It had nothing to do with not wanting their help. Rather it had everything to do with learned behavior, of avoiding inconvenience to others whenever possible. “I’ll be fine,” I had assured my friends.
And then, suddenly, there she was in my cubicle. I blinked. “I’ve come to stay with you,” Mary said. “No one should go through a procedure like this by themselves.” Oh my goodness, I thought to myself. It’s only a biopsy. I’m a strong person. She’s the chief nurse, for heaven’s sake. She has plenty of other things to do today. And almost as quickly I was surprised to realize how very glad I was to have her there!
An outpatient-surgery nurse took my vital signs, inserted an IV into my right arm, and I was on my way to Medical Imaging. Mary stayed right beside me. It is so different being on the receiving end, I mused as the interventional radiologist approached, needle in hand, and introduced himself. I took a deep breath and reminded myself I can get through this; it’s a choice.
Standing by my gurney Mary crossed herself, good Catholic that she is, and asked, “Would you like me to hold your hand?” I started to say, Naw, I’m a big girl, but hesitated. And in my moment of indecision, she simply reached out and enclosed my left hand in both of hers. In that instant everything changed. Yes, I was still aware of the needle being thrust into my neck and the professional bustle around me, but my consciousness was now focused on the feel of my hand in hers. A sense of comfort, safety, and calm connectedness washed over me. Because of Mary’s simple act of caring, my thyroid-biopsy experience was completely altered.
Back in recovery, I pondered on the event. If the nurses are even half as caring and competent as their Chief Nurse, no wonder the hospital receives such outstanding patient-satisfaction scores. I recalled the sense of calm connectedness when Mary held my hand. Consequently, I was delighted to pick up a copy of Dr. Paul Pearsall’s book entitled, The Heart’s Code. In it I read that human beings affect each other at the most basic electromagnetic level through touch. When she held my hand, electrical energy from Mary’s heart was transmitted to my brain. Studies have shown that when caring people hold hands their heart rate and brain waves synchronize with each other. But let me back up a minute.
Electromagnetic waves, or Em spectrum as they are sometimes called, is a label for radiation energy, which consists of discrete packets of energy called photons. The rays of electromagnetic radiation, which can have different frequencies, travel and spread out as they go. Em spectrum waves can be described by their wavelength, energy, and frequency. All three are related to each other mathematically (e.g., energy of an X-ray, or the wavelength of a microwave, or the frequency of a radio wave). The Em spectrum includes, from longest wavelength to shortest: radio waves, microwaves, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma-rays. In fact color is basically electromagnetic energy that is received by the body in the form of vibrations. In the 1990s, Dr. Oscar Brunler found that when healthy, every organ in the body has a specific, measurable, vibrating wavelength frequency. And interestingly enough, the person’s electromagnetic-energy field sparks with brilliant red when he/she is aroused to anger or passion.
Neurons in both the brain and heart emit electromagnetic waves, but of the two, the heart is the most powerful source in the human body. Its electromagnetic generator emits waves that are 5000 times stronger than that of brain neurons and creates a field that extends out from the body perhaps as far as 15 feet. In fact, the field is so powerful that given the proper equipment, a reading can be taken from as far as three feet away from the body—without any portion of the equipment touching the body. The field is holographic, as well, meaning that it can be read from any point on the body and from any point within the field.
Electromagnetic energy travels through space at the speed of light. Where does it go? Where does it end up? Who knows? But some scientists believe that energy is never destroyed, so your Em energy goes somewhere and impacts someone or something, maybe on the other side of the world! Not surprisingly, the electromagnetic radio spectrum of your heart is profoundly affected by your emotional response to the world. In other words, your emotions and feelings affect the information contained in your heart’s electromagnetic signal and can alter your heart’s electromagnetic spectrum. When your heart rhythms are more ordered or coherent, the electromagnetic field produced becomes more coherent as well.
According to Karl Pribrum, former researcher/professor at Stanford University in California, the electromagnetic field of a person’s body becomes more coherent as the individual shifts into a sincerely caring state. Mary’s Em energy must have been exceeding coherent because she was exceedingly caring—and I was the fortunate beneficiary!
Here’s the good news and the bad news. The good news is that neurons function as both receivers and transmitters—sending and receiving. The energetic information contained in your heart’s electromagnetic field can be detected not only by your own brain and body, but also by the brains and bodies of people around you. And your brain and body are impacted by the Em energy that others are transmitting. Of course the bad news is the negative impact that can result when the Em energy that is being transmitted is negative.
On my own time, I have become very selective about the type of Em energy to which I expose my brain and body. I choose to hang out with people whose brain and heart neurons are radiating positive electromagnetic energy. No wonder I feel more energized after we spend time together. We exchange positive Em energy. Such a deal!
My goal for this year and for all those that follow is to consistently transmit positive electromagnetic energy into the environment. And if electromagnetic energy is never destroyed, that positive Em energy may be journeying throughout space forever! I like that thought.
I was early for my presentation at the University so slipped quietly into a chair at the rear of the lecture hall. There was a lot of heat in the room and it wasn’t from old Sol! Evidently the last homework assignment had directed students to describe human beings using just one word (human and mammal were off limits). Most of the students hadn’t been able to limit their answer to one word. The closing bell rang amid a lively debate.
A few minutes later as I prepared to begin my lecture, a student asked, “What word would you have used for this assignment?”
“Energy,” I answered. It had not been one of the words mentioned during the previous class discussion.
“Energy!” several students chorused! “Why energy?” Since my lecture related to immune system function, this was as good a place as any to begin, and better than most if the students were already interested.
“Because energy can be defined as the capacity of being, doing, and acting,” I replied. “If that doesn’t describe what human beings are all about, I don’t know what does!” There were a few murmurs. “Nothing in life is free,” I continued. “You always give up something to get something. The basic medium of exchange is energy. You pay—not with money, or talent, or high-tech commodities—with energy. In fact, authors of the book, The Power of Full Engagement, define energy as the fundamental currency of high performance.”
A country’s wealth is often described in terms of natural resources. In the 21st century, individual wealth will likely come to be described in similar terms, as well. That is, how many natural resources do you possess in terms of energy? The amount of energy you have to expend is important, because it impacts everything you do. All you are is energy!
According to The American Commission on Anti-Aging, specific micronutrients are believed to be associated with helping to ensure that the brain-body can generate the vital energy you require. I wrote the words Eight Basic Energies on the chalkboard. “All types of energy are forms of your life force,” I explained. “They include physical, mental, initiative, preventive, cleaning, healing, longevity, and sexual energies. You need them all!”
Physical Energy provides power for physical activity. Use this natural resource judiciously. Avoid wasting vital energy on activities that would put your life out of balance. Keep a surplus in your energy bank. Obtain at least 30 minutes of physical exercise every day. Micronutrient contributors:
The green super foods (e.g., Spirulina, Green Barley Grass, Green Kamut) that contain a variety of nutrients that support brain, body, and immune system function.
Complex carbohydrates such as those found in Inulin (helps to promote stamina and endurance) and rice maltodextrin.
Coenzyme Q10 that has been found to enhance oxygen metabolism at the cellular level
Mental Energy provides power for intellectual and emotional activity. Use this natural resource in balance with physical exercise. In general, the brain tends to consume more energy than any other organ, but it doesn’t store much energy because it is housed in a rigid skull. Plant-grown vitamins, minerals, and enzymes are key for mental energy. Obtain at least 30 minutes of challenging mental exercise every day. It’s use it or lose it. Micronutrient contributors:
Vitamin C, an antioxidant needed by every cell in the body, is approximately 100 times more concentrated in the brain.
Lecithin (found in soybeans and Tofu) contributes Choline, which is used by the body to manufacture acetylcholine (the most common neurotransmitter in the brain).
Ginkgo Biloba has been shown to help promote some memory functions
Initiative Energy provides power to take action. This natural resource results from a combination of positive mindset and alert brain plus a healthy, vigorous body. Use it wisely! It determines, in part, how much you accomplish in life and how successful you perceive yourself to be. Micronutrient contributors:
See contributors for Mental energy and Physical Energy
Adaptogens, such as those found in Siberian Ginseng, are believed to improve the efficiency of responding appropriately to stress.
Coenzyme Q10
Preventive Energy provides power for making it easier for the immune system to keep you well. Use this natural resource to achieve optimum levels of health and wellness. View it as insurance, and keep your policy up to date! As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Micronutrient contributors:
Phytochemicals, compounds believed to play a role in the prevention of cancer and in the reduction of its proliferation, as well as in contributing to the health of the cardiovascular system.
Antioxidant substances, including Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Selenium that have been linked to immune system stimulation and reduction of free radical damage.
Cleaning Energy provides power to keep cells in the brain and body clean and healthy. Use this natural resource, in conjunction with preventive energy, to keep ahead of the potential mess. Micronutrient contributors:
Antioxidant enzymes help keep cells clean and youthful.
Chlorophyll (contained in the green super foods). It is highly regarded among natural healing practitioners as a powerful cleanser, deodorizer, and purifier.
N Acetyl Cysteine, Dandelion, and Milk Thistle have been found to function as mild liver cleansers.
Healing Energy provides the power to make it easier for the body to heal itself when symptoms of dis-ease do occur. Use this natural resource to help you rebound if you do succumb to illness. Treat it with care and keep it with you at all times. Remember that in general, if the body heals, it heals itself. You can it easier or more difficult for that healing to occur. Micronutrient contributors:
Antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E. They provide needed electrons to replace those lost in the process of free radical production, and help to strengthen immune system cells, whose job it is to destroy invading organisms and abnormal or mutant cells.
Adaptogens help the body manage stress more effectively, allowing energy supplies to focus on healing.
Carotenes
Longevity Energy provides power to retard and resist the onset of symptoms of aging. Use this natural resource to impact both quantity and quality of your life. Think of it as proportional to the antioxidant resources that are left over at the end of the day after all the essential chores in the cells have been completed, and which can be invested in preservation. Micronutrient contributors:
Antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes strengthen the immune system. The health of the immune system plays a part in how long you live and how much energy you have while you are alive.
Adaptogens, believed to help with stress management, which can be anti-aging.
Botanical compounds, such as those in green super foods, can help to retard the onset of aging symptoms.
Sexual Energy provides power to own and exhibit your gender-unique characteristics. This energy involves far more than sexual activity (sexual intimacy is only one type of intimacy). It involves a state of being. Use this natural resource to help you be all that you can be as a member of your gender. Micronutrient contributors:
Adaptogens can contribute to the efficiency of body processes.
Vitamin C
Vitamin E (called the sexual vitamin by some researchers) can help to protect cells from toxins and promote a sense of well being, a prerequisite for feeling amorous.
Lecithin is an important component of natural lubrication for females; for males it can help to replace lecithin lost with their semen.
Time flew by as the students became absorbed in the discussion. It was eye-opening when they began to disclose the type of food they typically ate. Some had not had a fresh green salad for weeks! “Deep green leafy vegetables and the green super foods contain five elements not typically found in other foods,” I reminded them. These elements are:
Chlorophyll that helps to oxygenate the body and decrease susceptibility to disease
Trace minerals that help to trigger growth, act as cofactors, and strengthen the immune system
Phytochemicals that detoxify, cleanse, and enhance the immune system at the cellular level
Polypeptides that build lean connective tissue and decrease susceptibility to stress
Enzymes that serve as catalysts within the body and help to rejuvenate the immune system
All too soon the class period was over and it was time to leave. On the drive home I chuckled as I thought about the dinner-table conversations related to energy and foods that might occur later that day.
How are your energy resources? Do you need to create and live a high-level-wellness lifestyle? Do you need to replenish your life force by design? Remember, your bottom line is energy!
“I’m so glad we decided to meet for breakfast,” Tess said as she and Josh slipped into the booth. “Something really weird happened to us last night, and we want to talk about it!” We ordered, and then Tess continued: “As you know, Josh consults for two major companies, and they both scheduled their annual parties for the same night. Of course we had to put in an appearance at both of them.”
“How did you decide which party to attend first?” I asked out of curiosity.
Tess looked at Josh. He smiled (or was it a grimace?) and shrugged. “I’m more comfortable with the management team at one of the companies, so decided we’d get the difficult one out of the way first.”
As I munched on Lingonberry pancakes, their story unfolded. They expected to divide their time between the two events, but within an hour of arriving at the first party they were feeling jittery and even irritable. “By the time we left I was flat out exhausted,” Tess explained, “so exhausted that I told Josh I wasn’t up to the second one. But he said we had to put in an appearance and we’d just stay for a short time.”
More Lingonberry pancakes. Delicious! They had arrived at the second event, shaken hands with administration, greeted a few of the revelers, and then sat at a table in the corner from which they expected to make a discrete exit after a few more minutes. “But something changed,” Josh said. “In fact it was pretty amazing!” It turned out that within a few minutes not only had their irritation disappeared but also their sense of fatigue. This time it was my turn to smile. I was fairly certain there was a brain-function explanation but wanted to hear more about each party first. Tess summarized the situation this way:
Party #1: Lots of people crowed together in a room that was undersized for the group. Rock music playing so loudly that you could hardly communicate without shouting. Conversation seemed to center around the risk of terrorism and how life was going to hell in a handbasket, in terms of safety and quality, and on the fact that bonuses were smaller, due to a downturn in the housing market. Grouse, grouse, grouse is how Josh put it. “I get enough of that at work,” he said, “and I sure didn’t need more of the same at the annual social! Cheez!”
Party #2: Lots of people, but the room was more than twice as large, so it didn’t feel crowded. Soft seasonal music was playing, and no one had to shout. At this event the conversation centered around what the organization was doing that year to improve life in the surrounding communities. This ranged from gifting the homeless shelter with a tree and presents, to providing food for holiday dinners that would be served to the less fortunate. There was also a display of items that had recently been brought back from Africa by one of the couples, and Josh and Tess had spent an enjoyable hour hearing about their travels and safari experiences. “We stayed almost three hours,” Tess enthused, “and hated to leave because we were having such a good time. Go figure!” It was easy to do.
Think of your body as an electromagnetic field. It both produces and absorbs electromagnetic energy. Em energy for short. It sends and receives. It is also a resonator; it can resonate with almost any type of energy—positive or negative. At the first party it resonated with negative energy—a huge drain, but it resonated with positive energy at the second party, which is an energy booster.
“Explain!” said Josh with his typical male-brain-style brevity.
“Did you know that your heart contains a second brain?” I asked. They shook their heads. “Actually, it has its own independent nervous system with at least as many neurons as are found in various subcortical sections of the brain.” It turns out that the heart’s neurons are identical to neural cells in the brain. They operate with the same type of axonal and dendritic connections, and use the very same types of neurotransmitters. That’s why some have dubbed the heart “your second brain.” It certainly speaks to the old proverb: “As you think in your heart, so you are.”
Not only that, there is a two-way nervous system relay between the brain and the heart. Information about what happens in your brain gets sent to your heart, and vice versa. But here’s the kicker. Neurons in the brain and the heart generate electromagnetic or EM energy. Of the two, the heart is by far the largest generator of Em energy; its magnetic field is thought to be hundreds (if not thousands) if times greater than the brain’s. The heart sends and receives types/frequencies of energy and exchanges energy-information with other brains and hearts.
Josh set down his mug of hot chocolate and held up his hand. “Where does this EM energy go after it is generated?” he asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I replied. “Studies have shown that the heart’s electromagnetic field extends beyond your body, perhaps up to twelve or fifteen feet. It carries information about your emotional state to people and the environment around you. The field is so powerful that you can take an electrocardiogram reading from as far as three feet away from the body. And, since it is believed that energy is never destroyed, your Em energy may be bouncing around forever somewhere out in the universe.”
“Oh my goodness,” Tess exclaimed. “We were being influenced by the Em energy in the crowded room!”
“Studies have shown that your inner thoughts, feelings, and impressions directly impact your electromagnetic energy,” I said. “When you express those thoughts, feelings, and impressions the energy may be even more impactful.”
“I wonder if we could have positively influenced the first party if we had stayed longer,” Tess mused.
“In a pig’s eye!” Josh retorted promptly. “I’d had all of that I wanted!”
“Perhaps,” I replied, looking at Tess, “but in my experience it’s very difficult for the positive energy of one or two individuals to dissipate the negative energy of several. There are occasions when I choose to visit people who typically exude negative Em energy, but the length of the visit will be relatively short to minimize the drain to my own energy levels.”
“We’ve learned a lot from this experience,” Tess said.
Josh concurred. “Next year,” he said, “we will put in an appearance—but for only few minutes.”
Joss made an excellent point. Em energy carries information about your emotional state and dumps it into the environment around you. That is both exciting and depressing. If your emotional state is appreciative and affirming, you have the potential of positively impacting the environment around you. Of course the reverse is also true. Your negative and critical emotional states have the potential to negatively pollute your environment. Above all, you will be affected by the environments in which you place yourself and the length of time you spend there. You only have only so much energy, and you need to decide how to expend it. You also need to evaluate the potential impact of the environment on your energy level and be consciously selective.
The bill arrived, and we prepared to leave. Josh and Tess were light years ahead of most people on this planet in terms of understanding the impact human beings have on each other and the environment. The brain tends to keep only one thought at a time in the foreground of consciousness, so it is important to take responsibility for the type of thoughts you choose to think. They will impact your electromagnetic energy. It’s as if your thoughts broadcast energy out into the universe—negatively or positively. Negative thoughts impact the environment negatively and project a repelling energy; positive thought impact the environment positively and attract positive experiences.
Take a moment each day and use your brain to center attention toward your heart and appreciate the steady beats that unfailingly circulate blood throughout your brain and body. Emphasize affirming and appreciative thoughts. Not only will this positively impact every cell in your body, it will do the same for your immediate environment. You are more powerful than you might think!
