The brain has been a remarkably mysterious entity until relatively recent times… One of the amazing discoveries was through the work of Roger Sperry, a Nobel Prize winning neurologist, who confirmed that each of the two hemispheres of the brain have very different functions.
There is a theory that most of us are dominant on one side… Did you know that the true secret of combining our intellect with our creative potential is the ability to operate from both sides of the brain? Even if we are naturally skilled and base our expression on one side, it is possible to develop and utilise the other – the proof of which is found in the fact that we actually need to utilise both sides of our brain in just about everything that we do! Studies of peak performers have found that the greatest geniuses are able to function on both sides of the brain almost simultaneously, and what better examples than Leonardo Da Vinci and Albert Einstein.
Want to be the next celebrated intellect of modern times? You would know that it is as important to exercise our brains into peak performance as it is to exercise our bodies to ensure physical strength.
If you operate mainly from the right hemisphere, engaging in Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles or crosswords will activate your left side. Another way to engage it is to approach problems differently – if you are usually spontaneous and become overwhelmed by the magnitude of solving issues, change your response. Try to sit, write a list, and methodically work out a solution step-by-step.
And for those who consider themselves left-brained? Engaging the right may seem a little harebrained! Try having a bi-lateral conversation – pick up a pen and use your right hand (even if you are left handed) and write a question, next switch your pen to your left hand (which is controlled by the right brain) and right the answer to your questions. Sometimes this exercise can be really surprising, as the answers that come about are not your usual impulse! Another way is to try to move differently, take a few steps forward and notice which leg and corresponding arm moves first, now repeat the exercise, but switch sides! For an easier right-hemisphere task, engage in artistic pursuits, such as doodling, singing or even dancing.
The key is regular exercise, and of course mindfulness. These techniques are all part of our Santosa detox experience in Phuket, where we teach our retreat guests all about unlocking their potential in body, mind and spirit– and in the sunny island paradise of Phuket, we believe that anything is possible!