Why Love Heals

I am sure you have heard “love is a great healer” many times in your life. But have you ever wondered why this is? What happens in your body when you feel loved, or give love to someone else? And how does this feeling helps you heal?

I uncovered the answers to these questions recently when I attended the Science and Non-Duality (SAND) Conference in the San Francisco Bay Area. There, I was shown a remarkable device created by the Institute of Heartmath that can measure the state of “coherence” of your heart and nervous system. Coherence is a term for a specific state when your nervous system is relaxed, and the mind and heart work in perfect unison. It is also the state of heightened creativity and a feeling of ease.

The device consists of a pulse sensor that is connected to a computer and which measures heart patterns that are displayed on a computer screen.

When I first tested the device my heart was not coherent at all. This was indicated by a jagged line on the screen and an accompanying red light, showing me that this is not the optimal state to be in. The person who introduced me to the device said that most people who test the device are first in a non-coherent state, which is equal to a stressed state.

Next, I was told to focus on my breathing and on my heart area. When I did so, I saw that I moved from the red light to the orange light, and a more smoothed out line, indicating improvement. But what happened next baffled me: As soon as I focused on the feeling of love (I thought about my beloved Golden Retriever), my heart immediately reacted to my thoughts, which generated a feeling of love within me. I immediately got an encouraging “ping” sound and a green light, showing me that now I was in “the zone”. It was incredible to see just how fast I could change my state of mind and physiology, just by thinking of my beloved pet.

I thought that this might be one of the reasons why love is the ultimate healer: It has the power to immediately reset the nervous system and bring it into a state of balance, which is the prerequisite of all physical (and emotional) healing. Indeed, our heart is the organ that regulates all other systems in our body. Through its strong electro-magnetic field, it has the power to set all other systems toward a healing state. This may be why we are hardwired to experience feelings of love.

So how about you? On an average day, how often do you allow yourself to focus on feelings of love, rather thinking about your to-do list? After my experience at this remarkable conference, I certainly will make a conscious effort to do so more often.

You don´t necessarily need a device to bring your heart and nervous system into a coherent state. You can do so through a simple exercise, which I am sharing here with you. Doing this exercise will help you to relax, improve your creativity and will promote physical and emotional healing.

Please read through the steps below. Keep in mind that you don´t need to actively do something or try to make something happen in your body. This exercise is a rather passive process. Just follow the steps and allow your body to take care of the rest.

Quick and Effective Healing Exercise:

Step 1:

Take a few deep breaths. Inhale deeply and focus on the area of your heart. Just notice how your heart area feels.

Step 2:

Think about someone you love. This can be your spouse, friend, child, or, as in my case, your beloved pet. You can also try to think about a moment in your life when you were extremely happy.

Step 3:

Feel the feelings of love that are within you and that are easily activated when you think about someone you love.

Step 4:

Just notice what happens when the feelings of love radiate through your heart. Place your conscious awareness on your heart area and linger in this wonderful feeling. This is all you need to do.

Once you do this short but effective exercise, you will notice that your body quickly responds to the feeling of love. When you do so, you are changing the state of your nervous system towards relaxation and healing, which is your natural state.

What is your experience with this exercise? I would love to hear from you.

Much love, Katharina