The HeartMath Institute has been researching the interconnections between the heart, brain, and nervous system for decades. Their findings suggest that the heart has a cluster of approximately 40,000 neurons that form a “source of intelligence” that plays a significant role in our emotional and cognitive processes.
Key findings from the HeartMath Institute’s research on heart intelligence are:
Heart-Brain Communication: The heart and brain communicate with each other continuously in a dynamic, interactive system. This is not just a one-way communication from the brain to the heart, but also from the heart to the brain.
Heart’s Electromagnetic Field: The heart generates a powerful electromagnetic field, which is about 60 times greater in amplitude than the electrical activity generated by the brain. This field can be detected up to 6 feet away from the body and can influence people’s brains and bodies, especially when they are in close proximity.
Heart Rhythms and Emotions: Emotional states can be detected in heart rhythms. Positive emotions like love or gratitude lead to a smooth, harmonious pattern, whereas negative emotions lead to erratic patterns. These patterns can influence the brain’s ability to process information, make decisions, and react.
Intuition and the Heart: The heart plays a role in processing and decoding intuitive information. One of HeartMath’s studies showed that both the heart and brain received and responded to information about a future event before the event actually happened.
Coherence: One of the most important findings from HeartMath is the coherence state, in which the heart, mind, and emotions are aligned and in sync. This state is associated with improved cognitive function, self-regulation, and overall well-being.
Heart Rate Variability (HRV): HRV refers to the beat-to-beat changes in heart rate. It is an important measure of the interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. HRV is seen as a measure of stress resilience and adaptability. HeartMath emphasizes its importance in understanding emotional regulation and overall health.