Heart Reading … Day 41
There is nothing more intimate than sharing one’s heartbeat with another.
When people share similar experiences, especially ones that get the heart racing — sex, intense exercise, fear, momentous occasions — they are drawn toward each other … they bond. What is fascinating, and perhaps dangerous in the wrong settings (think Wizard of Oz), about shared heart experiences is that hearts can literally synchronize en masse.
I think about shared passions like fighting racism, educating our children, saving the habitats and countless species who are threatened by human behaviors. The action(s) we take on behalf of others come from the heart. Reflecting on this during today’s heart reading inspired me to do a little digging and guess what I found?
“It’s really remarkable but, when you have that shared experience that’s being driven by a particular performance, you start to see people’s heart rates go in and out of synchrony with each other, particularly in more emotionally compelling areas.”
This is a quote by a professor of cognitive science from the University College London speaking about a 1000+ seat performance hall where a dramatic live performance took place while audience members’ sweat glands (or “electrodermal activity”) were being monitored. The study found that a live audience’s synergistic responses were twice as intense when contrasted against viewing a filmed production.
It is such a wonderful thing to be able to live well with others — the joy of sharing experiences grows as we appreciate the “little things” we do with and for one another. My dog is often by my side while I work and today I chose to lay on her during a five minute break in a full day of video meetings. It may have been the first time I have ever really listened to her heart beat! Her tail was whapping against the floor so I know she was happy and not too disturbed by my heavy head — and I want to make this a habit as it brought us both spontaneous joy.
Then many hours later when I laid on the bed with my person, he put his head on my chest and listened to my heart. He has made this a habit which I love. Knowing that someone else knows my heartbeat and has known my heartbeat for decades is comforting in the way I must have been comforted by my mother’s heartbeat once upon a time.
