Listen to “Why is Heart Coherence Important “.
The heart is critical to life, continuously circulating blood around your body. But, it is so much more than just a pump. In fact, as science is beginning to reveal, the heart is much more powerful, healing, and transformative than we first thought.
Research conducted at HeartMath Institute has demonstrated that the changes in heart rate, also called variable cardiac rhythm (VCR), reflects the emotional state of human beings. VCR analysis is recognised as a powerful means of measuring nervous dynamics, and as demonstrated through numerous clinical studies its effect has been related to problems of health and performance.
The heart has its own neural circuit which is interrelated with the brain, which controls the emotions and physiology of the body.
When we are stressed our body – the brain and the heart – is not synchronized due to negative emotions, causing abnormal heart rates and nervous system reactions, which leads to the blockage and inhibition of the neocortex or rational brain. In contrast, positive emotions create harmony in the nervous system and stabilize and regulate heart rate, to unblock the brain, while at the same time the rest of the systems of the body synchronize. This is the ideal state that we call “coherence”.
In a coherent system, all the individual parts are operating in harmony and virtually no energy is lost. It is a state of least effort and maximum benefit because all the individual components are working together rather than against each other. When the rhythms of the heart stabilize, the heart’s electromagnetic field becomes equally more coherent. This strengthened coherence transmits waves of healing and transformation throughout the entire system, including the brain. Heart coherence also triggers positive hormonal releases. This makes it easier to experience peace, positive feelings and a deeper meditative state more quickly. How do you create this profound and powerful state of heart/brain coherence?
Scientific studies have shown that when we cultivate—intentionally or unintentionally—emotions of appreciation, love, and compassion (as opposed to anxiety, anger, or fear) the oscillations of our heart rhythms show as being more coherent or consistent. This coherence has been linked to a sense of wellbeing, as well as feelings more emotional stability and reaching peak states of mindfulness.
Here are some basic meditation exercises you can do to bring you a state of coherence—and maybe help others around you by radiating into the waves of love, compassion, and gratitude.
- Focus your attention in the area of your heart, in the center of your chest.
- Breathe five to six deep breaths per minute. This will bring you in a basic state of coherence. As you focus on the area of your heart, imagine your breath flowing in and out through that area.
- As you continue to breathe, focus on the area of your heart, and recall a positive memory, a time when you felt good inside, and try to re-experience it and the feel-good emotions it brought you. It could be feeling appreciation for the good things in your life, or the love and care you feel for someone.
The next step is to take this technique and make it a habit. Do this by picking certain times of the day when you can give yourself a guilt-free three to five minutes to focus on your heart.
