HeartMath®? What does Math have to do with the Heart?

These might be two words that you would not expect to see together and that certainly don't seem to relate, but when I jumped in with both feet, deciding to learn more, it made all the sense in the world.

I had first heard about HeartMath® a few years after the "HeartMath® Solution" book was published in 1999. The concept sounded interesting, but at that time like so many other people, I was focused on trying to cope with the stressful demands in my world and had very little time or energy to read and didn't think I could meditate or find the time for it. I was overworked and stressed trying to balance work as a senior executive in a large company, and raising my son with the everyday demands of life.

In 2009 and 2010, I had to face a serious health issue. I had several surgeries, and in between and during recovery, I would go back to work. I realized that I needed to make adjustments to my lifestyle. It also became very clear that the stressful job situation and busy lifestyle were not only NOT good for me, it also wasn't fulfilling the call from within to do something that had more meaning and was aligned with my higher purpose. The dreams that emerged at that time had to be put on the back burner for a later time.

In August 2016, six years later, the Universe did for me what I couldn't do myself.

After 20+ years with the same Company I was informed that due to decisions based on restructuring, my services were no longer needed. I took 6 Months to de-stress and get clear with what I wanted to do with my life. I decided that I did not want to go into the same type of toxic environment. I also knew if I was going to build something aligned with my highest self it had to be now, but I didn't have a clear vision of what that could be.

In June 2016, I was at a conference where Gregg Braden, Dr. Joe Dispenza and Bruce Lipton P.H.D. each gave presentations on how the brain functions, how to rewire your neural network, and the health benefits and effects of meditation and resulting mindfulness.

Dr Joe Dispenza explained that when we are living in the "flight or fight" nervous system, the hormones of stress are activated and we tend to try to control and predict everything in our life. We can become hyper reactive and anxious from our high stress environment , which can lead to low resilience and eventually the stage of emotional exhaustion. I learned that the stress hormone, cortisol, which is produced even during a brief emotional reaction like feeling anxious or impatient, sets in motion a cascade of over 1,400 biochemical and hormonal changes that can last up to 12 hours, causing a huge expenditure of energy eventually lowering your resilience. I knew that I was feeling burnt out, and really understood the health implications of that prolonged stress during the conference.

Dr. Joe Dispenza explained how meditation assists in getting beyond the analytical mind, and allows you to slow your brainwaves down from your conscious mind. He states that as we slow our brainwaves down from High Beta, to Low Beta, to Alpha and then Theta, we move into the subconscious center of the brain. The subconscious center is the operating system for our autonomic nervous system that controls most of our metabolic functions.

One of the things Gregg Braden talked about was HeartMath®. He presented the scientific findings from HeartMath®, the benefits of Heart Focused breathing, and how being in a state of coherence improves resilience among many other health benefits.

What HeartMath® discovered is that we can better self-regulate our emotions by learning how to self-regulate our heart rhythms. Getting in sync,which is reflected by heart rhythm coherence, powers up your ability to stay in the “now” and maintain presence or focused attention longer, bringing new perceptions and more intuitive discernment. Heart coherence synchronizes brain waves and heart rhythms.Heart rhythm coherence also enables you to self-regulate your autonomic nervous system, a goal of many yoga practices. The autonomic nervous system regulates over 90 percent of your body’s internal functions, including hormonal and immune system responses, digestion, metabolism and sleep.

The "Inner Balance" heart rhythm coherence technology provides instant feedback that shows you whether you are actually in a heart-centered and aligned state. Training yourself to get into coherence can optimize mental, emotional and physical health, our sense of meaning, our relationships—our life!

While I had time off to reflect and determine what steps I wanted to take going forward,

I decided that it was time to go down a new path aligned with my higher self and passion. This is where HeartMath came back into the picture. I knew I wanted to commit to giving back in a more personal and passionate way than I had previously. When I read HeartMath's Mission, Vision and Cause...I Knew that was it!

I love the mission and cause of the HeartMath Institute. This is directly from their website. "The HeartMath mission is to help people bring their physical, mental and emotional systems into balanced alignment with their heart’s intuitive guidance. They state that it is the path for becoming heart-empowered individuals who choose the way of love, which they demonstrate through compassionate care for the wellbeing of themselves, others and Planet Earth." That really resonated with me on all levels, but especially at a soul level.

I also can't think of a better cause than that of HeartMath. This is from their website... "The HeartMath Institute is committed to helping activate the heart of humanity. We believe that when we align and connect our hearts and minds and connect with others, we awaken the higher mental, emotional and spiritual capacities that frequently lie dormant.

HMI aspires to always conduct our operations with passion, compassion and a heartfelt desire to transform lives. This is in keeping with our desire to help usher in an era of ever-expanding heart intelligence. HeartMath’s research, training and technologies are aimed at guiding all of humanity toward realization of its full potential and to rely on the qualities of the heart in its role as caretaker of future generations and our planet."

After learning about their mission, cause and program, I decided that HeartMath represented the kind of Company and cause that I wanted to be affiliated with.

That's when I signed up to become a HeartMath Certified Trainer and Coach.

If you would like to learn more, please contact me and we can discuss what training or coaching format fits best for your particular needs.