Heart-brain coherence

Heart Coherence^TM

According to the HeartMath Institute, “Heart Coherence is a state of cooperative alignment between the heart, mind, emotions and physical systems.”

In the 1990’s, the HeartMath Institute, founded in 1991 by Doc Childre, started to do research about the connection between the heart, the brain, and emotions. For this they used various tools from neuroscience, biofeedback and psychophysiology. They discovered two fundamental things – that the heart generates a powerful electromagnetic field (much stronger than the one the brain generates); and that our emotional states are related with specific heart rhythms (in short, negative feelings are related to erratic heart rhythm patterns and positive feelings to smooth, ordered rhythm patterns, known as coherent heart rhythms). As the research extended, numerous applications and benefits of heart coherence were discovered: like a reduction in stress, a clearer mind, a positive effect on the immune system, a decrease in blood pressure in patients with hypertension, an improved attention in school children, etc.

Personal, Social and Global Coherence

When we learn to coordinate our breath rhythm with a positive feeling in our heart, especially gratitute, appreciation or compassion, we are in a state of personal coherence. In this state, we harmonize the frequency of our heart with that of our brain, which results in reduced stress, clearer choices and sustained resilience. Moreover, this state of coherence influences the whole functioning of our body by creating a series of neurological and biochemical processes beneficial to our whole body and which allow it to work in a more harmonious way.

This state of flow is transmited by our electromagnetic field to those that surround us (family, collegues, friends), facilitating Social Coherence^TM, which allows for more harmonious relationships and communication between groups of people.

As personal and social coherence are practiced, this state of flow can expand to communities and globally, achieving Global Coherence^TM. This in turn creates a more compassionate world and is a path for uplifting global consciousness.

In addition to the vast work on research, the HeartMath Institute has been creating many ways (devices, tools, programs, etc) to increase, facilitate and extend these practices, in order to create a kinder, more cooperative and heart-centered world.

Practicing Heart-Brain Coherence

The practice of Heart-Brain Coherence is a very simple one and it only requires a few minutes, ideally several times a day, or, at least, when you are feeling stress or negative feelings, like anger, irritation, disappointment, etc.

The Basic Technique (Quick Coherence® from HeartMath) 

This is the simplest and fastest technique you can use to achieve heart coherence:

First, do a heart-focused breathing
Shift your attention to the area around your heart.
Slowly breathe in for about 5 seconds, and out for 5 seconds.
Let your breathing be gentle and even—as if you’re breathing through your heart.

Then, activate a positive emotion
Try to re-experience a feeling like appreciation, gratitude, compassion, or care.
Think of someone you love or you deeply care about, a peaceful place you cherish, or a moment that brought you joy.
Really feel it—not just think about it.

Finally, sustain that feeling
Continue breathing and focusing on that positive emotional state for a few minutes.

Doing this practice 2–3 times a day (for 3–5 minutes, or even for one minute, if you can’t spend more time) builds emotional resilience and can recalibrate your stress responses.

You can learn a lot more about Heart-brain coherence, get some specific tools to facilitate your practice, or engage in a Global Coherence project by visiting the HeartMath Institute here