Last week Ria and I ended up on the terrace of “the House with the pillars” in Bergen after a wonderful boat trip around Alkmaar. Saartje, our Jack Russell puppy, was at our feet and we enjoyed a delicious glass of rosé. A family passed by, father, mother and a son of approx. 12 years and I saw the following happen in a few seconds. The boy saw Saartje and a happy, endearing smile appeared on his face. He looked at Ria, who saw it happen, and Ria smiled at him. He got an even bigger smile. And the family was around the corner, but the happy feeling lingered for a long time.
I had to think about this when I read a report from HeartMath. The Institute of HeartMath conducts scientific research on the effects of positive emotions on physiology, quality of life and performance delivery. They have shown that the heart is more than a mechanical pump; the heart has its own nervous system and contains about 40,000 neurons. There is a continuous strong exchange of information between the heart and the brain. With each stroke, not only is the blood pumped around, but complex patterns of neurological, hormonal, and electromagnetic information are transmitted to the brain and throughout the body. Thus, the heart forms a powerful entrance to the communication network that connects body, mind and emotions. ECG and EEG measurements show that synchronization occurs at high levels of heart-rhythm coherence, due to positive emotion impulses. And that this also has a good physiological effect.
Again, it appears that the saying who does well, meets well there is scientific evidence.
Boy Van Droffelaar, PhD
