HeartMath research suggests that meditation is much more effective when the exercise is geared not towards the head, but the heart. The “Heart Lock-In” exercise serves as a buffer against stress. The “Quick Coherence” exercise is a powerful emotion refocusing technique that connects you with your heart power to help you release stress, balance your emotions and feel better fast. The Quick Coherence technique can serve as a short exercise you can do any time of the day in about a minute to restore your heart’s consistency. On the way to your next meeting, while waiting for the stoplight to turn green or before your next call.
Quick Coherence steps
Step 1: “Heart Focus”
Focus your attention in the area of your heart. Gently focus in the center of your chest, the area of your heart. If your mind wanders keep shifting your attention back to the area of your heart.
Step 2: “Heart Breathing”
Focusing on the area of your heart, pretend your breath is flowing in and out through that area. Breathe slowly and gently, in through your heart (to a count of 5 or 6), and slowly and easily out through your heart (to a count of 5 or 6). Do this until your breathing feels smooth and balanced and you find an easy rhythm.
Step 3: “Heart Feeling”
As you continue to breathe through the area of your heart, recall a positive feeling, a time when you felt good inside, and try to reexperience it. Allow yourself to feel this good feeling of appreciation or care. If at first you can’t feel anything it’s okay, just try to find a sincere attitude of appreciation or care. Once you’ve found a positive feeling or attitude, sustain it by continuing your heart focus, heart breathing and heart feeling.
Heart Lock-In steps
1. Gently shift your attention to the area around your heart.
2. Shift your breathing so that you are breathing in through the heart and out through the solar plexus.
3. Activate a genuine feeling of appreciation or care for someone or something in your life.
4. Make a sincere effort to sustain feelings of appreciation, care or love while radiating them to yourself and others.
5. When you catch your mind wandering, gently focus your breathing back through the heart and solar plexus and reconnect with feelings of care or appreciation.
(After you’ve finished, sincerely sustain your feelings of care and appreciation as long as you can. This will act as a cushion against recurring stress or anxiety.)
