Listen to Your Heart

Dear Wise One

As we have said in previous posts,

Sophia’s Way

is the Way of the Heart

which is the intentional act of

bringing the mind down into the heart

and looking out from the heart

at the situation you are facing.

That ‘Way’ has been described for centuries

by spiritual guides through the ages.

Recently, in the past decade,

Science has started speaking about this

Way of the Heart.

Thanks to technology, some scientists now acknowledge

the neurological intelligence of the heart and

the vital role the heart plays in creating

psychological and physical well-being.

This research comes from the

HeartMath Institute

and has been incorporated by spiritual writers

such as Richard Rohr and Cynthia Bourgeault.

The first tool to use in this modern-day

Way of the Heart

developed by HeartMath Institute

is Freeze-Frame.

The five steps of Freeze-Frame

Can be done in one minute,

five minutes or twenty minutes…

depending on how much time you have to give.

These five steps can be done

with your eyes open or closed

alone or as you are walking down the hall.

Ideally, when you are first learning,

it is best to find a quiet time and place to practice

and go through the steps

at a calm pace and with just yourself.

These are the Five Steps:

Freeze-Frame

1. Recognize that you are in a stressful situation.
Acknowledge the stressful feeling.
Take a time-out…Freeze Frame.

2. Shift your focus from your mind or emotions to the area around your heart.
Pretend that you are breathing through your heart for ten seconds or more.

3. Think of a happy time or someone you love.
Relive that moment and feel the positive feelings

4. Ask your heart, “What would be an effective response to this stressful situation, one that would minimize future stress.”

5. Listen to what your heart says in answer to your question.

This practice puts your impulsive reaction in check

and gives you access to the higher decision-making part of your brain

so you can consider a wider range of actions.

Most importantly this practice can give you access to your

inner wisdom, your True Self.

You can act on the answer from your heart

or you can ponder it in your heart.

Either way, pausing for that moment and

shifting your focus to your heart

can interrupt the stressful time, give you clarity

and an opportunity to change the course of the situation.

Sometimes you won’t hear an answer from your heart…

That answer may come later when you are in different situation.

Nevertheless, stopping stress in its tracks

and coming to a neutral stance about the moment

has great value by not increasing the chaos and

by allowing yourself to step away from stress.

Waiting until your heart shows you clearly what to do

is a sign of wisdom and maturity.

I hope you will make this practice your own.

It will be a wondrous thing to hear your own heart.

Wise Women have done that through the ages.

I hope you will practice this modern-day tool;

bring your heart and mind into sync and

access the deep Wisdom that is you…

Love to you,

Sophia

P.S. Richard Rohr, Levels of Spiritual Growth (CD, MP3 download)

Joseph Chilton Pearce, The Biology of Transcendence: A Blueprint of the Human Spirit (Park Street Press: 2004).

Doc Childre and Howard Martin, The HeartMath Solution: The Institute of Heart- Math's Revolutionary Program for Engaging the Power of the Heart's Intelligence (HarperCollins: 1999).

Sandra LoganDecember 13, 2018Comment