We’ve so far studied the discovery (part 1) that the human heart’s electromagnetic field extends several feet from the body – that we don’t stop at our skin, that our apparent separation is more complicated than it seems – and appears to carry emotional information that can be picked up by another person.
Experiments also appear to show (part 2) that people’s hearts can synchronise, findings taken up by the Global Coherence Initiative, led by The HeartMath Institute’s Rollin McCraty. They’re examining how humans and the sun’s and earth’s magnetic fields interact, and how this could lead to higher collective consciousness).
The four hypotheses behind McCraty and colleagues’ ongoing research were laid out in a 2021 paper in Cardiology and Vascular Research, with the first discussed last week. The remaining three follow today.
Hypothesis two: The earth’s magnetic fields can act as carriers of biologically relevant and patterned information.
McCraty’s experimental finding that the heart’s EM field can be detected and its emotional information read has been confirmed by other investigators. One team showed heart synchronisation between people sitting at a table, again finding better coherence for those who had a loving childhood. Another study, at a Spanish fire-walking ritual, found coherence between the fire-walkers and related spectators.
Theoretical physicists Larissa Brizhika and Emilio Del Giudice’s believe that the EM field acts as a messenger by interacting with all molecules within its wavelength – with water, so ubiquitous in living organisms, playing a vital role in biological dynamics.
Hypothesis three: We each affect the global information field.
McCraty goes a little round the houses here, first introducing the concept of such a planetary field – given names such as “noosphere”, “morphic resonance field”, “social hologram” and “akashic field” by researchers and philosophers – and then citing studies showing that people can interact nonlocally. Et voila, we each affect the global information field! (Spoiler alert: sarcasm.)
There is one interesting study cite, though: that the number of people asleep may affect Schumann resonance values, the measurement of NASA’s “planetary heartbeat”.
Hypothesis four: A large number of people creating heart-centred states of care, love and compassion will generate a more coherent field environment that can benefit others and offset planetary discord. The earth’s GM fields act as carrier waves for this information.
If a human’s bio-emotional energy can have a measurable nonlocal effect on another, then could a group’s collective thoughts affect a much larger group? It’s a question that’s been asked by such diverse sources as multiple sci-fi authors and mass meditations for peace. Indeed, a 27-month study used groups of meditators in Jerusalem, Yugoslavia and the US to try and influence the levels of violence in Lebanon during its 1982-85 war with Israel. (Apparently, and after controlling for a whole heap of co-factors, each attempt saw levels of violence drop by 40-80 per cent, which makes you wonder why they didn’t just declare victory and do it round the clock.)
McCraty also cites the Global Consciousness Project as evidence for his final hypothesis, a topic found to be less convincing in a prior Weekly Witness post. It’s basically evidence looking for a theory.
His conclusion won’t surprise: if living systems communicate via biological and EM fields, then humans can work together to increase global field coherence, which in turn is transmitted to everything within the field. Each individual’s good vibes lead to greater collective good vibes. There’s an intriguing counter to this, though, that’s not discussed – is the opposite true? Can mass hysteria and panic also transmit throughout the earth’s living systems?
It’s as much a call to arms as anything else – if everyone’s attitude counts, each of us can realise we make a difference and are helping the shift to a more peaceful world. “This is empowering for many individuals,” he writes, “who often feel overwhelmed by current conflicts on the planet and negative predictions about the future.”
Next week: a rare EEG investigation into shamanic states of consciousness. Includes drumming!
Bonus clip
“As a rising star in the field of abstract mathematics, Michael discovered that he could see beauty and pattern where others could not. But his path was not to be inside academia, or even inside society. He went on a grand adventure to unify his Buddhism with his ability to see an expanded view of reality. He created beauty in a place where nobody else would, and made his friends amongst dolphins.”