You may have heard the saying, “follow your heart, not your brain.” What if I were to tell you that there is actual scientific evidence to validate this old adage. Research in the new discipline of neurocardiology shows that the heart is much more than a muscle that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body.
It is in fact, a sensory organ with its own nervous system, or ‘heart brain’, which “enables it to learn, remember and make functional decisions independent of the brain’s cerebral cortex. Moreover, numerous experiments have demonstrated that the signals the heart continuously sends to the brain influence the function of higher brain centers involved in perception, cognition, and emotional processing.”**
Mind-blowing, right?! 😉
According to the HeartMath Institute, the heart generates the body’s most powerful and extensive rhythmic electromagnetic field. The electrical component of this rhythmic field permeates every one of the trillions of cells within the body, while the magnetic element can be measured by magnetometers several feet away from the body.
The research also shows that when we experience sustained positive emotions we also experience a body-wide shift toward a state of optimal physiological and psychological functioning… basically, the body and the mind perform better and we feel better.
Furthermore, when we experience this ideal state of psychophysiological coherence, also sometimes called heart coherence, we can powerfully broadcast our positive emotions via the electromagnetic field of the heart. Now you know exactly why you can feel the “good vibes” coming from someone (as well as “bad vibes!)
So why not harness the power of the heart to create coherence not only on an individual level but on global scale?! That’s exactly what the Global Coherence Initiative is about. Check out this brief inspiring video: The Power of Your Heart for Peace.
In this day and age, we’re always looking for proof. So here’s proof that each one of us can make a difference, simply by following our hearts.
** “The Resonant Heart”, Rollin McCraty, PhD, HeartMath Institute
Image Credit to Jude Beck on Unsplash