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Heart-Brain Coherence
How loving and compassionate emotions contribute to general health.
HeartMath Institute researchers identified in the 1990’s a physiological state called heart coherence.
Coherence is the state of being highly ordered, organized, and efficient. In a coherent system, all the individual parts operate in harmony and coordinated way.
In the state of heart coherence, the heart, mind and emotions are aligned and in sync. Breathing, heart rhythms, brain rhythms and the body’s systems (immune, hormonal, nervous and psychiatric), are in electromagnetic synchronization with each other.
Heart coherence not only affects physical processes but also mental and emotional balance and behavior(and vice versa). It has been shown that heart coherence can be self-generated leading to less mental and emotional stress and more inner security and stability.
The heart’s electromagnetic field is the most powerful field generated by the body and it radiates several feet outside. It is possible that the heart has an outstanding role in mastering the other electro-chemical processes in the body (e.g., in the immune, hormonal, nervous, or psychiatric system).
There is an apparent correlation between the heart-related emotional state and the overall condition of the cells in whole the body.
Core heart feelings (love, appreciation, compassion) down-regulate the deleterious consequences of long-lasting stress patterns (e.g., immune system disturbances) and increase the activities of recovery, repair and growth.
Heart activity is mirrored in our emotional states. Negative emotions such as fear, anger, and hostility create disordered and irregular heart rate variability (the ability of variation in the time interval between heartbeats), whereas positive emotions synchronize and tune the heart rhythms.
HOW TO ACHIEVE THIS SALUTARY STATE OF HEART-BRAIN COHERENCE?
Highly positive emotional qualities, such as GRATITUDE, APPRECIATION, NON-JUDGEMENT, COMPASSION and FORGIVENESS are apparently related to the heart’s healing and transforming ability. Remaining in these highly valuable emotions generates a coherent state and creates a more balanced and healthy system.
Therefore, every technique, which cultivates compassionate and loving emotions, such as meditation, observing the natural beauty, different artistic activities or just smiling, contributes significantly to Heart Coherence and, consequently, to the healthy functioning of the whole organism.
References, useful links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhxjXduD8qw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKmKKCdnJ4U
https://chopra.com/articles/the-coherent-heart-3-steps-to-accessing-heart-intelligence
https://blas.com/the-heartmath-solution/
In our Mehana programs, you will have the excellent opportunity to experience practices of the Heart-Brain Coherence.
Author: Kristina Höschlová
June 16th, 2023
