Your heart needs to be healthy. It needs to be healthy so that you can move and live in the way that you want.

Normally, when we think of our heart health we think only of our outer heart–the physical heart. All of us know that our physical heart is important. Our hearts keep us alive. They pump blood 24/7, providing our bodies with vital nutrients. Yet we also have and inner heart. It is that part of ourselves that is beyond the physical.

This month of the heart, I think it’s appropriate to talk about our inner heart health.

Having health for our inner heart is also important. Medical science has shown that emotional illnesses can create real heart disease. Depression, anxiety, and severe sadness have been shown to cause heart attacks. They can lead to crippling disability.

So how is it possible to make our inner heart happy and healthy?

Dr. Dean Ornish, M.D. was the first cardiologist prove that what happens at an emotional and psychological level could influence coronary heart disease, and that this could be reversed with the proper treatment. Dr. Ornish coined the term, an “open heart,” by this we mean being willing to share our feelings and our emotions. It’s the process of letting people past the outer mask that is part of every person. When we have an open heart we are willing to open ourselves up and let people see the real us.

As a cardiologist who has been on the mystical path of Sufism for over 20 years, a path that is called the way of the heart, techniques are available that can help you deeply open your heart and deeply connect to your heart in ways that you may not of imagined.

The results can be nothing short of spectacular.

I’ve had hundreds of people who have he healed or hearts of many ailments by learning how to connect to the heart more deeply. The Heart Connection Meditation is a powerful way to learn how to connect to your heart. CLICK HERE to download a free audio track and practice this meditation.

Here are three tips that I think are most essential for boosting your inner heart health.

Tip #1: Be willing to think differently.

My first best tip for boosting your inner heart health is that you be willing to think differently about your health.

You have to allow your mind to go past the physical health. Now I’m not saying that your physical health isn’t important. It is. You can’t be truly healthy if your physical health isn’t good.

But your inner health particularly of your heart is just as important. You need to think in terms of elevating your inner heart health.

Just as its important you give nourishment to the body, it’s very critical to nourish your inner heart. So when we think of nourishment for our heart what are we talking about? Although all of us might have different ideas about inner heart nourishment, what my expertise has shown is that it all boils down to peace and love.

Our heart’s need to be nourished by peace and love. We need to pour these two key ingredients into our hearts. Now you may be wondering, “How is that possible?” “How can I bring more love/peace into my heart?”

The answer is stillness and what I call the heart connection. When you connect to your own heart, by getting still, sitting quietly and just breathing or remembering a loving peaceful memory this will calm the heart. It will allow you to feel peace, to be peace.

If you are a spiritual person you can pray. You can remember the Divine Creator.

Guided meditations are also a great way to connect to your heart and bring peace and love deep within. CLICK HERE download a Free audio track from my program Quick Stress Relief. I’ve specifically designed it to help people connect to their hearts.

So change your thinking about the importance of your inner heart health.

Tip #2: Get Comfortable with a Method of Heart Connection

The second essential ingredient for boosting your inner heart health is to find a method that will get you to the place of stillness that I spoke about in tip #1.

Everyone is different. We are all moved by different memories, experiences, and tastes. So I although I can share with you a method of heart connection (the Free Audio track listed above), it might not be your cup of tea.

So explore and experience. Many different methods for connecting to your heart exist. Psychotherapy, eastern meditation, mindfulness, yoga, and many others. Try different techniques and methods that bring you to a place of heart connection, that fills you with peace. You have to be comfortable with a technique or you won’t continue to use it.

Whatever method you chose should slow your heart and breathing down and make you feel calm and relaxed.

I once talked to a patient about this for over fifteen minutes. Later, when I saw him on his next visit and asked him about it, he said, “oh I play golf. This is my way of connecting to my heart.” Now, journeying out into nature could be a way to find real stillness. Many people find deep connection for their hearts out in nature. Yet, when I talked to him further, I found out that golf actually made him angry and frustrated.

Obviously, this wasn’t truly a way to connect deeply to his heart. The Institute of Heart Math has a very powerful method of heart connection that is similar to what I use. Check that out

Whatever method of heart connection you choose, make sure it really makes you feel peaceful and calm.

Tip #3 You have to do it everyday

The most critical step for boosting your inner heart health is that you have to connect to your heart everyday. Now when I tell this to my patients they often make a face.

“Everyday? they ask incredulously.

“Yes,” I reply, “everyday is what’s best.” Suddenly, the room goes silent. It’s like the gear of a machine stopping with a loud creak.

Now these same people wouldn’t think about not eating everyday or of not drinking something everyday. But when they are asked to spend 15-20 minutes everyday advancing their inner heart health- a roadblock comes up. It’s the idea, “I can’t do this. I don’t have the time.”

In my comprehensive stress reduction training program, 5 Simple Steps for Overcoming Stress Now, one whole modules is called: Get Clear Now. The idea is that we have to be totally clear about why we need to change our lives in order to reduce the overwhellming stress that perplexes us.

Can you see now why Tip #1 was about changing your thinking about your inner heart health?

Just as your physical body needs wholesome foods, clean water and exercise- your heart also needs vital nourishment. Dr. Craig Oster is a friend of mine who has been overcoming ALS. He’s had it for nineteen years. In the last four years, he has been putting to use the technique of deep heart connection on a daily basis. (www.healingwithdrcraig.com) The results have been astounding. His whole attitude and mental framework has changed. His happiness is greater. In my estimation, his daily practice of the Sufi technique of remembrance of God, a powerful heart connection practice has made all the difference.

I can’t underestimate what a daily practice of heart connection will do for your life. It can be truly transformational. More love, deeper peace, and better physical health- these are just a few of the benefits that I have witnessed.

So now is your chance to change your life for the better.

In this month of the heart, why not give a beautiful gift to your own heart.

Boost your inner heart health. You won’t be disappointed.