Life Purpose Topic #2: Oh Where, Oh Where Did My Heartbeat Go?

Your heart beat. Listen. Can you hear it?  I’m not talking about the physical heart that beats in your chest. I’m talking about your HEARTBEAT, the one that resonates with your being --- body, mind, emotion and spirit.

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, many people have lost touch with the sound of their heart beat and have replaced it with the closest one at hand --- society’s “one-size-fits-all” version.

How do I know this? For a couple years I have been joyfully preoccupied with finding, nourishing and following my own heartbeat.  On this journey, I have become astute at identifying what makes me tick and recognizing the peek-a-boo heartbeats of other people.

Where does your heartbeat go? You never loose your heart beat, you just smother it with mental chatter, put it in a flower pot and forget to water it, wrap it in layers of emotional stuff, or set it on the shelf to collect spiritual lint and fur balls.

The good news is that your heartbeat is built to last. At first your heartbeat may be faint, and then, with a little self-acceptance and TLC, it will start showing up, revealing itself, unannounced.  Treat your heartbeat like a good friend; trust it, respect it and really open yourself to it.  Have faith that you will find your authentic heartbeat, and always remember --- you are not the only one looking; your bold, beautiful heartbeat is looking for you too!

If you are feeling disconnected and would like to reconnect with your authentic heartbeat, please consider adding this simple exercise to your meditation toolbox. 

Heart Beat Visualization:

1. Go to the ocean.  Stand on the shore. Watch the tide flow in and out. Feel the powerful, steady rhythm of the waves.  Smell the fresh air. Quiet your thoughts.  Take a deep breath. What are you experiencing?  You are feeling the Ocean’s heartbeat, and it is magnificent! 

2. Take the gift of this ocean experience with you and refer to it often. It will be one of the best tools you have to find, nourish and support your own heartbeat - the one that provides fulfillment on all levels – mind, body, spirit and emotion.

3. If you don’t have easy access to the ocean, give yourself the gift of an Ocean Sounds CD, close your eyes and gently drift away.

Discussion Group Question:

"Do you feel connected to your authentic heartbeat? If yes, please share your experience with us.  For example: What are you doing when you feel connected to your heartbeat … or even better, what are you doing when you don’t feel connected to your heartbeat?"

As for me, I feel very connected and at peace when I’m writing, tucked away in the forest. On the other hand, I feel disconnected from my heartbeat when I’m in a shopping mall or rushing in traffic.  Why is this?

Look forward to hearing from you … and enjoy the day!

Mildred Lynn
PS – If you are new to discussion groups, have a question, comment or idea, please feel free to contact me.

New! For other topic areas, please click on the green links below:
Topic #6 - What Will People Think?
Topic #5 - Resources: What helped you along the way? 
Topic #4 - Inspiration: Have You Found Yours?
Topic #3 - Success vs. Fulfillment: What's the Deal?
Topic #1 - What in the world is a Soulnudge?

I am really connected with my authentic Heartbeat and my passion when I am exploring. Exploring connects me to my spirt and spirituality. For me, exploring is about discovering the secrets that are hidden within everyday life. But, a secret doesn't have to be something spectacular. It can just be a little park that nobody seems to know about. Or, it could be a great used book store. The journey doesn't have to be about spending money, only about connecting to a sense of wonder, beauty and imagination. Who knows where a particular journey will lead? I love to find secret nooks and crannies in the world! I can explore the world at large by wandering around out there or just pump up my mind by reading a fascinating book.

When I am wandering around in the real world I can explore the world by myself, or perhaps with someone else. For me, exploring usually means just getting in the car, or walking around, and just wandering and getting lost. It's not essential to have a map or GPS, although a friend insists on being the navigator. How can you navigate if you don't know where you are going, I ask? It's a lot more fun when I never know what's around the next corner! Anyway, It's never planned and its all just spontaneous. The memories from past trips keep my heartbeat powerful and passionate. I still have fond memories from years ago, when I ran into an old friend in a coffee shop I had never visited before! We had lost touch, and I was out enjoying the fall leaves and not really looking for anything in particular. Then I decided that a good cup of coffee would really hit the spot. I drove for a little while, and found an odd breakfast place and went in. After I sat down and began to read the paper, somebody tapped me on the shoulder and said, "I know you." The spot, although out of the way, became a favorite place for us to meet up.

These trips might seem simple, but they help me to relax and feel more at ease. Many of them turn out to be mini spiritual adventures that allow me to recharge and reconnect with my true heartbeat. I've found park benches that overlooked the most glorious sunsets I have ever seen or shared! I have found the odd newspaper with listings for local groups that I joined, such as "Course in Miracles." I don't know if I would have found that particular group, if I hadn't gone out and looked for something unique and special that day. Many times I find nothing and that is okay too. But, the serenity that I find is as good at quieting my busy mind, as meditating. For me the process is a meditation. It's also a way to escape an ordinary "one size fits all" day. The traveling is fun, but more importantly I've used it to find and access deeper parts of myself. It's become a way to nourish my soul and keep passion alive in the rest of my life!

For me, reading is also a way that I connect with and recharge my heartbeat and my passion. I enjoy everything from the classics, like Charles Dickens or Virginia Wolfe to modern day books on technology, food, sci-fi or spirituality. Many of them offer suprising encouragement to the reader. And, reading might seem mundane or boring to some, but for me an author has spent the time to put his or her words down and I am willing to look for the treasure within each book! I'm often most inspired by books of quotations or powerful poetry. I've been involved in good and mediocre books groups and I have been involved in book groups where we are all passionate and excited about the book & we talk about what stirs our souls and motivates us to lead our lives in more spiritual ways. For me, books are doorways into my heart and soul! I hope that everyone is able to be stirred as I have by great and powerful words! And, if you have never read any poetry by Rilke or Rabindranath Tagore then I urge you to do so.

I'm connected to my heartbeat when I'm doing ... by this I mean the actions I'm executing are directed towards a goal or a purpose.

I can easily occupy my mind with curiousity. I can spend hours reading about nut trees or wandering in a new area. This for me is adult pablum. It is pleasant, but it is not fulfilling. If I'm working and creating something, whether it is tangible or intangible; or if I'm helping others; or strengthening or improving; or tuning my self ... I feel connected to my heartbeat.

If I'm not generating something from my activity, I feel rudderless. I've found that I have to yield to the fact that sometimes I can't choose my circumstances, and that I may need a break,  but to really be alive I have to embrace, chew and taste the "moment" not float in a bubble through it.

I'm connected to my
heartbeat with everything I do! There are times though that my
heartbeat is very faint and times when it seems to have left me all
together. Those times happen when I'm surrounded by alot of what I
would call "noise". Things going on around me that are distracting me
from being and doing what I've come to this earth to do.

I find that hearing the roar of the sea, watching waves flow in and out
and listening to soft rain falling renews my heartbeat and brings me
back to place where inner peace can flourish.

When
my heartbeat is strong and beating life is simple, easy and flowing and
life's difficulties seem to resolve themselves. The more you practice
keeping your heartbeat strong the more life gives back to you in more
ways than you can ever imagine. So enjoy and have fun!

I am connected to my heartbeat when I am in church.  The more I go to church the better I feel (I hope that I don’t sound preachy). When I am there, I have a peaceful feeling of being connected to my heartbeat. Suddenly, everything that seemed like a problem when I walked through the door doesn’t seem so big.  It feels like I am connected and not carrying everything alone anymore.

I also feel connected to my heartbeat when I listen to music. It helps a lot. It is a special time of reflection when I have clarity, and feel good about my life purpose.

I get a disconnected feeling of frustration when I have too much to do; too much on my plate. There is a poem that comes to mind. I look for it and then share with this group.

I feel connected when I am listening and observing and not making noise. I feel my heartbeat when I finish yoga and go outside or finish an outdoor run. At these times my mind is quiet and my spirit and physical body feel very connected and alive. I grew up along the ocean so whenever I spend time on the beach my mind quiets and I can start to hear what my soul is saying. The key is it to give myelf this gift daily so I can spend more time in sync with my heart.

Dear Group,   Wow this is a cool topic,   During centering breath and contemplative moments during my day the heart is calm and joyful.   During times of business or mild stressors I feel a mild tightening around my heart muscle.    Stress and releasing stress plays a part in taking care of my heart beat joyfully.   Surrounding my heartbeat with positive energy and clearing away negative stress is key.   Kindest Regards, Lindy