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The Inner Voice
A weekly newsletter from Debbie Jensen-Grubb, RYT500
October 14, 2013 - Issue 52
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Quick Links
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This weeks reading can be seen here at The Daily OM
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To access past issues click here:
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We live in a field of quantum physics, an energetic matrix that is the connecting force that binds us together as human spirits. It is within this energetic field (also known as the electromagnetic field) that our heart flexes its intelligence.
Did you know that our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions emit energetic fields? It is through these avenues that we can change our environments energetically. Our ability to live from the heart and coordinate our emotions is a key component to better living. It enables us to adapt more easily to the challenging curvatures that invariable shape our journey through life. It is when our energy is mingled with the energetic field, along with other's energy, that we create our reality.
At the Institute of HeartMath they have done numerous studies on the heart's invisible field of energy to try to understand better its undeniable effect on our world. The energetic
signature we emit to the universe is composed of an energy so refined as to be undetectable to our senses, but it is the transformative rocket fuel that feeds our progression to our most desired life. They call it 'coherence': a highly efficient state in which all the body's systems work together in harmony. (see the video below in Ponderings)
This field of study is called neurocardiology and it holds much promise in understanding the hearts multifaceted role in the human system. One that shows that the heart even has its own brain.
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| Joke of the Week - hee hee | |
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| Mantra |
A mantra is a sound or phrase that aids in the concentration of meditation. It is a Sanskrit term and literally means 'instrument of thought'. Here you will find a suggested mantra to use during the week (from Louise Hay's 'Heal Your Body'). Just repeat it whenever you need a lift.
I bring joy to the center of my heart and express love to all. |
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Yoga Heart Openers
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 Without fully realizing it many of us compress the heart and lung area by slumping through our lives with rounded shoulders and sunken chests. When we do try to lift our hearts we do so by compromising our back muscles and spine because everything is so bound together! Luckily we have many options in yoga to stretch these muscles, release the tension, and begin to gain mobility in our ribcage once again!
Backbends are often thought of as the heart openers of yoga, and certainly they are! But we also have other tools in yoga to expand and open the ribs by using the breath, the arms, scapula, and the many muscles that travel through the upper torso.
You must expand both the front and back of the ribcage, you can do this by lifting the front of the armpits, moving the shoulder blades apart and down your back, allowing your waist to drop back as you drop the tailbone towards the floor, and holding a full breath for 4, 6, or 8 counts.
Start the practice now by just lifting your chest as you smile, you will begin to feel the change happening immediately! As soon as you do this little bit, positive thoughts will also begin to enter your mind, and you will feel empowered to face challenges in your life. It can really be just that simple some times.
It's up to you to set into motion these affirmative actions and begin to enhance the force-field of your heart! You can do it! Let's get crackin'...click on the video in the corner above to join in!
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Nutrition Prescription - Oatmeal
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At this time of the year my mind begins contemplating warm, comforting foods that just fit the bill for these cold, rainy days! One such food is oatmeal! The good news is this rib-sticking grain has many good benefits!
By having oatmeal as part of your regular diet, especially in the winter when there are less fresh seasonal foods available, you can do much to keep yourself on track with your health goals.
Oats are the only cereal that contain a legume-like protein, avenalin, (instead of a gluten-like protein like most typical cereals) which is nearly equivalent to proteins such as meat, milk, soy, and eggs. The oat kernel ranges from 12 - 24% protein, the highest among cereals!
Because of its soluble and insoluble fiber, eating oatmeal is beneficial for those coping with intestinal irregularities. It aids in the absorption of fluids and the release of waste. By doing so it also helps to stabilize blood sugars which aids diabetics. It has beta-glucan that boosts the body immune system and is rich in antioxidants, perfect for this time of year!
This delightful grain is so useful and adaptable that it can be used for a multitude of things! It can be used to ease itchy skin, for facials, to absorb odors, relieve acne, thicken soups and stews, and even help keep the kids busy for hours by turning it into a natural Play-Doh type mixture!
The reason I wrote about oatmeal, though, is because it is so good for the heart. It is the beta-glucan that is responsible for oats lowering our cholesterol. Studies show that in individuals with high cholesterol (above 220 mg/dl), consuming just 3 grams of soluble oat fiber per day (an amount found in one bowl of oatmeal) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%. Another way oats do this is because of their high fiber content which helps to remove cholesterol from the digestive system that would otherwise end up in the bloodstream.
Now, they may have another cardio-protective mechanism too! They are finding that the antioxidant compounds unique to oats, called avenanthramides, help prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, per a study conducted at Tufts University and published in The Journal of Nutrition.
There are so many delightful ways to eat oatmeal too! You can add them to cookies to make them more healthful, put them in meatloaf for binding, or cook them up with some fruit. Check out these 30 heart-healthy oatmeal recipes to get you going and then have a great day!
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Ponderings - Heart: The Second Brain
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Our cardiac brain is the one that is wise in our relationships...that is if we listen to it. It helps us recognize what we love and what nurtures us. Life begins when it starts beating (at 21 days after conception) and ends when it stops, which is why it is one of the most important organs of the body!
The heart wears many hats in the function of the body:
- it is part of the endocrine system, sending hormones to the pituitary gland in the brain to release oxytocin (the bonding hormone) increasing the feeling of well-being in a person
- it is part of the circulatory system, concerned with fluid dynamics by regulating blood flow
- it is a muscle whose strength and health can modulate the rhythms of the whole body, speeding up or slowing down depending on our emotions or exertion
- it is a brain, it has sensory and motor pathways to collect data and interneurons for information processing and communication
The heart's ability to express compassion and exhibit relational intelligence may be a function of its structure: the intrinsic nervous system of the heart is composed of Purkinje fibers and unique cardiac muscle. It is the Purkinje fibers, specialized smooth-muscle cells that conduct impulses five times more rapidly than surrounding cells, that make this heart-brain different. It also contains its own electrical system that regulates itself to keep the heart pumping.
That is not to say that the heart doesn't have neurons (only 40,0000) just not as many as the gut- and mind-brains. Neurons are like computer chips that hold information and memories for the organ; they are designed to last a lifetime and never divide or die off, as a result knowledge can be downloaded and kept for a long time. One example is the stories of the many recipients of heart transplants suddenly acquiring the tastes, interests, and memories of their donors.
Scientists have discovered neural pathways and mechanisms that move from the heart to the brain which can depress or assist the brain's electrical activity. This shows that the heart not only sends signals to the brain that are understood by it, but that they are also obeyed. In fact more signals are sent from the heart to the brain than the other way around.
*During stress and negative emotions, when the heart rhythm pattern is erratic and disordered, the corresponding pattern of neural signals traveling from the heart to the brain inhibits higher cognitive functions. This limits our ability to think clearly, remember, learn, reason, and make effective decisions. (This helps explain why we may often act impulsively and unwisely when we're under stress.)
In contrast, the more ordered and stable pattern of the heart's input to the brain during positive emotional states has the opposite effect - it facilitates cognitive function and reinforces positive feelings and emotional stability. This means that learning to generate increased heart rhythm coherence, by sustaining positive emotions, not only benefits the entire body, but also profoundly affects how we perceive, think, feel, and perform.* 1
 The heart communicates with every cell in the body, with other organs, and externally by generating an electro-magnetic field. Each persons heart emits a code unique to them and can interpret the fields generated by other peoples hearts. Heart-to-heart communication is wisdom and information transmitted through the energy field to the knowing capacity of the heart.
It is also coupled with a field of information not bound by the normal limits of time and space. Studies conducted concur in the theory that the 'energetic heart' communi-cates with a steady stream of intuitive information that is not bound by time or space which many call the 'higher power' or 'universal source'.
Historically, in almost every culture of the world, the heart was ascribed a far more multifaceted role in the human system, being regarded as a source of wisdom, spiritual insight, thought, and emotion. Perhaps now with all of the studies being done, and by gaining a deeper understanding of the sea of energy we live in, our current culture will also begin to realize the power, intellect, capabilities, and far-reaching influence our hearts truly possess.
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Clear, easy-to-understand, 10 minute video
on the mechanics of the heart
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The Heart's Intuitive Intelligence
by HeartMath
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The heart center reminds us that life's journey is about love, fun, caring, and connection with others. Maintaining positive thoughts does change the energy within the body and outwards. To have everyone use this information to begin to create a new way of being, achieve the life that you want, and to work with the coherence of the world to bring peace to our planet is my hope and dream. By working together we can all share the benefits that will come when we live from our hearts.
Thank you!
Hugs and Namaste,
Debbie
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Please join me in my next TWO workshops...
 Yoga Nidra
November 3, 2013
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. |
Yoga for the Upper Torso
 October 26, 2013 |
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