Have You Heard of the Cortical Homunculus?
Our Hands Are the Key
Have you heard of the cortical homunculus? I just came across this amazing thing while digging deeper into the hand/brain neuron connection.
Each body part's size corresponds to how much brainpower is dedicated to feeling or moving it.
The hands, lips and tongue are huge!
And the calf, well not so much is happening there... 😜
I use this information often in the LEGO Serious Play workshops I design and facilitate.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the method is that your hands can inform your brain of the answer you are seeking.
Think of when we have an active dialogue in groups. Due to the context we are generally using the prefrontal cortex, or the logic center of our brain.
Yet when we get our hands involved, such as when we build our thoughts and ideas out of LEGO bricks, we are using more parts of our brain.
Our hands, as pictured in the cortical homunculus image above, are activating more neuron networks in our brain, which in turn can give us access to more information or knowledge that might have not been accessible when just working verbally.
Curious how you can use this? Next time your stuck on something, find a way to get your hands involved. Draw pictures, use toys, build landscapes, and you may find the answer you are looking for, all with the help of your hands!
Now that deserves a high five! 🖐
Contact us today to see how using your hands can break through thought barriers!
