part0014

“Ease” is an inner state that helps us transit more smoothly through the energies and rhythms of our life’s experiences. Operating in the state of inner ease allows us easier connection with our heart’s intuitive guidance to provide creative ideas, practical solutions or effective options for responding to most situations.

Many people conceptually understand the value of ease, but our pressing minds and emotions tend to override the wisdom to actually practice it, especially when deeper discernment and wiser choices are needed. As the speed of life keeps accelerating, the mind and emotions can become overstretched from having to make decisions and choices too quickly due to the pressures of responsibilities and commitments. Even the “Now” seems to have sped up—it used to last a full moment but I think that extra time is shrinking.

The practice of “breathing ease” helps to slow down the vibratory rate of the mind and emotions so our heart’s intuitive input can weigh in on choices and actions. In most cases, the speed and aggression of the mind and emotions drown out our heart’s feelings and intuitive guidance. Inner ease creates a receptive space for intuitive suggestions and feelings that are broadcast from our heart’s intelligence. Ease doesn’t drag our thinking down; it clears it up.

Several HeartMath research studies have confirmed the benefits of practicing ease. In these studies, breathing ease played a pivotal role in helping participants slow the vibrations of the mind and emotions so that the heart’s intuitive feelings could be translated into higher reasoning and choices.

Let’s take a deeper look at a few of the ways that people already naturally use ease in daily life, along with some advanced ways to use it for achieving desired outcomes. This will help to broaden our understanding and respect for the benefits and advantages of this common sense practice.

At times we tell children and friends to ease up and pay close attention. This is because deep inside we intuitively know that when people ease the vibration of their mind and emotions, they listen smarter, they hear deeper, they comprehend what they hear, they leave you feeling heard—which is a rare treat nowadays. (The humor is that we can feel the benefits and intelligence of ease when others are listening from that place, yet we can go a year and not think about “easing up” on ourselves in our interactions.)

It’s important to note that ease is not a floaty-blissy or sleepy-headed state. I know the term “ease” sounds soft, like a butterfly practicing ballet or such, but don’t underestimate its power of effectiveness.

Highly trained athletes can run races while maintaining a state of ease in their mind and emotions. Olympic athletes especially know that when their mind and emotions are at ease and in check, it enables a resonant alignment between heart, mind and emotions which bolsters their power to achieve their aim. This results in higher scores and outcomes. Also, when we are in the state of ease our emotions rebound quicker if disappointments or setbacks occur, which is important.

Navy Seals and other Special Forces units utilize HeartMath’s emWave coherence technology for increasing personal coherence which helps sustain a state of inner ease. This practice increases alertness and receptivity to intuitive input when discerning critical situations and choices.

People tell each other at times to “ease up and find the flow.” An advanced practice for finding the flow is learning to create the flow, especially in non-flowing situations. We have the power in our hearts to do this. When a seasoned surfer experiences the flow, it’s not dependent on having perfect waves—flow is especially about how gracefully she adjusts to daunting waves or turbulent weather. She is poised in inner balance and creates her own flow to suit each environmental circumstance.

We all are constantly surfing through life’s potentials along with its challenges and inconsistencies. How we greet them decides our ratio of flow or how much stress we accumulate from situational resistances. Practicing ease creates flow by helping to regulate the balance and cooperation between our heart, mind and emotions (coherence).

Each day people are telling each other to “just breathe”. What we’re saying is yes, breathe, but add the attitude of calm and ease as you breathe, which can help quieten the mind and emotions—so that intuitive guidance can be accessed. It’s important to learn to feel when you really are in ease instead of assuming it. Breathing inner ease throughout the day will help anchor the pattern into your cellular memory. With practice, you will find this increasingly helpful for stabilizing your emotions and maintaining your balance.

When you want to prevent or reduce anxiety.

When you get caught in a drama-fest type of situation. (Breathing ease helps you remember that if you can’t leave the situation, you can practice being “in” it, but not “of” it.)

To prevent or restore energetic composure from overwhelm .

Before and during meetings. (Breathing the attitude of ease sets an internal environment for deeper listening, better comprehension and staying emotionally poised. However, if your composure crashes, ease helps you re-center quicker, especially if you are caught in a heated dispute.)

Before you respond to a vexing e-mail, breathe ease and settle the mind and emotions. (You can often prevent an emotional mess and the downtime it takes for damage control.)

To access or restore patience and resilience whenever needed. (Ease is usually the missing ingredient when we are impatient. Breathing ease creates the tolerance that disarms impatience.)

While discerning important issues or choices. To slow down your mental and emotional traffic so that intuitive insight can be perceived.

When you want to be creative, as ease draws (or unleashes) intuitive direction .

Before sleep if you have sleep problems.

When life’s challenges are coming in faster than solutions.

During times of global uncertainty, rapid planetary changes and increased electromagnetic or solar activity, practicing inner ease will save a lot of energy, angst and downtime. These environmental influences can trigger increased excitability, which may affect our mental/emotional behavior patterns in unexpected ways (memory lapses, brain fog, anxiety, explosive emotions, edginess, aches in odd places, sleeplessness, elation, depression and more). When you experience these symptoms, it’s helpful to breathe ease and take deeper pause for discerning and double-checking communications and decisions. Take life a segment at a time and practice discerning your steps from the place of inner ease which translates into more reliable choices and better health from the stress you avoid .

For many of us, knowing how to access inner ease is not the problem—it’s remembering to do it, especially when it counts the most. This gives us a chance to act and respond from our real self rather than from our mechanical, “predictable other.” Ease is a higher vibrational gift from the intelligence of our heart.