The Brain In Your Heart

"I trust so much in the power of the heart and the soul; I know that the answer to what we need to do next is in our own hearts. All we have to do is listen, then take that one step further and trust what we hear. We will be taught what we need to learn."
--Melody Beattie

My friends and colleagues who have stayed in touch over the years know that I often "follow my nose" which is my quirky way of saying that I am always studying something new that magically shows up in my life and speaks to my heart and soul.

A few years ago, I began immersing myself in learning about the "intelligence of the heart". What a fabulous journey this has turned out to be. There is so much to say about it that it may take me several articles. Here are a few interesting facts I have learned about the heart:

We now have scientific evidence about the heart that is surprising, yet rings true. How often we hear descriptive language that indicate that the heart is not just a pump moving blood through the body.

This is true across many cultures. The heart is in constant communication with the brain and it is not just a receiver of messages from the brain. The heart has a brain of its own, which sends messages out. In the heart there is an organizing and central intelligence.

Unlike the brain in our heads, the brain in our hearts is "a high speed, intuitive source of wisdom and clear perceptions". It combines mental and emotional intelligence. I like to think of it this way:

The brain in our heads is "the brain in a box". It looks for patterns and it catalogs information to help us learn "the right way" to do things, to stay safe, to understand the way to "fit in" in a complex world.

Ah, but the brain in our hearts thinks outside the box. It can rise above chaos and look for new and different solutions. With heart intelligence, we access deep inner wisdom, balancing thoughts and emotions.

That's a mini description, I know. I hope it sparks your excitement like it did mine. The best part is, that just about anyone can learn to make these tools work for them in a relatively short amount of time. And, the more we practice them, the more heart intelligence becomes our default mode.

The HeartMath techniques and technology are being used in schools, clinics and hospitals across the country to teach people to reduce stress, fatigue, hypertension, and sleep problems as well as improving "emotional fitness". The research has led to the development of some fabulous programs that I am now teaching to my clients 1 to 1, in the office and over the phone with outstanding results.

To get started, I recommend two books: "The Heartmath Solution" and "Transforming Anxiety".The tools in these books can be learned on your own, and there is also software available, but working with a skilled practitioner can be the key to really making these tools a part of your life.