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The Chi Machine Integrates The Brain & Body |
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| from EDUCATIONAL KINESTHETICS by Paul E. Dennison, PhD and Gail Dennison |
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| The brain and body exist in three dimensional space, the left/right dimension being just one part of the total life force. One must also consider "integration" in terms of the top/bottom dimension, for centering, and the back/front dimension, for total attention, in order to understand how the brain and body work together and are, in fact, one. | ||
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| Three Dimensions | ||
| There are three dimensions of the brain/body system. These are the laterality dimension (left and right body and brain hemisphere), the centering dimension (top and bottom and brain), and the back/front dimension (back body and brain to front body and frontal lobes). How do these dimensions apply to your ability to learn and express yourself? | ||
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| Laterality Dimension | ||
| The first of these three dimensions is the laterality dimension. This is the dimension of the left and right hemisphere of the brain and the left and right sides of the body. This dimension is affected by homolateral behavior, lateral dominance patterns, transposition of hemispheres, and it affects the eyes and ears. | ||
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| Effect of Laterality On Reading Skills | ||
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| This expressive hemisphere helps you decode written words into phonemes, derive meaning from complex relationships among word concepts and syntax, and understand what you read in terms of you and your own experiences. | ||
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| Effect of Reading Skills on Laterality | ||
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Important developmental steps need to have taken place in order to function with both hemispheres on together for eyes, ears,, and whole body movement for the complex near-point activity of reading across the midline. These developmental processes need to be complete for reading and writing activities. | |
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| Laterality and the Midline | ||
| In order to read fluently, to write creatively, to spell and remember, to listen and think at the same time, you must be able to "cross the midline," which connects right and left hemisphere, the two opposing energies of the brain and body. Although we all cross it to some extent, the midline is either a bridge or a barrier for learning, depending upon our prior learning experiences. When right and left hemisphere communicate spontaneously, working together at one time, then the midline becomes a bridge, connecting neurological pathways. When right and left brain must take turns working, or work in conflict, then the midline becomes a barrier, and the connection is broken. | ||
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| Centering Dimensions | ||
| Centering has to do with balance, overall whole-body coordination, "groundedness," and integrity of upper and lower halves of the body - how well they work together. It keeps you centered in your thinking, processing the information in terms of your own life experience or knowledge, as you read. | ||
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