Zambrano: From the image to the mediation of the word

Abstract

According to Marí­a Zambrano in order to unravel the enigmas of life, the heart must have self-control and for that it must be sustained. What does this mean? In order to answer this the question must first be directed to the person who asks it: contemporary man. This person lives a series of moments separated by an almost imperceptible void which is essential for time to elapse. The heart must firmly sustain itself in this situation so that the answer appears; on the other hand, in the act of replying, it should sustain the subject so that it is present and it awakens. Why the heart? Perhaps because the heartbeat presupposes a sense of presence which allows Marí­a Zambrano to propose the awakening as the opening to knowledge and love.