April 2026: Coherence and the Heart

April as the 4^th month in this year’s blogs, is a discussion of heart. At HeartMath Institute (HeartMath.org) we have learned over the last 25 years or so that there is an obvious and also a more subtle relationship between the brain and the heart and the world in front of us… Think of the brain as the hard drive, responding to what we tell it. The software is the heart that takes in perceptions, concepts, input and interprets and sends the information to the brain. This is how the body finds its way to keep us safe and for follow up on our experiences in life.

The mechanism for this relay between the brain and heart can be found in quantum physics, fancy photography, and also in biochemical reactions, autonomic nervous system responses including hormonal changes…

Our heart then is intended to be the leader of our perception and awareness as well as providing insightful strategies for wellness and safety of the body. The heart provides coherence, a vibration literally projected from heart to the environment, reminding us to follow the gut feeling, or heart felt knowing, or intuition, and for access to our higher intelligence.

Challenges occur when the brain thinks it is all about the solutions to current problems using old patterns that may have been developed with limited information. As an example related to information taught young, we learned to believe that someone other than ourselves must make all decisions, leaving us fearful sometimes about our ability to be the navigator in our own decisions. This can certainly keep us safe, but often leaves us feeling like victims to circumstances. This contributes to illness of the mind, body, emotion, spirit.

There are ways to reprogram our own brains by way of the heart. It begins with recognizing that feelings of frustration, anger, anxiety as examples, are part of patterns that may feel justified in the short run, but ultimately are not actually empowering at all.

Resetting by sitting in the emotion itself, finding its root, breathe slowly, from the belly, dropping the shoulders and diaphragm, and looking again as if it is just a trigger. Then giving the thought some love from the heart, and developing the feeling that it is no longer helpful can change its power over us.

Recognizing that spreading our loving heart coherence even for a moment, can change the trajectory of how the body responds in that defense mode again and softens the response. This heart coherence and breathing into our thoughts can be a path to whole wellness and healing.

Have a heart filled month