The Infinite Heart
"Love is a living, breathing thing."
Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhist Monk
We are all woven together, sharing this incredibly complex and beautiful ecosystem. When one is hurting, we are all hurting. Now, more than ever, we must lean into love. Grounding in the present moment is the first place to start. Slowing down the breath activates the vagus nerve which is the boss of our sense of safety, including our heart rate! More good news, research demonstrates that with awareness and breath we can activate neural pathways to the powerful and infinite heart.
Our heart is fierce and accepting, it can turn towards our experience, whatever it may be, with unconditional love. It is capable of holding the light and the dark, the pain and the joy. Yet we must remember, the heart is a muscle. Rumi reminds us, "Love is a living, breathing thing." We need to water it, nurture it, and tend to it. It is paramount we exercise this muscle.
Why carve out the time? Well what we know about our brain is that it scans for the negative. We are wired to focus on and fight real or perceived threats. This design once kept us safe, now it spins us out. This stress response often leads to unhealthy coping strategies such as overusing social media, alcohol, or comfort food. It can also cause defensive areas of the brain to rear their head such as the comparing mind, pervasive worry about the future, or rumination on tasks as a means to gain control. These are all normal responses (you are not alone!) yet very unhelpful. Given this, we need to intentionally scan for beauty, scan for love, scan for any moment of preciousness. Relish your coffee, feel the sun on your face, dance freely to beautiful music. When our heart is awake and strong we build resilience, emotional stability, and harmony from the inside out. As Nelson Mandela beautifully says, “Love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” We just need to consistently awaken this precious light inside each and every one of us.
How do I do this? The HeartMath Institute is a leading researcher of the head-heart connection. They have discovered that communication between the heart and brain is a two way street, and apparently the heart has a lot to say! For centuries spiritual leaders and traditions have spoken to the wisdom of the heart, research is proving this. We just need the thinking mind to get out of the way and start listening!
The first step is to tune into your breath, and direct that breath into your heart. This engages the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for slowing us down (a.k.a turn down the volume of mental chatter). The second step is to tune in and connect to the heart: notice your heart beat, soften the shoulders and chest, bring awareness to this pumping life force in your chest. From here, your practice is guided by listening. Tune into the wisdom of your heart. It actually has something to say. Walt Disney captured this in The Land Before Time, “Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely.”
Love is a connecting force. As you actively work the muscle of your heart - and dig into fierce compassion - it supports a sense of interconnection with all beings. Trust that you impact the whole with transmission of a loving heart. This takes active practice and expands our capacity to tolerate this difficult time.
Learn more and practice with the online Head & Heart community HERE. Sending you love and light.
With Compassion,
Ellen Slater, LICSW, RYT
Founder