We have all experienced feelings of profound joy or sorrow and felt them exactly, precisely. Yet all of us, at one time or another, have felt our own heartstrings plucked (there really are strings in the heart-the chordae tendineae, connective tissues that keep the mitral and tricuspid valves from prolapsing, at least most of the time). Science tells us the opposite: that emotion all takes place in the brain, that the heart is just a dual-action, four-chambered pump, nothing more. Interestingly, the heart seems to be of special importance.įor eons, people have placed special significance on the heart as the seat of emotions. Memory also appears to be a function found throughout the tissues of the body, all the way down to the cellular level. And if cells can "think," then are they also aware? Preposterous, you say? Maybe not. Why? The short answer is that "thinking" occurs in many places in the body besides the brain. Neurochemicals have now been found throughout the tissues of the human body. In that respect, the Egyptians may have been on to something big, something we are just now beginning to rediscover. It was the heart that was held in high regard. Instead, the squashy mass was unceremoniously yanked through the nostrils and-without pomp, circumstance, or ceremony-dumped into the trash. For this legendary human organ, the Egyptians had no special plan, no golden chalice. Regarding the brain, that unimaginably complex mass of neurons and supporting tissues, the Egyptians were rather blasé. The human heart was given exceptional attention, as a mark of the respect due to the organ the Egyptians felt was not only the center of emotion, but, more importantly, the center of reason and thought as well. These precious tissues were placed in their own containers-solid gold jars in the case of the elite-and were arranged within the burial chamber with extra care. After the body was ritually washed and perfumed, the internal organs were carefully removed for special processing. However, there's more to it than that by all accounts, the process was complicated and carefully crafted. Their climate helped: hot, dry conditions go a long way by themselves toward making mummies. mummies!Įven today, with all the technology we're so proud of-with advanced knowledge of chemistry, magnetic resonance imaging, gas chromatography, and the like-we still aren't sure exactly how the Egyptians achieved mummification. But what really demonstrates their commitment is the thing Egypt is best known for, the one romantic notion that is known around the world, the stuff of Hollywood feature films and ancient legends. They even prepared a book about it, a kind of owner's manual and travelogue rolled into one called The Egyptian Book of the Dead. Their texts are filled with detailed instructions about the proper preparations for the journey. Of course it could be said that all of us are to a point, but the Egyptians really went extra lengths to ensure a proper passage from the world of the living to the plane of the afterlife. The ancient Egyptians were obsessed with life after death. And there I travel, looking, looking, breathlessly. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. "A Path with Heart." Quest 98. 2(Spring 2010): 54-59.įor me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. Originally printed in the Spring 2010 issue of Quest magazine.Ĭitation: Walker, Thomas.
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