Heart-Brain Coherence

Do you know that many mental illnesses are because the heart and brain are not harmoniously working as one? The heart has about 40,000 neurons that communicate with the brain. It instructs the brain to manufacture the neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, etc. The heart thinks objectively while the brain thinks subjectively. (brain acts from memory) The heart is holistic (vertical) while the brain is focused (horizontal). In mathematical terms, the heart is integration whereas the brain is differentiation.

The heart has an electromagnetic field that is 5000 times stronger than that of the brain. What electricity is to the brain, magnetism is to the heart. Although most of the emotions happen in the brain, the heart is responsible for feeling it.

The time between one heartbeat and the next is called the heart variability rate (HVR). When we were kids, our HVR was very much at its peak. Hence, we were more resilient in times of change. With the onset of age, the HVR remains constant making us more rigid. The heart communicates with the brain at 0.1 Hertz. This incidentally is also the magnetic field of our Earth’s core.

If you want to increase your Heart-Brain coherence, do the following:

Move your awareness to the heart. Don’t think.
Place your thumb on the heart chakra and the remaining fingers on your heart. You will feel a tingling sensation.
Now inhale (count of 4) – Hold your breath – Exhale (count of 6) – at least 5 times or more.

Note: Your exhalation has to be 1.5 times your inhalation. (exhalation triggers a relaxation response attributed to the parasympathetic nervous system).