The passage discusses bringing the five senses into one's heart to increase happiness and focus. It recommends focusing on pleasant smells, looking closely at natural beauty, listening to sounds in nature, touching textures, and truly tasting foods. It also suggests stopping to feel heart connections with loved ones and nature, and focusing one's breathing in the heart. Practicing these techniques can help liberate one from unproductive thoughts and increase happiness through present moment awareness and incorporating heart feelings. Committing to the practice will yield rewards.

1. 4. Bring the empowering five senses into your heart. Focus on the pleasant smells such as fragrant rain or popcorn. Look at the
shapes, colors, and details of flower petals. Listen to the sound of the wind in the trees and the laughter of children. Touch a velvety
rose petal and the texture of tree bark. Truly taste the creamy, smooth, coolness of ice cream or the crunchy texture of an apple.
5. Stop to really feel heart connections in special moments with your cat or dog, with the beautiful eyes of an infant, with the wonder
and beauty of nature, with emotional aspects of music, and similar moments.
6. Focus the inhale and exhale of the breath in your heart.
When we become more self-aware of our thoughts and feelings, we begin to see that so often our thoughts were the problem (along
with the emotions that thoughts bring up). With attention to the present, we feel liberated from non-productive thought and we find a
way out of our unhappiness. As we become more focused in our present moment with our thoughts and incorporate the feelings of our
heart, we have a powerful approach to increasing happiness. It is a strategy that works through practicing the techniques. Commit to
the practice and you will reap the rewards. I believe in you wholeheartedly. If you want to know more about the magnificence of the
heart and what it can do, do a Google search for heart intelligence or explore www.heartmath.org.
Author’s Bio
Terry has a master of arts degree in counseling from University of Colorado–Denver. She has 30 years' experience working with
adults, children, and family preservation. She has worked in settings such as nonprofits, schools, alcohol/drug programs, and the jus-
tice system. Her role as counselor, consultant, and trainer maintains a focus on spirituality, health, and wellness. Terry currently facili-
tates groups and supports individualized mentoring at the Wellness and Recovery Center North.
For all the mental health workers and friends who helped me get my life back
When I think of where I’ve been, the good times and the bad
On a scale of 1 to 10, either way, I’m glad
’Cause I’m not alone as I’m reaching for the phone
You really care, your voice is there, my comfort zone.
Sometimes when I’m lost, crushed beneath the pain
Though I can’t afford the cost, I just smile and play the game
But there’s a healing place where I cannot pretend
Your smiling face, your heart’s embrace heals me again
So even when the storm is strong and I’m deaf to my own cry
I faintly hear a distant song and I simply can’t deny
That I’m not alone, even when I’m on my own
Your gentle touch is much too much to let me roam.
About David Kiesz
After losing his American dream and his health to religious
fanaticism, he started over with a 'can do' attitude and sur-
rounded himself with like-minded friends. With the help of
Mental Health America of Northern California, he landed a job
traveling California as an analyst of mental health services. He
also helps shoot a TV show which airs every other Saturday
night on (Comcast) Access Channel 17 at 7 p.m. His passion
is the use of music, poetry, and comedy as forms of therapy
for others and himself. He co-facilitates a Performing
Arts/Sing-Along group at the Wellness and Recovery Center
(WRC). The first love song he wrote is actually a ‘thank you’ to
all who encouraged him on his new journey.