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Smart
Heart By Victoria A. Vetere, Ph.D., H.C.
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We
most commonly consider the heart as the realm of physicians, priests or
poets. However despite all that has ever been discovered about the
heart, do we really understand this central sacred part of us? Physically
speaking, the heart is a truly unique and amazing organ with its own
intelligence. In Angeles
Arrien’s classic work on native cultures, The
Four-Fold Way, it is
written: The
heart is a leisurely muscle. It
differs from all other muscles. How
many push-ups can you make before the muscles in your arms and stomach
get so tired that you have to stop?
But your heart muscle goes on working for as long as you live.
It does not get tired, because there is a phase of rest built
into every single heartbeat. Our
physical heart works leisurely. And
when we speak of the heart in a wider sense, the idea that life-giving
leisure lies at the very center is implied.
Never to lose sight of that central place of leisure in our life
would keep us youthful. Seen
in this light, leisure is not a privilege but a virtue. Leisure is not
the privilege of a few who can afford to take time, but the virtue of
all who are willing to give time to what takes time—to give as much
time as a task rightly takes.
~ Brother David Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness,
the Heart of Prayer In
The Four-Fold Way, Arrien
further explains that many native cultures describe “the
four-chambered heart” as one that is full, open, clear and strong.
Are we full-hearted, open-hearted, clear-hearted, and
strong-hearted? Or are we
half-hearted, closed-hearted, confused and carrying a doubting heart, or
weak-hearted and inauthentic? Moving
now to modern culture we see a continuing fascination with the role of
the heart. The Institute of
Heart Math, founded in 1991 just south of San Francisco is formed on the
basis of understanding if and how we can create love.
Pretty heady (or should I say “hearty”) stuff!
Over the past decade and a half, HeartMath has generated a large
body of convincing scientific evidence proving that it is indeed
possible to create love. It
has also been shown that emotions work much faster and are much more
powerful, than thoughts. And
furthermore, that the heart is much more important than the brain to
overall health and well-being. HeartMath’s
research team has discovered that certain patterns in the heart rhythm
correspond to particular emotional states.
When people experience love, they not only feel happy and joyful,
but they also produce more of the anti-aging hormone DHEA, which gives
feelings of youthful vitality. In
addition, production of damaging stress hormones (including cortisol) is
reduced, as well as improved cholesterol metabolism, improved immune
function and blood pressure stabilization.
HeartMath concludes that love is both an emotional and a physical
state, that positive feelings like love generate health. There
is even more good news about the power of the heart.
Studies show that the electromagnetic field of the heart (which
is created by the heart’s electrical system) can be measured from
between two and three metres from the body.
HeartMath has discovered that if someone has a coherent heart
rhythm (reflective of positive emotions) it has a demonstrably positive
effect on other people in close proximity.
And the reverse is also true.
This is a far-reaching finding (literally!)
This proves that the health of our environment starts with us.
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Why? Because, you are
the change you wish to see in the world! So
is your heart smart? Indeed
it is wise beyond our knowing. I
invite you to seriously consider what you have read here and to decide
how you will empower yourself and change your world, your physical
health, your emotional happiness and your global peace. John
Lennon was right—All you need is
love. Victoria
A. Vetere, PhD, HC is an Enlightened Life Coach offering individual
sessions, workshops, groups and special events based upon the powerful
Law of Attraction! For more
info, visit her website: www.EnlightenedLifeCoaching.com or call her
Grandview office at 614/486-7010. Why
wait any longer to live the life you dream of?
You truly can Be, Do and Have anything!
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