The issue of left-right brain hemisphere difference has been widely studied since 1975 and continued to hold interest, including practical applications to a broad range of subjects:
- language
- gender differences
- reading
- emotion
- problem-solving
- memory
- handedness
- personality
There is a tendency for the two cerebral hemispheres to operate in two verydifferent contexts: with most people (right-handed) the left is verbal/logical and the right side is non-verbal/intuitive, another words, left hemisphere is for verbal and analytical thought, the right for intuitive, philosophical, holistic patterns of thinking:
primarily verbal mathematical and numerical concerned with paradox and pattern prefers holistic concepts
LEFT
|
RIGHT
|
- primarily non-verbal
- musical and spatial
- concerned with details
- prefers reductionism concepts
|
What they name left brain's linear knowledge and right brain's holistic knowing are not necessarily alternative, they can be mutually enriching. Making the hemispheres working together, even on very simple tasks including the movement s, helps to promote their interactions.
An important bundle of nerve fibers called the "corpus callosum" is situated between the right and left hemispheres. The left and right sides of the brain communicate with each other via this neural pathway. It is thought that "crossing" movements, when the right and left sides of the body work reciprocally, force hemispheres to co-operate. The pattern "right arm-left leg, then left arm-right leg" is used, for example, in walking.
This pattern is generated by nervous system at the level as low as the spinal cord, so we consider this movement task automatic. Spinal cord is perfectly symmetrical. No wonder that there is no problem of right-left halves' interaction in spinal cord, the both halves are perfectly co-operative.
When we try to perform unfamiliar movement pattern requiring the reciprocity, it is not enough to use the spinal cord only. The hemispheres have to work using the corpus callosum and co-operating. The more sophisticated right-left movement interplay we have to imply, the more we exercise right-left hemisphere interaction.
All kinds of movement patterning figure eight, especially with the whole body participation and the eyes following the fingertips, are ideal for this exercising. Remember -- horizontal figure eight is a symbol of Eternity? This type of movement has especially flowing, meditative character and feels very calming.
