Thinking (and learning) on your feet: an in-spider's view

Clip art: Clker

I was inspired by this Science Daily summary of research by Wcislo at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama showing that "nymphs in the genus Mysmena" family extend their brains into their legs. As odd as that may sound at first, when you think about it, although technically our brains are in our heads--with some notable exceptions such as some movie stars and professional athletes, of course--we often think in those terms. Even our metaphors such as "think on your feet," etc., suggest that we function with many levels of consciousness.

Here is a website for a very slick consulting company, Thinkonyourfeet.com, that uses that moniker for its public speaking for professionals training program. It is worth book marking that page just for the outline of the skills involved in effective presentations!

Many cultures view "thought" as originating throughout the body. You have certainly seen the shiatsu charts of body parts maps on the feet, etc., or similar maps of related pressure vectors in various body manipulation systems. In HICP work we do teach at least one process "on our feet:" rhythm, part of the reason for that being the assumption that body rhythm is driven most effectively and dynamically by the lower body . . . just take it from Monika .  .  .