Posts Tagged ‘yoga and creativity’

According to scientists, if you see the dancer turning clockwise, you’re operating more dominantly from the right-brain… left-brain if she’s turning counter-clockwise.  Supposedly, if you stare at her foot and its shadow, you can actually turn her in the other direction.  Ummmm… OK… yes, but now I have a headache….

To summarize the characteristics of each…

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS:  uses logic, detail oriented, facts rule, words and language, present and past, math and science, comprehension and knowing, order/pattern perception, reality based, forms strategies, practical, safe;

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS: uses feeling, “big picture” oriented, imagination rules, symbols and images, present and future, philosophy & religion, can “get it” (i.e. meaning), believes, appreciates, spatial perception, knows object function, fantasy based, presents possibilities, impetuous and risk taking.

The bottom line is we need both to function.  But sometimes… say, when you’re trying something new, or wanting to accomplish a work of some creativity… or perhaps just needing to get through a yoga practice with a shred of self-esteem (ahem!), it’s nice to just turn off that left side… that pesky and insistent part of your head that continuously reminds you how ridiculously bad you are at whatever you are doing.  Sometimes it’s important- no, essential-  to just go with the flow and allow the freedom of imagination, fantasy and creativity, the right- brain, to take hold.

Not an easy task.  However, as I found during my last practice, it’s possible…

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