Just a Walk in the Park

The day was too beautiful to while away
the hours outside

I entered the path so quiet
being met by flowering guides  
  attendants of a gentile sort
who curtsied, some bowed and others
 demurely turned their face from me

And I was led along inside this silent peace
but for the gossip of the woods
who repeated some intruder’s voice
 a dissonant disgrace, to the aria’s praise,
the forte of the birds
as they practice in the music room
for the royalties of His grace

The day was too beautiful
to while away the hours outside
the inside of Sabbath rest
where I could lay my burden down and
 in solitude and worship - breathe

 PJackson 

What is it about being in nature that makes us feel so connected, emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually? Is it just my personality type, my gender, my roots; or is there a reality of this connection that we have only begun to be aware of in recent years? The field of noetic science tells us that the connection is real, and it is stronger and more meaningful than we have ever realized.

In the past, much of what we have learned has been from a science that our brain is in control, and it is the body that carries around this control center called the brain. But in reality, 95% of the neurons in the body are carrying information to the brain, from the body. And the information that is being carried to the brain is based on information from the heart. In truth, the that heart sends far more information to the brain than the brain to the heart. Based on that perspective, we understand that it is the heart that rules.

What we also are finding out is that the heart is responsible for that sense of connection. It stems from an external measurable electromagnetic field which comes from the heart and is expressed with an energy that is actually measurable. Particular research validating this was an experiment where two people were "wired" together via their brains. The result was a physiological response of connection, "picking up" the heartbeat of the other person. We are sending and receiving messages everyday through our heart.

Similarly, other information has given us understanding just how it is the heart makes connections and sends messages to the brain. It begins with the heart beat. When we consider the sound of our heart beating, we tend to think of the bu-bump, (pause) bu-bump, (pause). That pause is something called innercistial beating, and it is that pause where information can be monitored revealing the emotional state a person is in. In that pause, is the modulating information, wherein the heart signal then carries the information to the brain ... after the pause.

What that means is that our physiology is reviewed in the beating of the heart before sending the message to the brain for it's "control center" response. If we are in an optimal state of compassion, gratitude and caring, then our brain functioning is clear and we are in a state of connection. If we are in a stressful emotional state then the heart sends the message to the brain, which now becomes unclear in its directed focus, and possibly we react unconsciously in ways we may regret.

In the process of the heart modulating between our emotional state and our brain, we see the heart gathering information through an intuition or pre-sentiment, pre-feeling knowledge. Research in this area asked participants to view neutral and negative photography pictures.  Their responses were measured based on the frequency of accurate anticipated emotional responses prior to seeing the pictures. The frequency regularity with which participants had pre-sentiment occurred enough to indicate a strong bias to the validity of intuition, or pre-feeling of knowledge. The time frame of pre-knowledge prior to confirmation of actually seeing the congruent picture of emotion, was an average of 3-5 seconds into the future.

As varying areas of science makes discoveries about the heart as the "first to know", we begin to feel that what are learning is something we always knew. The heart is the where the spirit resides and the organ through which all of life connects at an emotional level. Scientific research is beginning to validate this with of quantum physics theories that indicate that there is a structure on which all of life rests, and in essence, connecting everything  all the time. There is never any separation - only the appearance of separation.

Consequently, with those discoveries comes the theory, that this connection is like the way the heart connects the individual to the environment, an energy of emotional modulation - and it has affect on every living system. The emotionality creates a field through which thought and emotions influence affect on distant living systems. The effect on living systems is measurably recorded in "mass mind focus"  as when global events like earthquakes and tsunamis, happen. There is a measurable change in the effect on the environment, resulting from the universal emotional state of the world. And what it comes down to is ... this thing called love.

From this perspective it helps me to understand as well as validate that when I go to the park, I feel connected emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. My heart, as the first system to know information and primary access to the spirit itself, intuits my peace and sends the message to my brain with beats of the joy I am experiencing in nature and creation, made by the One who loves us most. And I am filled with a sense of gratitude for feeling loved, care and compassion for others and in response I want to worship. It is a beautiful day outside. I would like to invite you to the park, to lay your burden down, and in solitude, connection and worship - breathe.

Facet for life: What was said to the rose that made it open was said to me...here in my chest. ~Rumi

Paulette Jackson LPC/MHSP

The thoughts and opinions expressed in The Conversant Counselor's Blog are those belonging to Paulette Jackson LPC/MHSP and do not necessarily reflect those of any other professional or individual.

The information above is from the Spiritual Cinema film, "I Am."