The 6th Sense-More&More Science Supports It

[Guest guest]

The Sixth Sense - More And

More Science Supports It

Gabriella 'Gaby' Boehmer

4-3-4

 

 

A new study by HeartMath provides evidence that the heart responds

to future events and indicates women may be naturally more attuned

to their intuition

 

The phone rings and the person calling is an old high school friend

who you were just thinking about the day before. You spontaneously

decide to take a different route home and later find out that your

usual route was closed due to a big rig accident. What a

coincidence! Or is it? Were those happenings coincidences or were

you, unknowingly, exercising intuition?

 

Intuition has often been thought of as a mysterious sixth sense.

However, a new research study conducted by the Institute of

HeartMath (http://www.heartmath.org) helps to solve some of the

mysteries that surround intuition, revealing the role the heart

plays in processing and decoding intuitive information.

 

Weíve all heard of a mother who feels the need to check on her young

son, only to find that he has left the yard and wandered into the

street. Many of us have had our own intuitive experiences, yet there

has been a longstanding dilemma in the scientific community over

whether intuition is based on memory of a past experience, or

whether it involves an actual perception of something that lies

ahead.

 

Dr. Rollin McCraty, Director of Research for the Institute of

HeartMath in Boulder Creek, California, directed a recent scientific

study that examined physiological indicators of intuitive

perception. The study sought to test whether we somehow receive

information about a future event before it happens, and, if so, to

determine where and when in the brain and body the intuitive

information is processed.

 

HeartMathís new research is discussed in two parts in the Journal of

Alternative and Complementary Medicine. The first part (published

2/2004; paper posted at:

http://www.liebertpub.com/ACM/default1.asp ) focuses on the

surprising role of the heart in intuitive information processing.

The second part, to be released in April 2004, focuses on where and

when in the brain intuitive information is processed, and on how the

heart and brain appear to interact in intuitive perception.

 

HeartMath researchers found that we can actually be aware of an

event five to seven seconds before it happens. In the recent study,

subjects were shown a series of images. Most of the images were

peaceful and calming, such as landscapes, trees and cute animals.

Other photos, randomly dispersed in the succession, included

violent, disturbing and emotionally stimulating images such as car

crash, a bloody knife or a snake about to strike. The subjects were

monitored during the viewing for changes in respiration, skin

conductance, EEG (brain waves), ECG (electrocardiogram) and heart

rate variability. Participantsí physiological indicators registered

an emotional response five to seven seconds before an emotionally

disturbing image would appear on the viewing screen.

 

The main findings show that the heart receives and responds to

intuitive information. Significant changes in heart rate variability

occurred prior to disturbing and emotionally stimulating images

appearing on the screen, compared to calm and serene images

appearing. The fact that the heart is involved in the perception of

future external events is an astounding result. The classical

perspective assigns the brain an exclusive role in information

processing. This study opens the door to new understandings about

intuition and suggests that intuition is a system-wide process

involving at least both the heart and the brain working together to

decode intuitive information.

 

Another noteworthy finding of the study was the fact that there were

significant gender differences. Women appeared to have a greater

sensitivity to future emotional stimuli. Female participants

demonstrated a significant heart rate variability pre-stimulus

response, whereas the malesí pre-stimulus response was smaller.

McCraty says, ìBased on our study and other research findings, we

believe that the greater the emotional significance of a future

event to the individual, the larger the intuitive response will be

prior to the actual experience of that event.î

 

The heart has been regarded as a conduit for wisdom beyond our

normal awareness by virtually all human cultures, ancient and

modern. HeartMath believes the greatest significance of this study

lies in the finding that the heart is directly involved in the

processing of intuitive information.

 

McCraty says, ìTo our knowledge, this is the first study to measure

the heartís connection with intuitive perception, and this implies

that the brain does not act alone in this regard. This is an

important finding that may open the door to larger scientific

studies and greater understanding of the heartís role in human

perception and behavior.î

 

Intuitive perception plays an important role in everyday decision-

making in areas such as business, medical diagnosis, law

enforcement, playing sports, choosing relationships, driving

defensively, mothering a child and teaching students. If the heart

is playing such an important role in intuitive perception, then

learning to attune ourselves more to how we feel -- or acknowledging

our heart promptings -- could help to increase our ability to draw

on our intuitive awareness.

 

The Institute of HeartMath was founded by Doc Childre in 1991. For

over a decade, the Institute of HeartMath has conducted leading-edge

research on the relationship between the heart and brain and the

ways in which this relationship affects physical, mental and

emotional health and human performance.

 

Based on this research, the Institute of HeartMath has developed a

system of scientifically validated tools and technology to help

people reduce stress and improve health, learning, performance and

quality of life. HeartMathís research has been published in numerous

peer-reviewed journals and is regularly presented at psychological

and biomedical research conferences both nationally and

internationally.

 

To learn more about the Institute of HeartMathís research go to

http://www.heartmath.org.

 

 

Media Contact:

 

Gabriella 'Gaby' Boehmer

831 338-8710

gboehmer