Reconnecting Hearts

With the new Millennium, we slowly entered the era of the heart. It’s a bit awkward, but the process is irreversible. The era of intellectual progress is making place for an era of love and unity. Our minds, our mental abilities, have gotten us to the place that we are at right now. It will be our heart that will show the way in this new time. It is therefore time that we come to know the meaning of the heart, but especially will experience.

One way to get to know your heart is through heart meditation. In meditation it is customary to focus on breathing. With heart meditation you put your focus on the heart beat. On your own unique heartbeat.

If you are trained you can always hear your own unique heartbeat but at first it requires some extra attention. Before I explain how this heart meditation is done I would like a moment to talk about the importance of your own unique heartbeat.

The heart is the first organ that is formed inside the womb. From the heart forms the rest of the body, to the rhythm of that first pulse. By listening to your own heartbeat, you put yourself back in touch with those first beginnings of you.You bring yourself back to the core of your life. It’s a reassuring sound, with a unique, calm rhythm that never ends.

The rhythm of the heart is the most important rhythm of the body.It is much slower than the head. Our head functions unconsciously at a much faster rate than the heart. Because of our focus on our heads, we tend to live at that pace. So much too hasty. In heart meditation, we listen to our heartbeat or pulse and synchronize our breath with it. By connecting to that rhythm, our heads will slow too. This gives peace and quiet.

By tuning in to our hearts, we come closer to our real self, closer to our actual natural flow. You could see your heart as your internal clock, through heart meditation we throw a glance at our inner clock, so we know what time it is within us.

You begin breathing through the heart by exhaling 6 heartbeats and inhaling 6 heartbeats. First, find a place where you get a good feel of your hearts pulse, your wrist, your neck or by putting your hand on your heart. This creates a balanced breathing. After a few times a wonderful phenomenon occurs. The rhythm of your heart starts to follow that of the respiration and comes into its own natural rhythm. The heart rate slows down and our heart begins to quiet, calm power saving. This process is called heart coherence. It is a state where your immune system, endocrine system, cardiovascular system and nervous system work together in harmony. You could say: the more coherence, the less stress.

While you’re breathing to the rhythm of your heartbeat, imagine that the breath flows in and out of your heart. Feel with every breath life coming in and with each exhale the stress leaving your body through your heart. This is heart breathing. It’s simple and relaxing.

If regularly exercise this breathing, it becomes easier to hear your own heart beat. Once a day just few minutes is enough. And if you can hear your own heartbeat, it is easier to keep you aware of your heart and what it has to say. Then you are on the way to live from your heart.