Science and Spirituality: How are your Heart and Brain connected to God?
By Virginia Essene
Before exploring the brain’s unique role in connecting a human being to what many call God, it is essential to honor new scientific information about the human heart that identifies it as the very first connection point between the physical body and its Creator source.
Amazing recent evidence indicates that the heart begins to beat in the unborn fetus even before the brain is formed so it appears that the heart truly holds primary status as the initiator of human life. Even so, scientists have yet to discover what causes the human heart to automatically begin this essential “auto-rhythmic” beating function that grants us physical existence.
Although previously unknown, neuroscientists have now discovered that there are over 40,000 nerve cells (neurons) in the heart alone, indicating that the heart has its own independent nervous system 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 10 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, enabling healing (or negative) thoughts to be extended and exchanged.
Since the heart’s energy field is greater than that of the brain’s, we presume that feelings and information sent from the heart to the brain can have a profound effect on the brain’s functions, introducing heightened intuitive clarity and increased feelings of well being. Gratefully, this welcomed state of balance or coherence between the heart and the brain eliminates stress and permits the personal condition we have called creativity as well as peace of mind!
Because this powerful coherence starts in each individual’s heart rhythms, the heart may be considered the conduit or vessel through which soulfulness, higher consciousness, or spiritual energies enter the human being at birth. This scientifically identified condition of heart coherence supports the teachings of many world religions that state the human heart is the seat of the soul. Spiritual teachings also suggest that it is humanity’s task to join together their individual coherent heart energies into one unified peaceful heart, one spiritually inspired healing intention.
To begin appreciating more about the brain’s role in supporting the heart energy intentions of love, imagine you are standing in a laboratory where scientists are showing you pictures of a human brain flashing on and off with speeding neuron impulses lighting up its many regions and innumerable activities. As you actually observe those uncountable neural light activities in the various brain areas are you wondering how this human brain was designed to function? Can you imagine that this brain cooperates with the heart in providing a light link with your Creator?
How do you feel as you watch this mysterious light activity in the brain? Is any part of you wanting to deny and disbelieve what you are seeing? Or do you feel a growing curiosity to know more about this brain and how it really works?
Do you feel willing to explore the idea that both the heart and the brain were actually created so humans could always know “their Maker?” Would you want your loving heart and fantastic brain to be healthy and connected with your Creator during physical life for essential spiritual guidance and support?
Fortunately, among the many scientific and technical discoveries recently made, there are several which have helped us identify the major purpose of the brain as a spiritual receptor of light, of God energy. Newly developing medical fields such as neurobiology, neurochemistry, and neuropsychology are using technical “imaging” equipment such as PET (positive emission tomography) and SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) to identify various regions of the brain, their activities, and especially those frontal parts of the brain which must develop “God capacity.” And must immediately develop that spiritual capacity during the first critical months and years of childhood growth! At last science can join spiritual teachings in proving that humans have the capacity through coherent hearts and proper brain development to attain the mystical expression of feeling love, of knowing God.
What is absolutely vital to remember is that the soul’s energy connection with physical life is not fully formed at birth and is not fully accessible during the first few years thereafter. When a baby is born, its brain has just about 50% of the neurological connections it must have as an adult, and this rapid growth must occur in the next several years. This spiritual capacity must be developed by the constant infusion of light (heart love) from the mother and family if the brain’s normal physical growth is to be attained. Should this essential “growth fuel” be missing during its early months and years, the infant’s brain development will likely be curtailed by lack of this essential light, or love energy, causing a variety of serious repercussions.
Scientific reports are announcing that if the frontal lobes of a person’s brain are not properly developed by light and love at a young age then the resulting lack of light will probably cause a dysfunctional brain with a variety of possible physical, emotional and behaviour al problems. This apparently occurs because the brain contains both more primitive regions from earlier evolutionary development and more modern additions in the frontal lobes and cortex regions designed to operate on light. Indeed it is this lack of light that causes disruptions and imbalances in one or many regions of brain area activity. In recent years, newly created PET and SPECT brain scan equipment have helped those enlightened doctors dedicated to healing the brain assist individuals with epilepsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, injuries, innumerable emotional conditions and much more. Their work also discourages alcohol and drug abuse in teens and adults by showing images of their negative effects on the brain.
It is also believed that an increased amount of stress, from the chaotic nature of modern living, creates a toxic brain hormone called cortisol. It is deduced that if high cortisol levels are maintained in the brain over an extended period, certain critical brain areas can become totally devoid of neural activity. When neural activity falters, the brain’s light activity darkens in the frontal lobes and there is a decreased ability by the person to control aggression and regulate negative thoughts and feelings.
It is vital to grasp that the purpose of learning this information about the heart and human brain’s needs for light & love is not to focus on blaming mothers and families whose children are exhibiting negative behaviour and suffering from a lack of connection to their higher consciousness. Rather it is to finally understand that both the heart and the brain require light & love to attain spiritual connection to God. This is critically true during a human’s infancy phase of physical growth – but also throughout its adult years thereafter.
Then, with this knowledge that we human beings were created to live with the constant fuel of light/love during physical life in both our hearts and our brains, we must educate ourselves and do everything in our power to fulfill our heart’s and brains’ ability to function properly. Health will be seen in a different way once scans of the brain’s interior condition and functioning reveal any damaged or unbalanced areas, and new approaches for rehabilitation can be applied. The long-standing question about whether heredity or environment is the most essential ingredient in human behaviour can be better understood through use of recent discoveries about the heart as well as new tomography scans and available brain imaging information not known in earlier decades.
Now is the time to profoundly understand what causes the human species to maintain heartfelt ethical attitudes and positive emotional behaviours and to discern what vital role both play in humanity’s spiritual development. We need to know the pattern from which we human beings were created, our present evolutionary status, and how we can best express that pattern in physical life. This may be the designated moment when we can be empowered to improve our loving behaviour toward all people, but especially babies and children. Many creative hearts and minds are needed to discover how we can correct our present negative personal and societal problems and develop a brighter future in which every person gains expression of the spiritual nature that is the human hallmark.
In the meantime, those of us with relationships to babies and children can read broadly about the heart and brain connection, discuss ways of parenting and teaching based on love and on what PET and SPECT photographs reveal about the brain’s incredible design. We can agree to implement deliberate changes for the good of all. Parents, day care individuals and centers, educators of public and private schools, home teachers, and every adult who relates to a child, represent an important link in the sharing of 21st century information about the heart and brain in human life.
We will also be drawn to explore the ways adults who have not had a light enriched heart and brain experience, themselves, can recover from various neural and electrical imbalances and even the stress-induced cortisol damage they may have endured. Surely this is the exciting threshold of a new era in natural healing, at the least, and an enormous spiritual expansion of human consciousness as we birth new generations of heart centered and brain-healthy children with telepathic and other unusual abilities.
Yes, this is an incredibly hopeful time! For we already have tools such as meditation and prayer, music and sound, nature and her innumerable health-giving products from the earth, and the current positive scientific and technical equipment to assist us. Our challenge now is not merely to stay informed about these many developments that can aid us, but to use them! And to implement them both individually and in our local and global community relationships. Peace is the prize. The challenge is whether we will accept our responsibility and earn this heart-sought prize both for ourselves and for our children.
As names like the Indigo children, the Crystal children, the children of Oz, etc., suggest, our human evolution is being upgraded by wise and loving souls returning to earth. While heart and brain exploration continues to enrich our understanding of ourselves as creations of God’s design, perhaps we will finally understand how identical we humans really are in our basic essence and then begin applying our extraordinary hearts and brains to accept each other as one family.
RECOMMENDED HEART/BRAIN READING LIST by Virginia Essene
Association for Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health. http://www.birthpsychology.com/ has many books, videos and teaching materials explaining how the baby’s brain forms in its early years in response to the quality of interaction with the mother and other caregivers.
The Biology of Transcendence. Joseph Chilton Pearce, Park Street Press, 2002. (also other titles such as Crack in the Cosmic Egg and The Magical Child)
Brain Respiration. Dr. Ilchi Lee, Hamptons Road Pub., 2001(?). (peacemaker has 17 books including Healing Society; online Brain Respiration class, http://www.Healingplaza.com
EMDR: The Breakthrough Therapy for Overcoming Anxiety, Stress and Trauma. Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. and Margaret Silk Forrest, Basic Books, 1997.
The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness. Antonio Damasio, Harcourt, 1999.
The First Three Years of Life. Nina R. Lief and others, Southmark Publ., 1997. (Early Childhood Development Center – N.Y. University - College of Medicine.)
Healing the Hardware of the Soul. Daniel Amen, M.D., Free Press, 2002. … also Healing ADD, the Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of Attention Deficit Disorders, Putnam, 2001. …also Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger and Impulsiveness, Random House, 1998. *** see http://www.amenclinic.com for an online video introduction ….. also http://www.brainplace.com
The Healing Mind: The Vital Links Between Brain & Behaviour , Immunity and Disease. Paul Martin, Ph.D., St. Martin’s Press, 1997.
The HeartMath Solution. Doc Childre, Howard Martin, et al, Harper, S.F., CA, 1999.
How to Know God: The Soul’s Journey into the Mystery of Mysteries. Deepak Chopra, M.D., Random House, 2000. (& many other titles about spiritual topics.)
Molecules of Emotion: Why You Feel the Way You Feel. Candace B. Pert, Ph.D. Scribner, 1997. Pioneering research on how chemicals inside our body link mind/body.
The Power of Light. Joel Achenbach & photographer Joe McNally, National Geographic Magazine, October, 2001, pages 7-29.
The Soul of the Child: Nurturing the Divine Identity of Our Children. Michael Gurian, Atria Books, 2002. (& other titles.)
A Symphony in the Brain: The Evolution of the New Brainwave Biofeedback. Jim Robbins, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2000.
What’s Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life. Lise Eliot, Ph.D., Bantam Books, 1999.
Why God Won’t Go Away: Brain Science & the Biology of Belief. Andrew Newberg, M.D., Eugene D’Aquili, M.D., and Vince Rause, Ballentine Publishing Co., 2001.
