In teaching thousands of people to write with their non-dominant hand, I've noticed that the other hand often expresses disowned and oppressed parts of the personality. With profound simplicity the other hand gives voice to powerless, weak, even repressed aspects of ourselves. I think of the non-dominant hand as a "silent partner" with emotions and desires that have been stored in the unconscious. When you think about it, this makes sense. The non-dominant hand is usually the considered the wrong hand for writing. It's the perfect hand, then, for expressing those things in ourselves that we consider wrong or judge in some way.
Writing with the non-dominant hand feels awkward because it is the unschooled hand. I always warn people that it will probably look like a child's scrawl and be barely legible. Getting past the exacting inner "school teacher" who judges your spelling, grammar and penmanship is not an easy task. But if you can get past the critic in your head the inner voices can come out through your other hand.
Just as the handwriting looks childlike, the sentiments that are expressed are often those of a young child. People report primitive and raw emotions coming to the surface. They may feel vulnerable and very sensitive. Beneath the layers of hidden emotions, they often find intuition, creativity and a deep well of inner knowing.
The non-dominant hand accesses the right hemisphere of the brain regardless of which hand the individual writes with. The qualities ascribed to the right brain—creative, emotional, intuitive, spiritual—are exactly the qualities that come out most easily when drawing and writing with the non-dominant hand.
There's no question in my mind that it is easier to express feelings through art and words formed by the non-dominant hand. For that reason it is an excellent therapeutic technique. Scribbling out one's rage, fear, frustrations, sadness and even helplessness, can bring huge relief, both physically and emotionally. This is a wonderful method for reducing stress caused by a buildup of emotions. It's a safe way to let off steam without hurting anyone or anything.
There is energy and life in feelings. Drawing and writing them out is a playful way to dump emotions and release energy that is bottled up. The energy stored in feelings doesn't go away simply because the feelings are denied or stuffed down. Instead, the bottled up energy turns rancid and becomes pain, depression, or disease stored in the body. Thwarted emotions can eventually erupt in verbal outbursts or physical violence. Writing or drawing with the other hand allows feelings to come safely to the surface to be acknowledged and accepted.
Each of us can contribute to a more peaceful world by being responsible for our own feelings, which may include anger and rage. We can diffuse our personal artillery of emotional explosives by drawing and writing them out in a safe place, like a journal. In this way we face our feelings instead of hiding from them. There are many ways to do this safely and productively: play with clay, scribble or draw on large sheets of paper with crayons and fat markers, engage in active physical exercise, dance, drum, sing or chant.
Celebrate all your feelings through your non-dominant hand.
Lucia
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