I don't care!

Well you should. At least you should try. The research done by the Heart Math Institute has shown that care is one of the most powerful core heart feelings (those that help to boost the immune system and keep a healthy balance in the body's autonomic nervous system--see previous post).

It is common for many of us to think that we don't have time to care, or that we care too much already, or that we won't know how to care--but the truth is we can't afford to not care.

Caring is like wildfire--once lit up it spreads--creating a cascade of uplifting and regenerative energy that permeates our world and those we touch. The care we put out comes right back into us--feeding and nourishing every cell of our being.

One of the best ways to express care is through touch. Hugging, holding, caressing all while holding space for a core heart feeling has tremendous benefits for both giver and receiver. Research has shown that when we touch someone the electrical energy of heart is transmitted to the other person's brain and vice verse. We literally shift to match each others energy.

This aspect of touch also applies to our interaction with plants and animals. Studies have been done with animals that report that the mortality rate of cardiac patients with pets was roughly one third of that of those with out them. It has also been found that kids with pets have a higher degree of empathy.

One thing is for certain without care, or the need to care, our lives lack meaning and our systems literally begin to shut down. In a state of care however our body illuminates, radiates, and we reap the wonderful benefits of supreme aliveness.

Besides touch we can send care to others through sending out love and compassion to them. You can sit down, or even while in the moment of doing whatever it is you are doing just focus on your heart and bring that person, pet, or animal into mind and focus on the energy of love, compassion, appreciation--whatever you can connect to and send it to them. Visualize them receiving it and feel the response in your body of giving that love and care. Soak it in to every cell of your being and do this for as long as you like. Whether you know it or not you just boosted your IgA levels (immune system) and brought your heart into coherence which just made you that much healthier in every major system of your body.

This is a great thing to do in those moments where the world feels overwhelming and you just feel hopeless as to how to create change or help someone. The homeless family you pass on the street, the suffering dog chained to the fence, the victims of war torn countries, the friend who lost their job. There are many things which we just cannot do anything about other than just bear witness. You can compare that to the situation that Jesus was once in in the Garden of Gethsemane praying to god to take his burden away and wanting nothing more from his disciples to bear witness to his suffering. They couldn't stop it nor could he--but he still needed their care and support to face the challenge. Same thing could be compared to the last installment of Harry Potter as Harry went to face his demise--Dumbledore knew the importance of care and support in those moments and gave harry a stone that connected him to all the loved ones he had lost to help guide him into his final challenge against Voldermort.

We need to feel cared for just as much as we need to care for others. It extends to causes and issues we care about as well. What we need to pay attention to is that we don't over care. We need to remember the lessons from the Bhagavad Gita and to not attach ourselves to the fruit of our action. We can care without worrying about the results of the care. Give generously without overindulging the ego's need to be recognized or get something back. Remember the act of caring if sincere already benefits your health--what a reward! Plus it just feels good to give.

A nice practice to engage in is Metta Meditation,or Tonglen. These two meditation practices really connect to the heart and help to give out care, love and compassion. Both are also really good if you are in a place where you find yourselve working with a lot of anger towards the world or others. The Heart Math Foundation also has many techniques--check out their website and most important pick the book up "The Heart Math Solution".

Here is a link to practice Metta

And one for Tonglen

and again Heart Math