Coming across HearthMath (www.heartmath.com) last year has been the foremost stress relieving practice for me to date. I have literally changed an underlying state of mind through this remarkable and simple practice.
New research shows the human heart is much more than an efficient pump that sustains life. It suggests the heart is an access point, a source of wisdom and intelligence that we can call upon to live our lives with more balance, creativity and enhanced intuition. Yes, that’s right call upon!
Scientists believe it is the underlying state of our physiological processes and not our situation’s that determine the quality and stability of our feelings and emotions.
The feelings and emotions we label as positive actually reflect body states that are coherent; meaning the regulation of our physiology is efficient, optimal, free-flowing and easy. The feelings we label as negative, such as anger, anxiety and frustration indicate a physiology that is incoherent; that of being less efficient, less than optimal, off kilter and kinked.
Turns out our own hearts rhythms are the best indicators to our underlying emotional state. By listening in to our own heart beating and taking a particular measurement known as heart rate variability (HRV) we are given a clear indicator as to the coherence or lack of in our own physiological being.
Incredible news! being given an unparalleled window into our heart and emotional well being allows us to train a higher coherence and the positive emotions that follow. Better still with a longer term practice your coherence level has an upgrade and with it a deeper sense of satisfaction in life. The everyday challenges all of us face daily no longer get to swing us off into the dark spiralling rabbit holes of anxiety, panic and incoherence, but to face them with softly, with clarity, focus and creativity.
What is the practice?
Use HearthMath’s science-based technology and take charge of your life. Learn to access your hearts intuition. Reduce stress and anxiety become the best version of yourself more often.
What to do?
“I attached the sensor to my ear while at the studio… Three minutes later my anxiety had dissipated, leaving me feeling more energized than frantic. Over time, I noticed that this underlying state is ever more present. I have literally altered a my mindstate over time”
Benefits of HRV practice with HeartMath
Studies conducted with over 11,500* people have shown improvements in mental & emotional well-being in just 6-9 weeks using HeartMath training and technology:
“The majority of people need to build is the capacity to self-regulate their emotions, attitudes and behaviors.””
My personal experience with HRV training.
To begin with I wasn't sure what it meant to breath through my heart, I had lots of red and blue spiking. Don't worry, just get settled and breathe in and out with the indicator. With time this settles into a green grove (more coherent). With more coherence in the green zone I was able to draw on my heart breath. And now with some regular practice time under my belt I am easily able to drop in to hearth breathing. To trigger it I use the image of my little nephew racing towards me, his little trainers just about tripping him up, his pudgy little elbows rowing wide from side to side, propelling him forward and that feeling at the moment he launches himself onto my leg and squeezes….its gets my heart swelling and coherence up every time.
As a final personal observation; pain and coherence.
The last couple of weeks I have had nerve pain from the trigeminal nerve. Today when practicing HRV I noticed that if I was drawn to the pain, my coherence dropped, but if kept my focus on heart breath my coherence despite the pain remind high. In other words, if we lock into the pain, thinking about the pain, slipper chewing on how to get rid of it, solve it or ease it our coherence dives, along with it a flood of negative emotions. Stay with heart breathing, instead making coherence the focus will absolutely give a better strategy and outcome for the pain solving and healing. Perhaps think about HRV when you have a headache or feel particularly stressed, allow yourself to focus on coherence, not the the situation.
Blog by Holly Murray