Are you in Love?
Where do you feel love?
What is the first thing that comes to mind!
I’m guessing for most us we would say ‘I feel it in my heart’.
Many still believe of the heart as just a muscle, or just an organ.
Researchers John and Beatrice Lacey in the 1960s, changed our view of the heart and it’s components. They proved the heart is not just a mechanical pump but an organ of great intelligence, it has it’s own nervous system, it’s own decision-making powers and it connects and communicates with the brain. This impacts the way we perceive the world. This research went on to show that the heart had it’s own unique system in place which differed from the autonomic nervous system, for example the heart ‘tuned’ our senses and indirectly the muscles with a language that is transformed into nerve impulses permeating the brain.
In 1991 Dr Andrew Armour introduced the ‘heart-brain’ concept, mentioned in his book Neurocardiology (coedited with Dr Jeffrey Ardell). The heart’s complex network of neurons and neurotransmitters means that the ‘heart-brain’ acts independently of the cranial brain, it can learn, remember, sense and feel! It has a mind of its own!
I am not dismissing the role of our brain here, only accentuating the role of the heart. Giving it importance especially during Valentines Day where we spend time and effort making plans for our sweethearts, we should possibly pause, praise and pamper ourselves and send love to our own heart for always being there for us! It’s a true love affair!
Love Yourself!
I have listed 14 little reminders to help you open and appreciate your heart at all times.
. Heart Felt – feeling love, happiness, joy, fear, stress, anxiety, shock etc are all emotions and feelings that impact the heart. Are you aware of what you are going through, sometimes ‘awareness’ and ‘acceptance’ are the hardest parts. If you know what you are facing then you can take the next step to change it.
. Respect Your Heart! Your intuition can be thought of as decision making from the heart. How many times have you thought ‘I just had a feeling’ or ‘I knew I shouldn’t have…’ etc This is powerful and we shouldn’t underestimate our own intuition. Research has shown there is a strong link between Entrepreneurs and Intuition conducted by the HeartMath Institute.
. Open Your Heart! What does it truly mean? My version is knowing that you are truly loved and that you are love. I don’t mean romantic love, you don’t have to be in a relationship to feel loved.
. ‘Let no one enter your inner kingdom unless they come with love’. Ajame
So deep and so true.
. Protect Your Heart! Eat well! Quit smoking. Quit drinking. Have an active life. It’s not just about going to the gym for an hour and then spending majority of your day sitting at your desk, we need to keep moving that’s what our bodies thrive on.
. Heart Is Racing! We don’t mind it racing when we’re looking into the eyes of our sweetheart, or looking forward to spending time with our family and friends. How can we keep it from racing when we’re faced with challenges, doing a public presentation, fearing a situation etc we have to find ways to calm the heart. Breathwork! Be equipped with a few exercises up your sleeve.
. Sleeping Heart! When we sleep, we heal! We all know the facts that 8-9 hours is what we need. Do you allow yourself that? Why are you being so hard on your body, your heart beats on average 100,000 times a day! Those who don’t get enough sleep can suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease.
. Love Nature! It’s the earth, soil, trees, greenery, clean air etc that have a positive impact on our bodies. Is it any wonder that people from the city escape to the country, it reduces our cortisol (can be referred to as the stress hormone) levels, muscle tension, lowering blood pressure and heart rate.
. Love The Sea! Again it’s our longing for nature. The sea invigorates our senses. Where there is moving water there is an abundance of negative ions which help us in absorbing oxygen, increasing serotonin (uplifting our mood, happiness, memory), purifying our blood, bringing us back into balance by promoting sleep and better digestion. All helping to lower blood pressure for a happy healthy heart.
. Love Your Food! Always remember the 80/20 rule! Don’t know it then you need to read my blog ‘Keeping It Alkaline’. Keeping this rule in mind food good for the heart includes chicken livers, grilled fish (rather than frying it), steam your vegetables (see the difference in taste!), greens like seaweed (high in iodine its great on its own, or soups or or grilled), nuts, wholegrains – the aim is to reduce your cholesterol levels to have a happy heart.
. Your Happy Heart Is Your Gateway to Anti-Aging! Red coloured foods are associated with the Heart Channel, they brighten the skin, regenerate the skin cells and prevent anti-aging. Food include tomatoes, pomegranates, berries, red vegetables eg. red peppers, carrots (yes you can get red carrots, orange ones are good too), red fruit eg. watermelon, red peaches.
. Your Heart Is Your King of Emotions! Emotions are reflected on our faces. We all want to go through life with great skin, no wrinkles, no eye circles or puffiness, then look after your heart and the rest will follow.
. Sharing with you HeartMath Institute, it is an internationally recognised non-profit research and educational body dedicated to reduce stress, understand emotions, build energy and resilience for a happy life.
. Love Is All Around Me. So let the feeling grow. You know this song. When you smile, you make others smile. When you laugh, express love from the heart you soon see that everyone around you feels your vibration and wants in! You are a magnet of love.
Your Heart is extraordinary! Cherish it!
Happy Valentines!
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Authors
Kulwinder Onica
“We have forgotten how incredible our bodies are in healing themselves, our modern society has altered our breathing pattern. By making small changes we can achieve big results”. Founder of Acu-Sana. My passion on wellness and understanding the functioning of our bodies has always been part of my journey. I studied Reflexology, Acupressure and then Acupuncture (TCM and Chinese Medicinal Herbs). I qualified in a Post Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture in 2010 from The Open International University of Complimentary Medicine (OIUCM).