Heart Space
The chest area around the heart and sternum. Seat of the desired feeling.
Definition
The heart space (German: Herzraum) is the chest area around the heart and sternum. In FIVE MOVES it is the seat of the desired feeling and the anchor for the safe nervous system state. Through the ventral vagal connection described by Stephen Porges (Polyvagal Theory), this area regulates connectedness, safety and social engagement responses. When the Mover feels their desired feeling in the heart space, their nervous system is in the ventral vagal state. Only from this safety can the transformation take place. The heart space is not meant metaphorically. It is a measurable physiological region with its own heart rate variability (HRV).
In context