Knowing from the heart - can we re-frame the value of the heart's benevolent qualities at a political level?

I think I wrote that already in another post. Heart chakra Anahata is a helpful metaphor for me personally, the pain in the chest I feel especially when I think that there is something more than I can comprehend in a specific moment or situation. This pain reminds me that there are other ways of knowing. Not that I know what those are, but already accepting that they exist and staying open for that possibility is helpful.

Hi Louise, I find this idea really fascinating. Do you have any shareable resources? I have only recently been exposed to the research that shows that there are many neurons around the heart and the idea of 'heart resonance' proposed by the 'Heart Math Institute'. On a course I recently went on, we did a meditation designed to invoke this feeling of heart resonance, which was extremely powerful. We then went out into nature with this feeling of 'an open heart' and it was almost overwhelming...it was as if the colours and textures had been enhanced and my 'beauty perception knob' turned right up to a level I had never experienced before. I am trying to replicate this is my everyday life and am definitely catching glimpses of beauty in places I had not found it before.

It seems to me that everyone has something that makes their 'heart sing' right? In the course, we were all asked to remember a moment in which our heart felt full of joy, and everyone's was different. While mine was the uncomplicated love I feel for my dog, someone else's was the exhilaration they get from surfing and someone else's, a single achievement they felt particularly proud of. I love the idea of harnessing these moments and reflecting the brilliance of the feeling they give you on to your everyday experience. I would love to hear your thoughts on this Louise, as I am really just starting to dip my toe into this.

Also, I listened to this podcast yesterday with Ria Baeck https://open.spotify.com/episode/3jw2aU1G3km3eUjioknwBV, that talked about (what I understood as) 'communicating from the heart' and the emergent ideas that can come out of groups dedicated to this kind of 'applied presence'. It seems very in line with some of the social technologies encouraged by AUK. Did your research move you in this direction at all?

Did your research already illuminate any ways we could to move towards a more 'openhearted' society?

Thank you so much for introducing this topic!

Dear Naomi, thank you so much for your considered response. There is so much for me to say about this, as you can probably imagine! My own work took me into direct communication with my own heart in relation to personal and external issues. I had the most transformative experiences that I endeavour to articulate in my PhD. It is soon to be published (sometime in the summer), so I can send you the link to the full text once available. Sometimes the feelings I had were like touching some kind of divine 'otherness', and other times, I felt so much sadness. Making sense of these experiences through my heart has been one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

I have looked deeply into HeartMath, and I do love their work and what they are doing. The key point I make with my own research is that if we continue to 'come at the heart' from the head (source of rational, accepted knowledge) we may just miss the point completely. The heart's wisdom stands on its own, and its something as a contemporary society, I believe we need to relearn. I did this (and am still doing this), through my personal research.

I love the idea of applied presence, and will look further into this. As you can imagine, I had to learn a completely new relationship and way of knowing through my heart, so your questions about social technologies and ways for us to move into a more 'openhearted society' are things that I am currently working on postdoctorally.

If you'd like to have a look at my latest research papers, and keep up to date with what I'm doing, I've just launched my new website - www.heartsenseresearch.co.uk. Please do have a look around - there's a quite a bit to read in relation to my work. Also, if you wanted to have a Skype conversation, that would be great. I can tell you more about my work then if you'd like.

I am also arranging a Zoom session soon for those who want to hear more about my research and how we might look at applying this work in a more social/political context.

Warmest wishes and I hope to reconnect with you soon :)

Thanks so much for this Louise. I have only had time to have a quick look in to the website but it seems 'right up my street' ...lots I can get my teeth in to and such valuable and important work. I would love to be part of that zoom call. Do you need my email address or anything to invite me? I will also greatly look forward to reading your paper when it is published.

It is interesting what you say about approaching the heart from a head space. I must admit that I have started most of my spiritual practices from a more intellectual 'research based' stand point and once I have reached a certain point, I have been able to let go of that. Almost as if my brain needed those levels of comforting complexity to work through, before having the trust to relinquish control a little...I guess I am saying is that maybe it is still a useful 'way in' for some people?

Yes, you do make a very important point Naomi. The only way through for many people is via the head space, and then beyond to the heart. It certainly was the way in for me all those years ago. Looking forward to chatting more about this. I have your form submission from my website so I'll keep you updated in relation to the lecture. Really great chatting to you like this. It's making my heart sing! :) Speak soon

Would be great to explore how this 'change of heart' leads to a different kind of economy. I can sense it, but would be good to explore with others. Are you familiar with Riane Eisler's Caring Economy?

Thanks Indra. It would certainly be great to explore this with others. I have looked at Raine Eisler's page - very inspiring, but only one reference to the heart. I have been pondering on your words, 'change of heart'. For me, I strongly sense that we need a change of mind for the sake of our hearts. This entails a subtle shift of awareness to open to the heart's language (which is currently only seen as sentimental and offering little value at the political level). Would love to talk further about this.

Yes. The urgent bit that I see is creating a bridge between those who understand it as you / we do, and those that don't. What do the latter have a listening for? Rather than invite them into our conversation (why would they attend?) what is a conversation we would all find ourselves in?

Yes, very astute. It's definitely about tuning in to the language that others might use. In relation to a conversation that we would all find ourselves in, Coronavirus is something that is affecting us all. Similarly, our shared future on a planet in crisis involves us all. The bridging language in these times is extremely important, although I do see signs of this happening with emerging acts of kindness and compassion. Perhaps it is about us being seen to actively place value on these things and demonstrate why this is important to the overarching situation within which we all find ourselves?