Spirituality and Wellness
Peggy McDonagh
The Enchanted Heart
Journalist Henry Louis Mencken wrote: “An enchanted life has many moments
when the heart is overwhelmed with beauty and the imagination is electrified
by some haunting quality in the world or by a spirit or voice speaking from
deep within a thing, a place, or a person.”
Enchantment is about being overwhelmed or
captivated by something beautiful, breathtaking,
or heart-lifting such as a stirring novel, a mountain
view, a walk through the forest, a falling star,
a symphony, or a brilliant sunset. We can be
fascinated by people as well, by their way of
being, their wisdom, compassion, or enthusiasm.
Enchantment is what we feel when our hearts are
wide open and allow us to be drawn into experiences
or encounters through which we feel a profound
sense of connection, wonderment, and inspiration.
Celtic mysticism considers the heart to be a
metaphor for the true or authentic self, the self
in which love resides; and when our hearts are
enchanted, love bursts forth and infuses our
actions, interactions, speech, and way of being.
Spiritually speaking, the heart is often described as
being either hard or soft, and the spiritual journey
is an ongoing process of keeping the heart soft so
that love flows freely.
Celtic spirituality teaches that enchantment exists
within every heart. We certainly see this in children.
When children feel valued, safe, loved, and free to
be curious, their imaginations are captivated by
a butterfly, a mud puddle, a bird, a dandelion, a
tiny frog in the grass, a kite flying, a bubble — and
even a stick. Everything is new, mysterious, and
fascinating. Very young children have soft hearts
enabling them to embrace people, nature, and
experiences with wonder, love and openness.
As children grow, life’s events and circumstances
challenge them. Some may get bullied, experience
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dysfunction in their family life, struggle to feel
good about themselves, or feel neglected, unloved
and not safe. Many children feel anxious about the
state of the world. In these ways, the enchantment
begins to dissipate as anxiety and fear arise and
these children begin to close off their hearts to
protect themselves. Thus, begins the slow process of
hardening.
As we age, disillusionment can harden the
heart because of conflicting cultural messages,
the stresses, speed, and busyness of everyday life,
financial worries, the bombardment of negative
news and worldwide conflicts, the harm and
hurt caused by discrimination and hatred, and
environmental concerns.
We discover that education does not always
secure good jobs, marriages fall apart, and raising
children can be difficult. Careers consume our