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HW410: Unit 6 Exercises

EXERCISE 18.3 Bridging the Hemispheres of Thought

In 1956 a researcher named Roger Sperry conducted some experiments on a handful of patients with grand mal epileptic seizures. In the procedure he created, he cut the corpus callosum, the bridge of neural fibers that connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Not only did the operation reduce the number and intensity of the grand mal seizures, but it also soon gave credence to a whole new concept of how the mind, through the brain, processes information. Roger Sperry’s research led to a Nobel Prize in medicine and to the household expressions right-brain thinking and left-brain thinking.

Left-brain thinking skills are associated with judgment, analysis, mathematical and verbal acuity, linear thought progression, and time consciousness; right-brain functioning is associated with global thinking, holistic thinking, imagination, humor, emotionality, spatial orientation, receptivity, and intuition; Western culture grooms and rewards left-brain thinking. It is fair to say that judgmental thinking is one of our predominant traits. Although it is true that Western culture is left-brain dominant in thinking skills, the truth of the matter is that to be dominant in one style of thinking is actually considered lopsided and imbalanced.

1. How would you describe your dominant thinking style? Would you say that your left brain or right brain dominates?

2. If you were to make a guess or assumption as to why your thinking skills gravitate toward one direction or the other, what would be your explanation?

3. One of the basic themes of wellness is balance—in this case, balance of the right-brain and left-brain functions. Based on your answer to the first question, what are your dominant thinking skills and your non-dominant thinking skills? What are some ways you can balance your patterns by bridging between the right and left hemispheres of your brain?

EXERCISE 20.2 Three Short Guided Visualizations

A Point of Light in Space

This guided imagery is called a point of light in space. As with all types of guided imagery, please adapt and embellish all suggestions you hear to best promote a sense of

rest and relaxation. To begin . . . .

Close your eyes and begin to focus on your breathing. Feel the air come into your nose or mouth, down into your lungs, and as you inhale, feel your stomach area extend out comfortably. Then when you begin to exhale, feel a deep sense of relaxation, for there is no work, no effort, as you release the air from your lungs. This is the most relaxed part of breathing. The exhalation phase of the breath cycle requires no work, no effort—it happens all by itself. Please repeat this cycle of comfortably deep breathing two more times. Inhale (pause five seconds). Exhale. Inhale (pause five seconds).

Exhale.

Now, with your mind’s eye, imagine a vast area of dark empty space in front of you. As you look at this dark empty space, off in the distance you see a small point of light: a brilliant, golden-white light. Allow your thoughts to slowly bring this point of light closer to you. Think to yourself of the stillness that surrounds the light. The stillness represents the quiet solitude that the mind craves after a busy day of sensory overload. The point of light represents only that which is essential to focus on for your higher good. All other thoughts are unimportant at this time. Once again, focus on the small point of light. Although this point of light is small, it’s bright and vibrant. This light is a symbolic representation of your self—yourself at complete homeostasis.

As you focus on this point of light, take a slow, comfortable, deep breath—as slow and comfortably deep as you can. As you exhale, place all of your attention, all of your concentration, on this point of light. If your mind should happen to wander, and most likely it will, simply direct all thoughts back to this point of light in a calm sea of still darkness.

As you focus on this point of light, think to yourself that in the course of a busy day you are constantly being bombarded with sensory stimulation and an abundance of information. Although the mind seeks stimulation, the mind also craves time to unwind and relax. Balance is essential. While it may be impossible to have no thoughts in your mind, it is possible to focus solely on just one thought. Right now, the only thought you need to focus on is this beautiful point of light. As you focus on this single point of brilliant light, take one more slow, deep breath. As you exhale, feel whatever tensions or excess energy you carry in your mind dissipate, thus allowing for a deeper sense of relaxation of mind, body, and spirit.

Take one more slow, deep breath, and this time as you exhale, slowly allow this image of the brilliant point of light to fade from your mind’s eye, yet retain the deep sense of relaxation and calm it has instilled. And as you do this, begin to place all of your attention on your breathing. Inhale and as you do, feel your stomach begin to extend, then slowly come back in as you exhale. In this exhalation process, become aware of a deep sense of complete relaxation.

Although you feel relaxed, you don’t feel sleepy or tired. You feel refreshed and renewed. As you become aware of this energizing sensation, begin to open your eyes to a soft gaze in front of you and slowly bring yourself back to the awareness of the room you are now in, feeling refreshed and renewed.

Gentle Falling Snow

Picture this: You are sitting by a large picture window in a warm log cabin on a brisk winter’s day. You have the entire place to yourself, and the solitude feels invigorating. There is a log fire in the wood stove radiating abundant heat. Both the sounds of crackling wood and the scent of pine arouse your senses and for a moment, you close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath, a sigh that refreshes. As you exhale, you feel a wonderful sense of relaxation permeate your entire body from head to toe, and it feels great. Consciously, you take another slow, deep breath in through your nose. As you exhale through your mouth, you become aware of the glorious stillness that surrounds you in this cabin.

From where you are seated, look out the window, and as you do, you see falling snow, snow that falls gently to the ground in large flakes. Everything outside is covered in white fluffy snow: the ground, the pine trees, the aspens—in fact, all the trees for as far as you can see are covered in snow. As you look closely at the snowflakes descending from on high toward the ground, you sense a calmness both indoors and outdoors. Other than snow falling, everything is still. Everything is quiet. This stillness you observe is a reflection of the tranquility you feel within yourself.

This stillness is so inviting that you slowly move off the couch and stand up. As you walk toward the cabin door, you put on your warm winter coat, hat, and gloves. Then, slowly you open the door and simply stand in the doorframe to observe the endless dance of millions of snowflakes floating gently—almost in slow motion—from the sky down to the snow-covered ground.

Listen closely. What do you hear? The sound of snowflakes is so soft, so gentle, that the sound is barely audible. Your ability to focus on this sound to the exclusion of all other thoughts sets your mind at ease, like a broom that gently sweeps the floor of any remnants needing to be cleaned. The snow-covered ground is a symbol of your mind: clean, clear, and still. Take a slow, deep breath of this clean, fresh air and feel a deeper sense of calmness throughout your entire body.

As you step back inside and close the door, you kick off your shoes, take off this jacket, hat, and gloves, and return to the couch by the picture window. As you close your eyes to focus on the sounds of stillness, take one final slow, deep breath and bring that stillness into the center of your heart space.

Now, slowly allow this image to fade from your mind’s eye, but retain the sense of tranquility it inspired. Make yourself aware of your surroundings: the room, the building, the time of day, and perhaps what you will do after this relaxation session. Although you feel relaxed, you don’t feel tired. You feel rested and rejuvenated. Begin to make yourself aware of your body. Stretch your arms and shoulders. When you feel ready, open your eyes to a soft gaze in front of you, and as you do, retain this sense of calm comfort throughout your mind, body, and spirit all day long.

A Walk on a Secluded Beach

The beach, from the warm turquoise waters of the ocean to the cool, gentle breezes and warm sand, has served humanity for thousands of years as a metaphor for cleansing the mind and relaxing the body. Sitting or walking along a deserted beach and focusing on the gentle rhythm of the ocean surf serve a primal desire for relaxation. It is this image that we wish to re-create in the mind’s eye for the same purpose right now.

The time of day is moments before sunrise, or if you wish, sunset. The temperature is comfortably warm, yet there is a gentle breeze in the air. The sky contains a few clouds, but only enough to enhance the spectacle of reflecting the sun’s rays in concert with the rotation of the earth. While there may be birds off in the distance, you notice that the only sounds you hear are those of the ocean waves in perfect rhythm with your relaxed breathing: inhalation and exhalation.

As you stop for a moment and look out to the horizon, the vastness of all you see in front of you shrinks any and all problems, concerns, and issues you may have at this time to their proper proportion. The immensity, as well as the beauty, of the view you hold in your eyes is exhilarating. Stop for a moment and take a comfortably slow, deep breath. Just as the ocean’s waves clean the shoreline, so too does each exhalation cleanse your mind and body of any thoughts, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, and feelings that, at one time, may have served you but now only hold you back.

Using the ocean surf as a metaphor for peace and relaxation---breathe often for the next several minutes, in rhythm with the ocean’s tide to instill a deep sense of peace and relaxation in both your mind and your body;

Inhale . . . (pause five to ten seconds) . . . Exhale

Inhale . . . (pause five to ten seconds) . . . Exhale

Inhale . . . (pause five to ten seconds) . . . Exhale

Inhale . . . (pause five to ten seconds) . . . Exhale

And one more time: Inhale . . . (pause five seconds) . . . Exhale. As you exhale, take a moment to look down in the sand. As you do, you notice a seashell that catches your attention. You bend down to pick it up and feel the soft texture of the repeated eons of surf on each side of this shell. With a smile of recognition that we too will become soft to the touch with the repeated surf of time, you place this shell in your pocket as a reminder of your own journey of personal growth.

Now, slowly allow this image to fade from your mind, but retain all sensations of relaxation. As you do this, return all thoughts to your breathing each breath comfortably calm and relaxed. Make yourself aware of your surroundings. Remember, although you feel relaxed, you don’t feel tired or sleepy. You feel rested and rejuvenated. Begin to make yourself aware of your body. Stretch your arms and shoulders. When you feel ready, open your eyes to a soft gaze in front of you and bring yourself back to awareness of your current surroundings.

Thoughts and Experiences