LIVING WITH HEART

The Heart Takes Shape

Candace A. Croft, Ph.D.
© 2008 Candace A. Croft

Pure curiosity drew me to the Museum of Shapes.  That, and a rainy afternoon in a strange city with nothing to do.  I never realized how shape permeated culture from its language to its architecture to its understanding of nature.  Apparently, geometric figures held some mysterious clue about life.   I saw exhibits of shape regarding corporations,

“What’s the shape of the company?”

“It’s in bad shape.”

fashion care labels,

“To maintain shape, lie flat.”

psychological health,

            “She’s an emotional heap, terrible shape.”

physical health,

“Let’s see what kind of shape you are in.  Congratulations!  You’re in great shape.”

forecasting,

“What’s the shape of things to come?”

conformity,

“You need to shape up.”

invention,

“Here, Marconi gave shape to his idea.”

and rarity,

“When they made her, they broke the mold.”  (Although, I never understood if that meant the person was uniquely stellar or a grand mistake.)

There were exhibits dedicated to linear references,

“She has multiple facets to her personality.”

“Then, things took an interesting twist.”

“I discovered a new angle to the situation.”

“Get in line.”

those that were circular,

“It’s part of the circle of life.”

“May the circle be unbroken.”

“Oh, to be part of the inner circle.”

and the conic wonders:

triangles emblazoned along fraternity/sorority row as Greek deltas,

printed in chemistry and physics texts as the symbol of change,

as instruction for pinpoint precision, “Please triangulate your position,”

and to describe a messy romance, “A love triangle, it was doomed from the start.”

There were spiral indicators,

“She was caught in a negative spiral. “

and an entire wing dedicated to life’s cross signifying,

Journey:  “She found herself at a cross roads.”

Warning:  “Don’t cross me.”

Emotion:  “She’s a bit cross today.”

Ill-fated love:  “They were star-crossed lovers.”

Martyr:  “It’s the cross I bear.”

Accuracy:  “I’ll cross-check everything to be sure.”

When I came to the exhibit about the square,

“He ate a square meal.”

“She negotiated a square deal.”

“We’re square.  Let’s shake on it.”

“What a square.”

I came full circle to the world of business.  How many times had I been instructed to think outside the box?  Probably the most over-used directive in corporate history, thinking outside the box seemed to focus less on energy and more on amassing greater profits.   How square.  Shape retains meaning simply because each shape delivers a different type of energy.  It is why church steeples are triangular, houses are square or rectangular, and baptisteries are eight- or twelve-sided designs. 

Goethe said, “What is within is also without.”  In other words, the shape of one’s inner reality takes shape as outer reality.  If your idea is square, your reality cannot help but be solidly four-sided as well.   No square, I was a shape shifter.  When given the directive to think outside the box, I capably morphed my mindset to that of a rhombus, a hexagon, and, at times living on the edge, a dodecahedron.   As I grew to understand the energy of shape, I wondered, what shapes might be assumed in various situations?

The square or box is one of the universe’s fundamental shapes.  The foundation for life it gives stability and security.  Its ninety-degree angle is the angle of logic.  An individual who is a square is task-focused and results-oriented, valuing congruity, integrity, and accountability.   Focusing on the material, a square is invaluable to the dreamer.  Why?  It is the square who constructs the imagined dream and brings it down to earth in real time. 

To think outside the box is to go beyond logic, reason, and the material.  Several shapes can take a person outside the box.  The circle carries wholeness and unity.  It is the ultimate state of Oneness with the Divine or Enlightened Mind that is healed, whole, and holy.  Related to the heart chakra, it is a point of balance that is neither expanding nor contracting.  The circle individual seeks independence and understanding of Self.  Given space, this person will find balance between heart and mind.

The triangle represents the three divine principles found in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Maiden, Mother, and Crone; and Mercury, Sulfur, and Salt.  It relates to fulfilling goals and dreams.   Detached from the solidity of the square and aiming for the stars to reach one’s higher purpose, the triangular person is involved with Self-discovery and revelation.  The point of the triangle focuses on the gift of inner vision which may be why the this person is intent upon following a dream.  Never fearing that dreams will not come true—only that some day there may be no dream to pursue—the triangular person envisions new possibilities and perseveres to overcome all obstacles, never accepting second-best, but waiting through delays to receive all that has been imagined.

A spiral is the cosmos in motion, always providing the growth and change necessary to replenish life.  The spiral individual is at the same point as everyone else, but sees the point from a different level, in a different light.  She thrives on variety, newness, and change, so can handle many tasks.  Creative, the spiral person births many wonderful ideas, but may falter with the implementation because a big-picture person is bored when having to attend to details.

The cross signifies relationship of the greater world—of Above to Below, the ethereal to the material world, and individual to individual—and serves as a bridge from one world to the next.  The cross individual sees life as a shared journey requiring cooperation and partnership.  Seeking an integral connection that will bridge the gap, she looks to resolve dualities and opposing forces like conflicts between people.

Those are the basic shapes, but there are other forms as well.  A square tipped on its corner, the diamond demonstrates life’s dynamic and whimsical nature.  Related to the sacral chakra and released from the firmness of the root, its light energy has a tendency to “lift off” from the world.  A diamond person is a wonderful asset to any brain-storming session.  The pentagon corresponds to the third eye and pineal chakra.  Its energy is perfection of the soul, spiritmindbody.  The square which opens a bit wider on top is a chalice.   Corresponding with the throat-thyroid chakra, this relaxed square is ready to move energy.  For spiritual regeneration or totality, you might assume the energy of an octagon or twelve-sided dodecahedron, respectively. 

No shape is better than another.  Just as all of us are born with an energy that reverberates best with a certain musical tone and color, we each have a shape that is innately ours.  Part of life is learning to be a shape shifter—to morph one’s energy and take on a new shape, one that allows a child to successfully adapt to changing needs and situations.  This is not the same as allowing self to get stretched out of shape and become amorphous, without any recognizable form.  Being a shape shifter means adopting the energy of a different shape at will.

Each of us was born a shape shifter.  Not a believer?  Consider this:  Have you ever said, “I’m just not myself today”?  You were telling self that your energy had stretched out of shape and shifted from alignment with true Self.  By increasing conscious awareness of the shape we are in, we increase the probability that we can alter our shape to improve our state of health and holiness.

You will not become a master shape-shifter the first few times you try.  To assist the process, try surrounding yourself with picture and objects of shapes with the energy you desire.  Paying attention to your shape preference can give insight into Self.  Just as the body craves nutrients it is lacking, a person will find certain shapes appealing to complement your natural shape and fulfill one’s purpose.  Do the shapes with which you surround your self provide what you need?  If you need focus, use a pyramid.  Sitting under a triangle may indeed focus one’s thoughts, but sitting atop a square may be needed when a person experiences a violation of trust and seeks to regain a sense of security or stability.  If you are a diamond, I would recommend using cubes to ground you.  If you need to embrace growth and change, spin in a clockwise spiral.  If you are looking for inspiration, try letting down your guard and opening up as a chalice.  Needing some spiritual fortification after a day of being bruised and tattered in the corporate jungle, you might immerse your self among octagons or dodecahedrons.  You can use sculpture, blocks, tinker toys, or simply draw a picture.  While 3-D shapes work best, any visual representation will assist in changing energy.

Once you become familiar with the energy offered by a picture or object, visualize walking through life with that object around you.  Shift your energy to be round when needing to provide healing nurturance to a friend or self.  Morph into a diamond when you want to be spontaneous, fun, and shake things up.  If you have a project to complete, be a square.  If you are preparing to speak in public, become triangular to speak from the heart.  When you need to project dignity, shift into an octagon or dodecahedron.  Although you costume your self with a new shape, don’t worry about losing your sense of self.  Your innate shape will never change. 

This month, try your hand a being a shape shifter.  Not only is it fun, you might be surprised by the results.  How did your life take shape today?  Maintain what is naturally yours, shift as appropriate and necessary, and—

KEEP YOUR HEARTLIGHT SHINING