Connecting Sussex during this time of separation
The Community Coherence Project was created by Dr. Krista Griffin as a way to share 20 to 30 minutes of connection and meditation as a community. The benefits of meditation are well documented and the process of bringing the heart and brain into synchronization boosts the immune system.
Coherence is orderliness; it is a rhythm that calms the body and turns down the “fight or flight” nervous system. With the 24-hour news cycle and the uncertainties about COVID-19, many people are at a heightened state of anxiety and stress most of the day. The body is capable of handling bursts of stress; however it is not designed to maintain the hormones of stress for extended periods of time without consequences.
“The major consequence we are trying to avoid is immune suppression. We need a healthy and robust immune system to protect our bodies,” says Griffin. “The act of spending 20 minutes a day breathing and focusing on the heart and gratitude has measurable physiologic effects on the body and calms the mind.”
There are over 50 peer reviewed studies on the effects group meditation has on a community. It only takes 1 percent of a population to have an effect on injuries and hospitalization for an entire community. “When we connect on ZOOM we are able to see neighbors, friends and like-minded people all interested in being part of the movement for the greater good of our community and our world. Just like sending a prayer, it’s a way for us to be in service while abiding by the stay-in-place orders. The original goal was to have over 2,250 people all opening their hearts together at 7:30 a.m. every day. That’s 1 percent of Sussex County. By day five it had already morphed into a global community. We have people from France, Germany, Virginia, Florida and it grows every day. It’s worth the effort. Social distancing doesn’t mean social isolation and community isn’t limited by ZIP codes.”
To join the movement and be a part of this collective consciousness check out Alchemy 4 Life Delaware on Facebook or www.Alchemy4Life.com.
