A Change of Heart
By Carla Medlenka
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A BRIEF HISTORY OF
HUMAN ENERGY
Over 5,000 years ago, ancient spiritual traditions of India spoke of a universal energy called Prana. This universal energy was believed to be the source of all life.
About 3,000 years ago, ancient Qigong masters in China were practicing their meditative discipline to balance and invigorate the human energy field. They called this vital energy that pervades all forms, Qi.
The Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical teachings written about 538 B.C., calls these energies Astral Light. Later on, Christian paintings and sculptures show a halo around the head of Christ and other spiritual leaders. Similarly, we see this halo on statues and paintings of Buddha, and also see energy or light coming from the figures of many of the gods of India. In fact, there are references made to the phenomenon of the human energy field (HEF) or the aura of the body, in 97 different cultures, according to John White in his book, Future Science.
The history of medicine similarly reflects a fascination with the observation of the HEF and its study. Backin 500 B.C., the Pythagoreans believed in a universal energy pervading all of nature. They taught that its light could effect cures in sick patients.
In the 1100s, French doctor and agronomist Jean Liebault said that humans have an energy that can react on someone else's energy. The HEF of one person may be harmonious and nurturing, or it may be discordant and draining with another.
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We’ve all been in situations where we’ve found ourselves in need of a “change of heart.” Though they sound simple enough, these three words contain deep meaning and potential power. For centuries ancient teachings, poetry and literature have spoken of the heart – its capacity for love, its power over evil, its strength and goodness. Today, more than 70 million Americans live with some form of heart disease, and this disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States.
Perhaps we are missing something when it comes to the care and functioning of our hearts. In February, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month, we can combine these two messages – one of love and one of health – to bring healing into our hearts and lives. Traditional medicine and alternative medicine are slowly converging to become the healing sciences. As traditional medicine has come to represent intervention and healing illness, alternative medicine functions in part on the belief that our physical bodies rely on a spiritual, metaphysical energy (i.e. “love,” which is a feeling/energy) that exists in living form. The history of this belief dates back thousands of years (see sidebar). Work in the field of human energy has continued over the centuries, and advancements in technology have afforded proof of its existence.
Neuroscientists have discovered that there are over 40,000 nerve cells in the heart alone, indicating that the heart has its own independent nervous system, which is sometimes called “the brain in the heart.” In addition, the heart has an electromagnetic energy field 5,000 times greater than that of the brain and this field can be measured with magnetometers up to ten feet beyond the physical body. This provides support for the spiritual teachings that indicate we humans have energy fields that constantly intermingle with each other, and supports evidence for the power of prayer and positive intentions as well as negative thought effects.
Scientists have also recently shown that the human heart has the power to regulate the brain through "entrainment." As our heart sends electromagnetic signals to our brain, our brain responds. Our feelings regulate this signal. An emotion of gratitude causes the heart to create a coherent wave pattern in the brain, which stimulates a beautiful state of health and vigor in the body. Anger, jealousy and hostility send a jagged, incoherent wave pattern to the brain, which signals chemicals to be released in the body like cortisol, which causes blood pressure to rise and the levels of DHEA, the youth hormone, to decline.
We are ultimately in control of our emotional state and can alter our feelings to give them positive direction. In this way, as modern science and ancient philosophy both suggest, we can use intelligent, thought-directed emotions to consciously and deliberately create a “change of heart,” producing peace, health, and vitality.
The emanations from your heart have immense power! In addition to a healthy diet and exercise, they are an important link to heart health and our total well being.
In addition, when we are operating at our best, our attitude and presence illuminate the space around us and influence the lives of others. The greatest gift you can give to your special Valentine and to your own heart is the gift of loving yourself.
