Think with your body, not your head

Contrary to popular thought, thinking occurs below the neck as well as between the ears. For example, much of the nervous system is focused around the gut. Hence, our language about "gut reactions" or "gut instinct." This accounts for many peoples stomach ailments when upset or nervous. That may be why we often have "butterflies" in our stomach to describe out anxiety. Read more about embodied cognition and how you can use the wisdom of your body to be a new you!

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clipped from westallen.typepad.com We think with more than just our minds: Conflict reaches clear down to our toes The cold shoulder. A heavy topic. A heroic white knight. We regularly use concrete, sensory-rich metaphors like these to express abstract ideas and complicated emotions. But a growing body of research is suggesting that these metaphors are more than just colorful literary devices — there may be an underlying neural basis that literally embodies these metaphors. Psychological scientists are giving us more insight into embodied cognition — the notion that the brain circuits responsible for abstract thinking are closely tied to those circuits that analyze and process sensory experiences— and its role in how we think and feel about our world. The authors take a look at several research studies on various effects of embodied cognition. The studies are not in the least boring. I invite you to read the article, and bet many of you will find the studies intriguing.