Every beat of our heart generates electricity (this is why the machine used to monitor our heart is called an electrocardiogram). Whenever electricity is produced, it also creates a magnetic field. Just like with the radio-frequency waves produced by cell phones, these electromagnetic fields transmit encoded information, i.e. my text message shows up thousands of miles away, exactly as I sent. Magnetic fields are transmitters of information.
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I’m sure you’ve had the experience of walking into a room and feeling like something was off, even though there weren’t any obvious signals for that. You felt it… then verified it after talking to the person. Conversely, there may be a person in your life that you just naturally gravitate towards, that has you feeling good simply be being in their presence.

We pick up on each other’s energies, known and unknown.

The heart produces the largest source of rhythmic electromagnetic energy in the body, creating a magnetic field that is measurable at least 3 feet away. The brain’s magnetic field, on the other hand, can only be measured 1 inch away. This isn’t to say that the brain is bad but instead to ask us to start thinking more about what’s in our heart. The heart’s magnetic field creates your personal field environment.

Emotions are the driver of our physiology. What we feel - coherence or incoherence - can be seen in the rhythmic patterns of the heart. As a matter of fact, scientists can determine a person’s emotional state with 75% accuracy by simply analyzing the heart’s rhythmic patterns. Way cool!!

So if, through the heart, our emotions create encoded patterns in our magnetic field, what might you be feeding your field environment? What impact do you want to have on the people and places around you? What energies are you producing underneath that smile that might be a bigger truth of your situation? 

With mindfulness, you can become more aware and love yourself no matter what so tune in. Check your heart out. Listen deeply. And then make choices based on what’s best with lots of care and love. And keep asking yourself, “What am I feeding my field right now?” 

Sending you lots of Peace,
Shanti

It’s the beginning of the new year, a time of traditional look-back at accomplishments and forward-look to set new goals. Part of that reflective process always seems to highlight time, wondering where the year has gone. In sync with one of the most popular complaints of “too much to do, not enough time” comes “If I only had more time to do everything I wanted to do.”

I’m going to wave a flag, though, and say that you (meaning all of us) actually waste a lot of time everyday. No, I’m not talking about when you’re relaxing or sleeping - those are vital to health. I’m talking about when you spend time rehashing a conversation from hours ago, worry about what hasn’t happened yet (and most likely never will), or finish something in a rush only to have to spend 3X more time re-working it later. Even the distracted or multi-tasking mind mode shortens your available time. Studies have shown you’re not fully present 47% of the time on any given day. All of these are significant time drains and can perpetuate emotional tension.

So how to get some time back without a Back To The Future moment?

Pulling in your mindfulness practice, of course, and doing a HeartMath® technique called Freeze Frame… where you’re actually freezing the frame of the situation and making adjustments, just like you would if you were the director of a movie (hint, hint - you are directing your own movie all the time). Here's how to do it:

• When you notice things are going astray, pause the movie. 
• Slow down and stop. 
• Bring your attention to your heart center, slow your breath, and make a sincere effort to activate a positive feeling (ease, patience, flow, appreciation, etc.) 
• Breathe and stay with this feeling sense as long as you need to or have time for. Even 10 seconds can be enough. 
• Next, being the director, what clip would you have coming next in your movie? What would be an effective attitude or step forward right now? Most likely you’ll come up with something that creates a pleasant ending and keeps things on track.

Freeze Frame gets you to your priority center much easier and quicker, saving you lots of course-correction time and energy. It also helps you save face, keeps relationships positive, builds flow into work projects, and has you staying with what’s really important. What a time and energy saver!

More about Freeze Frame and other time and energy saving techniques in the upcoming Start With Heart course, but for now, as you head into 2019, practice “freezing the frame” throughout the day. There are so many instances where this can add lots of benefit and it’ll surely start the year off saving some time.
 
Sending you lots of Peace,
Shanti

As you sit with friends and family around the Thanksgiving table this Thursday, most likely it will begin with a grace of some sort; a recitation of a prayer, a gratitude for the food and friends, a heartfelt recognition of all that you've been blessed with, even if it's only this plateful of food.
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Saying grace before a meal has been a long-standing practice for most families although, to be honest, many have strayed since the invention of the TV dinner. If it's been missing at your table, perhaps it's a great time to make it a regular part of your meal process, just like setting the table and serving the food.

Saying grace and offering blessings doesn't have to be a religious act but simply an expression of gratitude and appreciation. So many conditions have come together for the food to be on your plate - not just the cooking and shopping but all the work that the farmer did, the earth, the sky and the sun. When you look deeply, there’s a great fortune there.

Eating the food provides nutrients and minerals, essential components of energy for your body to do you all the miraculous things you do. You're fueling your tank. Make it healthy, non-GMO food for super power.

You can also continue the appreciation for the food by eating slowly and with curiosity. Really experience what’s there. What does this really taste like? How do the textures change? Can you feel your body receiving the food, noticing fullness approaching?

This mindful view of your food, with grace and appreciation at the beginning, during, and end, can add a wonderful dynamic to your relationship with your plate and how you're truly fed. Perhaps re-initiate an offering of grace at meal time. Make it a regular practice for a week or so and see how this mindful ingredient adds lots of flavor and spice to an otherwise standard experience.

Love and Peace to you,
Shanti

How often have you shied away from sharing what was true for you in fear of being judged, disappointing someone else, or wanting to fit in? It could be a situation of no longer feeling like going to a pre-planned event, giving feedback on a report that wasn’t completed to standard, or what to do with a comment someone made that you didn’t like. If you’re like every human I know, this hesitancy to share your truth and what’s real for you has happened more than once.​

But what does this non-sharing of your truth get you?

An ucky pit in your stomach, a nagging feeling of regret, feeling like you aren’t that important, or perhaps being super critical of yourself. You may end up doing things you wouldn’t normally do, feeling a little ashamed or disappointed in yourself. And perhaps other times you actively decide to let it go, highlighting the needs of the other person.

When you stop sharing your personal truth with others on a consistent basis, though, you get lost. You become a shell of something that isn’t who you are, picking up ideas and values that might not really match your own. Things might get so mixed up that eventually you don’t even know who you are or what you believe in.

There’s a high level of personal respect in sharing your truth. When you voice your opinion, your ideas, your point of view, you’re saying “Hey, this is me. I’m important and I want to share myself with you.”

It helps others get to know the uniqueness and beauty of who you really are so they can see past the basic framework. It helps them to value you more and understand your needs and desires… and gives them the opportunity to decide for themselves what they’ll do with it all. They can make decisions based upon a higher level of reality instead making decisions based on misinformation or half truths. 

I’ve been in several situations where the other didn’t share their truth and it was extremely destructive. Based upon actions and words, I thought one thing, eventually finding out something completely different… usually after an investment of time, energy, and even heart. Situations like this are painful and not necessary. They don’t honor any of the relationships involved, especially the one with ourselves.

Another thing about sharing our truth is that, without knowing it, you might inspire others to think in ways they’ve never thought of before. They may come to have a totally different perspective and become excited about a new way of thinking. And even if they don’t agree with your truth, anyone who cares will be grateful for your honesty.

Truth that comes from your heart is deeply connected to your core essence. When you share it in a kind and neutral “this is it” way, with the intention of healthy connection, others are able to hear it and understand you better. It really keeps the playing field more equitable and real.

So what is your truth and how can you share it kindly with others? And remember…Be yourself. Speak your truth. You’ll be fine.

Peace to you!
Shanti