Most of the world’s population is right-handed. Left-handers, according to various estimates, about 15%. But what happens to the other, non-dominant hand? And if both start to act on equal terms? Life can change dramatically, says psychologist and art therapist Lucia Capaccione. After all, that is exactly what happened to her.
The book “The Power of the Other Hand” was published in 1988, in Russia it was published in 2005. Since then, many different studies have been carried out, scientific papers have been published on how the hemispheres of the brain and the work of both hands are interconnected. All of them confirmed what Lucia had deduced intuitively and on the basis of experience – her own and her many clients. In 2019, the book was reissued with an updated foreword by the author*.
Checked – it works!
At 35, Lucia Capaccione was diagnosed with a rare disease. The woman literally “came apart” because the connective tissue of her body suffered.
Years later, she admitted: thanks to a psychotherapist who one day handed her a pencil and advised her to write with her left hand, Lucia’s whole life changed, and after a few years the disease receded. And the woman herself changed her profession and began to help people discover their hidden abilities and release hidden emotions.
Such is the power of practice in which a person begins to use the second, non-dominant hand for writing and drawing. For right-handers, this is the left, and for left-handers, it is the right.
The dialogue of two hands led to even greater discoveries. And this is not a metaphor, but literally a conversation, correspondence, diary.
Self talk
The therapist told Lucia Capaccione that each of us has three ego states: Parent, Adult and Child. As a result of the exercises in the book, Lucia herself and her clients were able to hear them and even resolve their frequent conflicts. The leading hand, according to the psychologist, speaks with the voice of the Controlling Parent, and the other with the voice of the Inner Child.
Before presenting some of the exercises from the book here, we will give some basic guidelines.
You need to find and equip a secluded place and allocate enough time. To get the most out of each exercise, do it for 15 to 30 minutes without a break. You will need two pens, two felt-tip pens or a pair of pencils, and A4 or larger unlined paper. A set of colored pencils and felt-tip pens will also come in handy, but for other exercises in the book, in case you want to test them.
These practices involve deeply personal matters, so keep what you learn about yourself confidential. Or share only with those you trust.
Exercise 1. Writing with the other hand
- Take a pen or pencil in your other hand (hereinafter, we mean the hand with which you usually do not write or draw).
- Spell or spell out your name. Do not think about how neat, legible or beautiful you get.
- Keep writing. Spell or write how you feel during the process. Don’t pay attention to spelling and word choice. Read. Now, with your dominant hand, write down your reaction to what the other wrote. What did you feel? How do you rate your handwriting? What thoughts and emotions did you visit? How did you react when you had to write differently, do something unknown and unfamiliar?
Perhaps the first exercise will strike at your ego. But it will also allow you to track your typical reaction to difficult or unusual situations. Just watch what happens. As you continue to write with your other hand, the awkwardness will gradually go away. Notice any new feelings or thoughts that come up.
Exercise 2. Blockbuster
It was created to help you turn to your cherished dream, who to be or what to do. Thanks to him, you will analyze those aspects – conscious or unconscious – that do not allow the dream to come true, placing blocks. You can even mentally imagine two characters: one personifies the Cherished Dream (ZM), and the second speaks on behalf of Blok (B).
For example: Artist (ZM) – Perfectionist (B), Inventor (ZM) – Critic (B) and so on. The other hand writes for the Dream, the leading hand writes for the Blok.
- Ask yourself: what is my cherished dream? What would I most like to do or be? In other words, express what you are currently blocking.
- Choose or invent two characters: one is ZM, the second is B.
- Start a written dialogue by allowing the other hand to express your SP. Write as you wish as detailed and as detailed as possible.
- Let your dominant hand continue the dialogue and tell the whole story, as well as explain why it is blocking your dream.
This exercise will allow you to clearly imagine your cherished dream. By writing it down with your other hand, you can more easily separate what you really want from what others want from you.
The Inner Critic can be the naked king. His pseudo-rational arguments will be exposed, and you will have enough willpower to follow your dream, redistributing forces and resources.
In Lucia Capaccione’s book, you will find other practices that will help you identify and resolve internal conflicts, better understand yourself and find new options to change your life for the better.
* Publishing house “Genesis”, Moscow.