a vine. In the art piece the dark green has been lightened to give a freshness to the leaf which is surrounded by a heart shape colored in purple

heart, heart shape, leaf, heart shape, Valentine's day, romance, love,

Heart Shaped Leaf of the Caladium 

The art piece shows a heart-shaped leaf with two beautiful variations of green.  The dark green veins of the leaf are in distinct contrast to the paler green background, creating both complexity to the appearance, and giving us insight into its transport systems. The caladium plant in its many forms has a intensely colored heart shaped and colorful varieties leaf. It belongs to a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae originating in South America. Almost 1000 variations of the original plant now exist.  Other names include “Angel Wings”, “Heart of Jesus”, and “elephant ear”

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Heart Shaped Leaf of Sweet Potato Vine

The art piece shows the heart-shaped leaf partially illuminated, with an almost mysterious feel of a dark background.  The  leaf of the sweet potato vine arises from a versatile plants around, which grows in sun the sun or shade, in containers, or garden beds. The plant shown here is a bright green or chartreuse. The  beauty of the plant derives not only from the color of the foliage, its flowing nature but also of course  the shape of its leaf

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Heart Shaped Leaf of the Black Coral Elephant Ear Plant 

The art piece shows the heart-shaped leaf with unusual black color.  The purple veins of the leaf are difficult to see since they are of a similarly dark color.  The leaf of the Colocasia “Black Coral” Elephant Ear plant is  similar to leaf of the Coladium plant whose members  are also named elephant ears because of the shape.  The leaves can be very large, and are between 8 and 60 inches long.

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Yin Yang Heart Shaped Hosta Leaf 

The heart shaped leaf of the Hosta plant is surrounded by a yin yang swirl of green.  The Hosta plant (aka plantain lilies (Britain) giboshi (Japan) is known for its hardiness and the fact that it thrives in the shade.  There are as many as 45 species with foliage of varying sized leaves and shades of green. Yin Yang relates to a Chinese philosophy that uses opposite forces to bring unity and solidarity.  These opposite forces abound. In the context of love it reflects opposite sexes that come together in reproduction of a new single being. Other examples include night and day, dark and light, fire and water, or positive and negative forces.

Heart Shapes in Flowers Fruits and Seeds

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Chinese Lantern Flower

The Chinese Lantern flower depending on perspective is also heart shaped – . The dried flower reveals a delicate capillary like infrastructure and therefore even more fitting for Valentine’s day.  The delicate flower enfolds and defends a barely appreciated, delicate fruit buried within its husk. The need to protect the fruit of its loins manifests motherly and fatherly love!The herbaceous perennial plant physalis alkekengi enfold and defend the small, delicate fruit buried within their husks, they may be the perfect symbol for protection. Their fiery orange red hue denotes a passion for life, amiability, endurance and vitality.

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Black Walnut Husk

The male and female components occur on the same tree. Imagine the two seeds born out of love between the male and female flowers that occur on the same tree (monoecious species) in a pod that is heart shaped. The image reflects the heart shaped husk with seeds likely removed by squirrels who tore into the heart out of the heart shaped pod – how cruel nature can sometimes be? –  But squirrels will  travel miles, will dig dig deep to retrieve the glorious tasty reward for their tenacious effort. (Acknowledgement Dr Edward Fisher MD Cardiologist)

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Heart Shaped Pod of the Goldenrain Tree

 The pod is lantern shaped reminiscent of the the Chinese lantern flower, and Cape Gooseberry and is about 5cms long and 3cm wide and starts as a green to yellow color and becomes orange to pink in the fall.  The black seeds are 5-8mms in diameter. (Acknowledgement Dr Edward Fisher MD Cardiologist)

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Heart Shaped Pod of the Amour en Cage

The art piece shows the inverted pod surrounded by the more rotund yellow shape of a heart.  The orange fruit peeks out through a defect in the husk.  The French name Amour en Cage (love in a cage) is the most appropriate and romantic term for the fruit!

Heart Shapes that Tell a Story Through the Natural Elements

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Bleeding Heart 

The bleeding heart (aka Lamprocapnos spectabilis, Asian bleeding-heart, Dutchman’s breeches, lyre flower and lady-in-a-bath) belongs to the poppy family Papaveraceae, and is found in China, Japan, Korea and Siberia. It flowers in the early spring with a pink or white flower and is one of the earlier joys of the spring.  It tells a sad story as it opens its heart and pours out its white tears.  The shape is quite unique.

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Heart Shape – Tamarind Seeds at Sunset

The heart shape of the Tamarind  seed is the subject of this art piece. The shape of the seed is heterogeneous.  With Valentine’s day in mind, I searched the many seeds of the leguminous edible fruit at the dinner table, and came up with two heart shaped seeds.

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Rock Lovers Rock

 Rock Lovers Rock shows a pair of heart shaped rocks in a background of sensuous and gentle curves of surrounding rock formation.  Despite the solid and hard nature of the stone and the almost heartless assigned character, the art piece provides a soft and romantic side to the usually lifeless stone.

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Valentine’s Day Walk – a Walnut and a Rock

The male and female components occur on the same tree. Imagine the two seeds born out of love between the male and female flowers that occur on the same tree (monoecious species) in a pod that is heart shaped. The image reflects the heart shaped husk with seeds likely removed by squirrels who tore into the heart out of the heart shaped pod – how cruel nature can sometimes be? –  But squirrels will  travel miles, will dig dig deep to retrieve the glorious tasty reward for their tenacious effort.

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Damaged Heart Shaped Leaf

The art portrays that part of the heart has been lost – but also infers that that all is not lost and there is still a lot of love to give.  The color is sombre, and results in a melancholic mood.

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Heart Shaped Leaves of Love Lost

The art piece shows two heart-shaped leaves (left) of a Linden tree in Norway at lovers’ odds, with tears streaming down their bodies, a bleeding heart (say no more) and the worst – a black leaf – who has totally given up on love. The whole image reminds me of a “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.  The thing about romance is that more often than not, it does not reflect basic love.  Love of a child, parent, spouse friend, or animal has a deeper, more meaningful and more basic element of humanity and compassion that is open to all.  Romance is sometimes a closed club.

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Heart Shaped Anthurium at the End of Valentine’s Day

The heart shaped anthurium flower (aka flamingo flower, and laceleaf)  originates in the Americas including northern Mexico and northern Argentina but also in the Caribbean.  In this art piece the flower looks droopy and exhausted after a long day of romance

 

 

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Chest of Fruit – Heart Lungs and Ribs

The chest with ribs, heart and lungs are created using fruit. The lungs are grapes, the pulmonary arteries – carrots, the ribs a banana peel and the heart is a red pepper.

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Dogs Have Hearts Too 

It may take a moment to see the face of  labrador with the heart of the chest projected as his mouth and his two black eyes on either side of his cervical spine!  Once you appreciate the eyes – the rest will fall into place

And so ends our story.

 

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Heart Symbolisms – Cultural Anatomy

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Heaven’s Heart 

Heart symbolisms abound in almost every culture.  The heart has been the center of almost every civilization, and assigned the epicentre of physical emotional and spiritual life. In ancient cultures the brain was mostly ignored and its many functions were attributed to the heart.  Despite new knowledge,  many of the ancient cultural concepts remain ingrained in the religion, the psyche, language, literature, poetry, and art of modern civilization.

In the West, the heart has evolved as a symbol of love, in both romantic and religious spheres.  In the East, it is seen as a symbol of wisdom and spirituality.

Heart Symbolisms in History

Ancient belief in almost every major culture put the heart and heart symbolisms at the centre of the body and soul . Life with all its emotions, thoughts and beliefs centered around the heart.

The iconic heart symbol was identified in the culture of the Cro Magnon hunters of Europe before the last Ice Age (10,000-8000 BCE). The inference of the icon to the hunters remains a mystery.

The ancient Egyptians (3500BC-1000 BC) believed the heart controlled the mind and soul, and that it was the center of morality. It was also considered the source of memory, emotions, and personality. They believed that God spoke to individuals through the heart.  There was concern among Egyptians that after death, that the heart might testify against the deceased; to prevent this, the ancient Egyptians often wrapped a heart scarab within the bandages to prevent the heart from speaking. They also preserved the heart during mummification so it would not be weighed during judgement after death.

The 5000 year old ancient Chinese culture believes that the heart is the root of the body, mind and soul of life.  Additionally it controls joy, reflects facial expression, and has important roles in the psyche.

The Jewish culture goes back 5000 years as well. The Old testament, originated around 1500 BC, and references to the heart abound . It is viewed as the organ of conscience, the origin of human action, imagination, determination, emotion, love, virtue and vice, good and evil, humility and pride. The  heart is revealed as the “inner” person:

“the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” [Samuel 16:7].

Also among many other references

“it grieved him (God) at his heart.”  

Genesis 6:6 

The word “heart” appears 725 times in the  Old testament,

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Art in the Clouds, Love, and Prayer

Love and Prayer …… a cloud in the sky that says it all… or at least some of it…  The art piece is a collection of different modes of prayer with the same goal in mind ie to connect with a higher power. An idea of a central God may not necessarily fit with all religions,.  The central “God” therefore in this piece relates to a central focus of core beliefs.

In Hinduism, a culture that started around 1750 BCE, teaches that the heart is the center of life, action, emotion, consciousness, and the soul. The belief is that it nourishes the organs and supplies  energy for the formation of semen. Similar to Egyptian belief, it has importance in connecting heaven and earth.  It also is the organ where the love of God is experienced.

In ancient Greece, Aristotle, who lived in the 4th century B.C., described  the heart as the most important organ of the body. He considered it the seat of intelligence, motion, sensation and vitality.

In Christianity the heart reflects love, piety, and charity.  In the art of the middle ages and thereafter, the flaming heart reflects religious passionate fervor.  A flaming heart pierced by an arrow symbolizes faith despite trial, and repentance.  The New Testament started in the middle of the 1st century AD. Jesus repeatedly uses “pure of heart”

Paul prays

“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;” [Ephesians 3:3].

The word “heart” appears 105 times in the New Testament.

In the 1st millennium AD in ancient Mexico, the Teotihuacan culture believed that the the teyolia – the spiritual force of the heart, was responsible for life.

Galen who lived in the second century A. D., reaffirmed the Greek concepts of  the heart and promoted it as the organ most closely related to the soul.

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The Heart of Galen – Creator of the Vital Spirit

The AiA rendering shows the body according to Galen. Heat plays a central role in his theory.  He believed the heart was closely related to the soul and the source of the body’s heat . The liver, he taught was the primary source of the humors that controlled the body, and that the heart played a subordinate role.

At the beginning of the eleventh century, the Persian, Avicenna (980-1037 AD), authored  “The Book of Healing” that included medical and philosophical content.  Avicenna describes the heart as the source of life.

The Aztecs a nomadic tribe of northern Mexico, arrived in Mesoamerica in the 13th century and reached their pinnacle in the 15th century. They believed that the heart, or the yollotli, was the seat of life and the soul. Before cremation a green jewel was placed in the mouth of the dead person to represent the heart.  The culture also believed that human sacrifice for the offering of the heart to the Gods was required for ongoing prosperity.  It was a ritual performed at the highest level and required to  honour the gods.  Interestingly the yollotli was also a standard of measurement from the mid chest to the tip of the outstretched arm, equivalent to about 3 feet.

In summary the heart was central to the body mind of soul in so many cultures that it pervaded day to day life,  and therefore became central to the emotional aspects of most, if not all cultures. The innate need to represent these emotions in all facets of life including religion, philosophy, literature, poetry, music,  and art was a natural outcome.

The History of the Icon

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History of the Shape of the Heart Icon

 The collage reveals the symbols that contributed to the shape of the heart icon as we know it.  The shape of the heart became familiar to cultures who hunted or sacrificed animals (image top left).  The heart shaped leaves and seeds had parallel emotional connections.  The silphium seed for example (seen as golden heart shaped structure above) , was used by ancient Greeks for contraception and was reproduced on their coins.  Organs relating to the nitty gritty of romance including breasts, mons pubis, buttocks and scrotum have rotund shape that has parallels in the icon of the heart .  It is no wonder that the the shape gained popularity and application to the romantic elements of life.   
This art piece was adapted and modified from public domain photograph by Frank Eugene, taken 1898, called Adam and Eve and published in Camera Work no. 30,1910 

Art and the Heart – A History

heart, history, symbol, Jesus Christ, anatomy, heraldry, Valentine's day, sacred heart, heraldry, mood, emotion, Christianity, symbol, icon

History of Heart Symbolism

The earliest use of the heart as a symbol of love is found in an art piece in the middle of the 13th century.  The collage depicts, romantic, religious, devotion, emotion, bravery, heraldry, mathematics, geometry, botany, card games, Valentine’s day, and finally and central in the art piece – the traditional emoticon.  

Literature and the Heart 

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Shakespeare and the Heart

From the late Middle Ages onward, literature and poetry romanticize the heart.  The above art piece used information  from the Oxford Shakespeare Concordance and identifies the frequency of the word heart and heart related words  (eg heartless and heartily).  More than 1100 instances were found. 

In the Divine Comedy,  Dante (1265-1321) refers to

Love, which is quickly kindled in the gentle heart,
seized this man for the fair form that was
taken from me, and the manner still hurts me.

Also…

Pride, Envy, and Avarice are
the three sparks that have set these hearts on fire.

Valentine’s day itself first became associated with romance during the time of Geoffrey Chaucer (1343–1400).

Literature in which the word “heart” appears in the title from the late 18th, 19th and early 20th century include among many; Heart of the Midlothian – Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), The Tell Tale Heart by  Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849,  Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), The Heart of Man by Erich Fromm (1900-1980),  Heartbreak House by George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers (1917-1967), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown (1908 – 2002)

Poetry and the Heart 

The association of the heart and love abound in poetry.

Charles d’Orlean was a member of the French Royal family who lived in the 15th century. While captive in England he wrote love poems such as the one translated below

Because I cannot see you,
My heart complains day and night,
Lovely lady, peerless one of France,
And has charged me to write you
That he does not have all he desires
In the Prison of Discontent.

 by Charles d’Orlean and translated by David A. Fein 

Some famous poems of the the late 19th and early 20th century which include the word heart in the title; My Heart and I  by  Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), Never Give All The Heart, William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Flame Heart Claude McKay (1889-1948),  The Trusting Heart, Dorithy Parker (1893 -1967),  I Carry Your Heart with Me – EE Cummings  (1894-1962),  The Laughing Heart Charles Bukowski (1920-1994)  

Music and the Heart

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Middle Ages Music, Heart and Love

AiA combined two art pieces that are in the public domain; Heart shaped musical score of Baude Cordier is an offering of love to a lady.  Christian and Muslim playing Lutes from the Canticles of Holy Mary during the reign of Alfonso X El Sabio (1221–1284) 

Recent Music and the Heart

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The Heart in Modern Song

Song ..another emotional outlet for the expression of love romance, and spirituality in culture. Between 1956 and 1978, 15 artists used the word “HEART” in the title of their song and each sold more than a million copy of their records.

Evolving Use of Heart Symbolisms

Valentines Day is a classical example of the persistent use of the symbol of the heart as a symbol of love and romance and it appears on all types of commercial products.  The icon of the heart for communication on the web, in emails, electronic messaging, graffiti, in all sorts of arts and crafts abound almost adnauseum.

We seem to be returning to the world of hieroglyphics – and the icon of the heart almost always sends a positive message – and so … that is always good!

References

Jager Eric  – Reading the Book of the heart from the Middle Ages to the twenty First Century; University of Chicago Press

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To My Dear Heart…

To my dear Heart,

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Of all my children that I have grown up with

And who have been part of me for my life

All of whom I owe deep gratitude

For Life itself

For thinking, seeing, doing, loving, and crying

For making sure that my water is OK

That poisons do not run amok in me

Ridding me of my waste

Supporting me

Protecting me

Allowing me to dance

And to sing

To run

To play ball

Allowing me to grow

Allowing me to give birth to new beings

 

How do I say this without being unfair to them

Yet enabling my deep feeling of admiration and passion for you to be revealed

 

I have to single you out as my favorite

You have the asymmetric symmetry that makes you so interesting and intriguing

You have the male power in your left ventricle

And the female power of receptivity, compassion, and logical sense of modulation in your right ventricle

You have rhythm

You have grace

You have romance and tenacity

You have simplicity

Combined with uncanny complexity

A poem from the heart to the heart by Ashley Davidoff MD – previously published on The Common Vein web site thecommonvein.com