The heart is an amazing and astonishing structure both physically and bio-energetically.
Not only does our heart have its own neuronal feedback loops constantly relaying information to and from the brain and body, but it has been measured to be thousands of times more electromagnetically powerful than the brain itself and has its own field!
In yogic traditions, the heart is governed by our heart chakra, Anahata, translating to unstruck or unhurt. This energetic center is where we intuitively receive “heart guidance” and how we create our world by putting things back into the environment. When we do this from an “unstruck” state, we are able to feel our emotions and react in a way that helps us and our communities grow. When we are “struck” by emotions we can’t process, like grief or rage then we tend to make more erratic decisions that aren’t in our or our community’s best interest
This happens because when we are healthy, happy, and experiencing positive emotions like gratitude, our heart is strong and we are able to achieve a state of heart coherence which makes us feel our best because we are in a heart coherent state. Research from the Heart Math Institute, a leading non-profit in the heart-mind connection, has found that heart coherence happens when there is mind-body synchronicity with the brain and heart, resulting in a coherent, steady, strong rhythm and we also see ordered thinking with strong decision-making skills, improved memory, and learning. Heart incoherence happens when we feel emotions like stress, worry, hurt, anger, frustration and we have erratic thinking patterns that interrupt our ability to think clearly, learn, remember, or process information effectively, while also heightening emotional responses that then reinforce the feelings we had to begin with.
So what can we do with this tidbit of information? Use it to grow!
Heart Rate Variability (coherence measurements specifically focused on the variation between each heartbeat) is being used to achieve higher states of athletic training and performance, helping individuals manifest more accurately and effectively, and helping bring awareness and control to mind, body, health, and learning. The lower the variability, the more coherent the heartbeat and the more able to adapt and act the individual will be.
For example, remaining in a coherent state with the emotion of gratitude behind it for 15 minutes helps increase IgA levels and decrease cortisol levels in the body, resulting in improved immune function and decreased stress influences and responses according to research by a leading neuroscientist, Dr. Joe Dispenza. The more we stay in this state, the healthier we are and the more we allow our bodies to take care of themselves. The less frequently we are in a coherent state, the more taxed our entire physiological system is, which electromagnetically attracts more reasons to be taxed.
How to bring about heart coherence:
Find a quiet spot to start with where you can sit and try to relax.
Focus on bringing your mind and attention to your chest and heart space for a few minutes, just sensing the space.
Begin to focus on breathing in and feeling this space expand, and breathing out and feeling this space settle.
Think of something that makes you feel grateful, joyful, or happy. Breathe into this sensation and exhale these emotions into the world around you.
Stay in this space for 10-15 minutes to start, building up the practice as you see fit. The more we practice finding coherence, the easier it is for us to reconnect when we are challenged with stressful events.
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