The October Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group's speaker was Diana Tice, a Licensed HeartMath Provider. What is HearthMath, you ask? In essence, HearthMath is a stress-relieving program where we can learn to relieve stress as we are experiencing it - to relieve stress in mid-stress! What a concept!
Knowing that our bodies are chronically stressed just by being chronically ill, and knowing that any emotional stress that comes tripping our way, great or small, can have a huge impact on our pain, this concept of HeartMath was a no-brainer to find out more!
HeartMath is an entire program consisting of a 5 week learning program which combines instruction from a Licensed Instructor like Diana right here in the area, or video program available on-line, quizes, worksheets and the award-winning emWave Technology.
Diana was able to give us only a brief "taste" of this amazing program, showing us a few of the tools and techniques to see what HeartMath is all about. She began by passing around handouts, the first of which described HeartMath as "the only scientifically-validated system of stress intervention techniques, and objective biofeedback that quantifialby- and dramatically - boosts the health and performance of individuals and organizations." In a nut shell, this program has been scientifically proven to help relieve stress, and by using their emWave devise or software it can display instant biofeedback and show you right away how much your stress factor has lowered as a result of the program.
Christine Northrup, author of Women's Bodies,Women's Wisdom, states, "HearthMath is the owner's manual we've been waiting for to help us recognize and use our heart's energy to help heal our bodies and our lives."
HeathMath's easy-to-learn, easy-to-use tools include techniques such as Neutral, Quick Coherence, Heart Lock-IN, Freeze Frame, Attitude Breathing, Authentic Communicating, Heart Mapping and In-Betweens.
She shared with us the "Neutral" tool to first. She asked us to breathe - long, slow, easy breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. THEN, visualize that belly breath flowing through your heart - in and out. In through the front of your chest, front of your heart, and out through the back - slowly, deeply. Breath in through your heart and out through your back. We did this for several minutes. I must say it was very relaxing and soothing. This can be done anywhere, anytime. In traffic, in the grocery store, waiting for kids to get ready for school, waiting for someone who's late, when frustrated with bills, or people, or things or time constraints or anything, anytime, anywhere. This is called the "Neutral" tool, bringing one to a neutral position in your thinking. This is key.
In my book Fibromyalgia Basics, page 108, I quote Drs. William and Carey of the University of Michigan HealthSystem in 2003. Here it is again. "Pain is associated with negative emotions such as sadness, frustration and irritability. When people are in pain and also have these emotions, the pain becomes worse. That is because these emotions are processed in the same side of the brain, as pain. Research has shown that pain decreases when people experience more positive emotions."
So the idea here is to switch from one side of the brain to the other - via emotions of compassion, gratefulness, love, etc. - in order to help ease pain, become more balanced, calm and stress-free.
Researcher, author and founder of the Heart Math Institute, Doc Childre "discovered that a positive attitude brings stress-relief only temporarily, but by engaging the heart, positive feelings can create stress relief that not only lasts, but actually reverses the physical damages of stress." He says that when people consciously shift to appreciation, gratitude, compassion, a feeling of love for another, a pet, God's natural world, etc, there is a measurable, scientifically proveable, cascade of neural, hormonal and biochemical events that benefit the entire body! Blood pressure normalizes, stress hormones plummet, the immune system is boosted, anti-aging hormones increase and we regain clarity, calmness and control. All this is physiological, immediate, and can be measured! *
This action turns out to be another tool. Engaging the heart with a deep emotion in this fashion, while practicing the "Normal" tool of "breathing through the heart" is the next tool called "Quick Coherence."
In fact, one member of our group gave an example where she could actually see the heart monitor change when she went to visit a friend in the hospital. Her friend was noticeably worried and upset about her condition, laying in the hospital bed hooked up to machines and IV's. When our member walked in, she began fretting and venting telling her how bad she felt and scared she was. But when she was asked about her cat, Lily, and they began talking about her, the heart monitor (her heart reading) instantly began to calm down and become much more even and steady. This is instant stress-relief!
A test had been done by the HeartMath Group measuring stress levels and the immune system. They took a swab of the inside of the mouths of group of people experiencing stress. After applying the HeartMath techniques including a video of Mother Theresa, another swab was done. Without question, their immuglobulin was UP, showing greater immune support, than when first taken.
The last tool Diana showed us was the "In-Betweens." This uses the first two tools, on purpose, on a steady, regular basis throughout the day, in between other activities - when waiting for the water to boil on the stove; when waiting on hold on the telephone; when waiting for someone to make up their mind; etc. In other words, the In-Betweens talks about deliberately utilizing your heart to create a loving moment, regularly throughout the day. "When you send loving feelings to another, or the planet, or self, you are acivating hormones and neurotransmitters that benefit and re-vitalize your personal system.This tool also helps clear out much of the 'under-chatter' that mechanically happens to all of us." ** This is like the monkey mind that has us repeating and re-living the what-if's and if-only's - a viscious circle that gets us nowhere but a ride down the stress chute! Imagine...deliberately sending out love from your heart 2 or 3 minutes, several times a day or more...this concept could literally change the world.
In the words of the Institute of Heart Math, "A change of heart is key to transforming the effects of stress."
At the end of her talk, Diana read several inspiring quotations from three books. Then using the special emWave technologyn on her computer she asked for volunteers to come and see their heart rate change as they changed the picture on the screen! This was truly awesome. All we had to do was slip our finger into the digital pulse reader and watch a black and white screen on her monitor as it began to glow with color as we thought loving thoughts! Amazing! Then we could read the heart monitor as to what happened. It is quite an experience. We could actually see the change in heart rate as we thought loving thoughts.
It was a very enlightening evening and we thank Diana for her time and generous sharing.
*Granger Gazette, March 2009
**Handout printed for us by Diana. www.heartmath.org (For providers -online)
Contact Information:
Diana Tice
Licensed HeartMath Provider at Expanding Horizons
phone: 574-293-2713
cell: 574-370-4917
e-mail: DTPoet@aol.com
Also please check out www.HeathMath.com
If you have read my book, Fibromyalgia Basics, would you be so kind as to take a moment to visit www.Amazon.com and write a sentence or two under "Customer Reviews" telling how you liked it or how it helped you. More and more Librarians are using Amazon's reviews to get a "bead on" new books to order for their library. The more reviews the better! Thanks so very much!
Pati's November Events:
Nov 3rd - Blogtalkradio Show, Interview 12 - 1 pm. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/elisabeth-oas/ Topic: Managing Fibrimyalga naturally, including diet. The show is set up to call in or e-mail questions.
Nov 8th - Fibromyalgia Support Group, 6:00 pm. Mishawaka Library, 209 Lincoln Way East, Mishawaka
Nov 12th - Sufficient Grounds Coffee House, 1-3 pm. Booksigning and Q & A, 711 West McKinley, (opposite Town & Country), Mishawaka.
Nov. 15th - "Networking and All That Jazz Expo" 11-7pm. Business, Health and Networking Expo. I'll be exhibiting with the Talent For Giving local author's group. 52890 S.R. 933, South Bend, IN (Roseland). www.networkingandallthatjazzexpo.com
Nov. 19 - Fall Author Fair, Main Library in Fort Wayne, IN. 12 - 4 pm. Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, Fort Wayne, IN
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