Researchers have discovered that the heart contains cellular structures similar to those in the brain. This has lead them to look into the heart’s role in your neurology. They have done studies to show how you can focus your thoughts and feelings through your heart to reduce stress and your blood pressure. Here is a simple technique to use your heart to control your mind and emotions.
Stimulate Your Heart and Calm Your Body
When you focus positive thoughts through your heart, you set up a reaction whereby your heart sends out positive energy to the rest of your body. This energy reduces stress, decreases your blood pressure and sends out a sense of calm to the rest of your body. The HeartMath Institute has developed a very simple technique to test this reaction yourself.
- Find a quiet place in which to sit and practice this technique.
- Take a few deep breaths and begin to relax.
- Focus on your heart and imagine your breath going into and coming out of your heart.
- Continue this heart breathing for a few moments.
- Now visualize someone you love or admire.
- Place a picture of this person in your heart.
- With this picture of them in your heart, continue focusing on your heart and breathing.
- Now feel what it is like to love, respect and care for this person.
- Place those feelings in your heart with the picture and continue breathing.
- Now send that person, and yourself, those feelings that you have in your heart. With each exhale, see this positive, loving energy going out to the person and all cells of your body from your heart.
- Continue with this exercise as long as you feel a positive response from your heart.
Integrating This Into Everyday Life
Once you’ve done this exercise a few times in a quiet place, try it while stuck in traffic, while waiting to go into a stressful meeting, or any time you feel anxious. You’ll find that you have a calmer energy to work with as you face your challenges. Do this as part of a morning meditation before you start your day and you’ll have more a more peaceful energy to put into all of your activities.