The following core content areas serve as our focal points of the CHI curriculum: Character Strengths: The VIA Institute on Character defines “Character Strengths” as “the positive parts of your personality that impact how you think, feel and behave.” Though scientists have identified 24 character strengths that we have the capacity to express, each of us do so in a unique way - something VIA calls our “profile.” This profile is a direct indicator of your personal, authentic way of being.

Coherence

Coherence: The energetic alignment of the heart, mind, and emotions allows one to be in a state of coherence (HeartMath Institute, 2012). Coherence can be actively cultivated and strengthened through simple, heart-centered mindfulness and grounding practices. Greater coherence leads to heightened personal resiliency, intuition, cognitive clarity, overall learning capacity, and self-healing abilities. When we are in a state of personal coherence, we are able to help others and the natural world also tap into heightened coherent states.

Compassion: As stated above, compassion is the state of concern for the suffering or unmet need of another, coupled with a desire to alleviate that suffering (Seppala, 2017). Self-compassion refers to the decision not to judge or criticize yourself for a perceived inadequacy or shortcoming, and rather be kind and understanding when confronted with personal failings or fears. Scientists are now proving that a heightened compassion leads to greater neurological functioning.

In alignment with Dr. Daniel Goleman, a leading psychologist and author in the field, EI is “...the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions effectively in ourselves and in others.

In connection with the fundamental question, “Who am I?” is the inquiry, “Why am I here?” Though there may be great nuance and range amongst individuals in response to these questions, our core teaching is that all human beings are here in this current life to be the truest expression of who they are, and, in doing so, contribute to the rising consciousness of the planet.

To be human means to be made of many layers; layers that have their own needs, desires, and abilities to interact with one another. We are multidimensional. Each of us has a physical dimension to our being, a mental dimension, an emotional or energetic dimension, and a spiritual or intuitive dimension. Each of these layers can be consciously cultivated, strengthened, and aligned in building the thriving life we truly desire.

Dr. Lisa Miller, a clinical psychologist, director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University, and leading researcher in the field defines spirituality as the capacity to have a relationship with the sacred, such as God, the universe, a higher power, or the force of life, and to know we are never alone. Additionally, she attests that this awakened sense of oneness can be cultivated by, and shared with, others and the outside world (Miller, 2021). Miller and other scientists have used brain scans and cutting-edge research methods to prove the neurological evidence of spirituality, its positive impact on combating depression and other forms of inner suffering, and its ability to be actively cultivated and strengthened in human beings.

Although it is commonly known that the brain hosts one of the body’s major neurological centers, the heart is also home to a hub of 40,000 specialized sensory neuritis cells that can think, feel, and learn independently of the brain (Braden, 2015). When these two organs experience coherent communication, meaning the attuned heart is able to send messages to a receptive brain, the brain can then best use its chemistry and tools to carry out authentic decisions made by the heart’s intuition. Additionally, an individual can experience immense character strength-aligned authentic expression, numerous cognitive benefits, access to expansive self-healing modalities, and a level of awareness that can shift global paradigms. At CHI Voices, we know teaching this simple, yet profound realignment is a crucial step in contributing to building heart-forward generations of thriving healers, thinkers, and leaders.

In alignment with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), we define SEL as the “...process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions,” (CASEL, 2022).