4 Hollow Spaces You Shouldn't Forget
A reflection on what fills the 4 hollow spaces of the heart and how to fill each chamber mindfully.
How quickly time flies in summer. The sun is out. The days are longer. The birds are chirpy and happy. And if you’re lucky, you have a bit more time to yourself thanks to a break in your study or work schedule.
It’s these long days that illustrate what being alive truly means. You may feel energised to explore new parts of the world or do something meaningful with loved ones. You may feel your heart beat harder and faster as it tries to keep you cool amidst the warmth.
Leaving the adrenaline rush and excitement of summer aside: Have you ever stood still and wondered how deeply the heart feels and how easily it makes space for more excitement, adventure after adventure?
Yes, this relatively small organ has a lot of space. Biology teaches us about its 4 hollow spaces called chambers.
Maybe that’s why we are able to fill the heart with admiration, pride, wonder, hope, and faith. This powerful vessel - with its hollow spaces and valves that pump us with adrenaline and bring our entire body oxygen - is so capable that it knows exactly when to speed up and slow down.
Despite its limitation of 4 chambers, it never says “Sorry, I’m full at the moment and cannot accommodate more love, people, or beauty”. Isn’t that remarkable?
The heart knows us more than we know it - It only pours out and sheds what hurts, is harmful and scary.
When summer ends, the birds will resume their nesting behaviour and other wild animals will hibernate once again. The long, warm days and travel rush will come to a halt. Similarly, you’ll have to go back to routine and step into your roles at home and work.
And while a suitcase with material possessions or a phone filled with photos from each place you’ve visited may leave you temporarily energised, you can extend this joy in another way: By filling these 4 chambers with intangible assets to look back and hold on to amidst winter. They will radiate what you need when the skies go dark and grey. Ready to give it a go?
Summer Reflection Exercise
How to Fill Your Heart’s 4 Hollow Spaces
Which experience(s) filled you with hope/wonder/excitement/joy/faith this summer? Why did it strike me out of all the things I saw?
If you could take one thing you witnessed/were a part of and etch it in your heart forever, what would it be and why? Hint: Mine is disclosed below the picture with the cat.
What surprised you about your heart this summer? In other words: what did it ask to be filled with and what did it hold on to aside from all the things you spent money on?
What did your heart pour out in the presence/absence of loved ones? Did it shed its worries, shame, and fears? Did you come back with clean(er) chambers after your trip/experiences?
If you could name your heart’s chambers according to what it needs and wants, what would those four names be?
Bonus exercise: review these answers to revisit the state of your 4 chambers when the summer is over. They’ll help you understand what your heart craves more of and how to mindfully fill each chamber.
I believe that the heart, like most organs, is limited by the capacity of its chambers. What we choose to store in those chambers is down to us. If we choose fear, jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, anger... the space left for love gets smaller and smaller. By letting go of emotions that do not serve us, we make more space for love. My takeaway is simple. To hold more love we need to make space for it; i.e. letting go of negative emotions and filling it with love.