Strong Heart, Clear Mind

“The mind becomes still when the heart becomes strong.” Michael Singer

We often work with our more mature resourced adult self reaching out and connecting with the younger, vulnerable parts of ourselves. Our adult self can tolerate being temporarily ignored but it sometimes causes an emotional flashback to that experience as a child when it felt overwhelming. We reach out to our younger self and we have the felt experience of not being alone in this devastating experience. We come back into regulation.

Just like an actual child, our younger self might not trust that we care and will be loving and gentle. We sit quietly with our heart open, we reach out over and over again, and gradually they relax and allow us to connect and comfort them.

“If the witness is able to come into this sensitive heart and just be there, it doesn't have to do anything. It just has to be willing to bring consciousness to bear and notice that the heart is this sensitive.

Just the presence of consciousness is a healing force.” Michael Singer

It doesn’t work to protect ourselves by armoring up and closing our heart. By being present with and witnessing our heart, we develop strength and steadiness. We feel our emotions and they move through. We’re no longer scared of the contents of our heart and emotion.

How do we assess if we are safe or in danger? Open your eyes and look around the room. Sense. Listen. Are you in immediate danger?

Our senses bring in information and this combines with our history and the negativity bias of the mind. We are particularly susceptible to believing frightening visual images as they also create an alarm in our body - we hold our breath, our shoulders tighten up, we prepare for fight or flight. 

When we see violence and trauma on screen, whether it’s the news or a movie, our conscious mind knows it is happening somewhere else. Our body doesn’t! Our nervous system tries to protect us. Over time, this chronic activation creates a heightened vigilance and we feel stressed.

We look around the room we’re in and notice there are doors. How many associations do you have with a door, and how many relate to this moment?

A strong door keeps us safe because it keeps people out. The same door might be used to lock us in and prevent us from leaving. In horror movies when the character makes it into the house and locks the door, we feel the relief of escaping danger. Then we hear a sound and realize the danger is inside the house with us!

This manipulation of our nervous system can be compelling and keep us on red alert. Images from movies become part of the evidence our brain uses to assess safety. It has nothing to do with our real life and our level of safety in the present moment.

Somatic mindfulness of body, breath and thoughts can help bring us back to reality in our real life in the present moment.

Rest with consciousness in your heart. Stay present and see if you can allow emotions to come and go.

“Emotions are the heart releasing energy. Stay with the heart. Don't go with the smoke.” Michael Singer

The journey to knowing the energy of our heart is both simple and complex. If you would like company on the journey, join us this week for our Sunday free community class. We inquire and share. Details here.