We are born as love – in our hearts and for ourselves, for each other and for this magnificent planet. Being infants, we don’t know it, we just are it. The same way we don’t know we are infinite beings because we are it. Then one day, we become aware of physical reality and being in a body and our awareness moves out into the external world to have our needs met, which as we later realise, always leaves us wanting.
The infant now a child, becomes entrained and conditioned to knowing fear, separation, judgement as it is all part of exploring this world. Internal barriers develop to protect oneself from real and perceived threat and soon become habitual ways for survival. As these habits take hold we inevitably disconnect even more from our inner intelligence and end up harming each other and ourselves. But, this learned behavior need not be lifelong as it can be changed. It’s a choice like so much else in life. A choice to live contracted or as the full expression of who you be and are, just as the quote from Nelson Mandela says,
“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, background, religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than the opposite”
To connect with our full expression requires changing and that choice often presents itself as a wake-up call. It’s all those moments when we notice what we are doing and being is not working and the journey of being who we truly are starts. This change from within, shows up in lifestyle choices like yoga, a change in career, relationships dissolve, spiritual leanings, some travel, others transform their diet and take up meditation. In short, a change in who we be happens as we move from one awareness to another, living more with integrity and coherence from within and this unification is what is referred to as heart intelligence.
According to the HeartMath Institute, who have devoted 20 plus years to this field and produced solid scientific evidence of this intelligence within, Heart Intelligence (also known as HQ or Heart IQ) is a higher level of awareness that arises when you are able to integrate your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual intelligences. So what does this actually mean in pragmatic every day terms? Quite simply, it means being more present, connected and heart-directed in every area of your life so that you can experience greater levels of performance, creativity, intuition and higher order thinking. It is worth asking what difference could this make to your life and living? Don’t try to answer this question, just let the awareness emerge.
If I think over what has influenced my journey, a Sufi teacher comes to mind and he would say “All are called, few are chosen and even fewer respond” This had me so determined to be one of those who responded as I intuitively knew that it was the only way through to the other side of what I so deeply desired yet could not name – it was to be reconnected with my heart’s intelligence. This Call to respond is the adventure of life and living and for us to remember who we really are.
What do I know about the heart’s intelligence? Sometimes it feels like sweet nothing and other times I surprise myself. This is called life becoming aware of itself, and for me, when I stay aware and consciously tapped into the current moment I find the space of absolute stillness, and in that stillness I can hear and feel a vast expanse of knowing that is beyond cognitive thinking and which presents so many possibilities. Always possibilities and never problems. Having access to this internal navigator is such a gift and one well worth seeking.
I can recommend further reading here by Gabriel Gonsalves (What is Heart Intelligence) who is an excellent HeartMath coach based in Cape Town and of course, our Beyond Thinking Program, has an entire module on this fascinating topic and how this benefits you as a leader. Here also is an excellent article covering additional topics like the field of neurocardiology which is the science behind heart intelligence: http://instituteforintuitiveintelligence.com/heart-intelligence-powerful-head
Warmest regards,
Diane
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