Part II - Awakening the Toes in Your Favorite Dressage Boots

The “Little Person” in the Brain Who Helps Direct Our Movement

Part II of Awakening the Toes in Your Favorite Dressage Boots
A Surprising Gateway towards Improving Rider Position, Balance, Effectiveness and Losgelassenheit through the Feldenkrais Method®

In part I of this exploration we finished with the thought that we "We act in accordance with our self-image," and that this can be clarified and improved through movement lessons. Finally, we introduced the concept of the homunculus. The homunculus, an important concept within neuroscience and neurology, it represents a symbolic map within the brain, offering a unique perspective on how our bodies are represented in our own minds. It depicts what humans would look like if our parts grew in proportion to how much we used them, and more particularly, the awareness around them and how we use those parts to sense and become even more aware.

It is most often portrayed by a comical or even creepy humanoid fictional figure, a depiction to show how our bodies are represented within the brain, the weighted significance of our sensory receptors. Within this cerebral cartography, distinct brain regions are allocated to specific body parts, creating a sensory and visual representation of our physical selves nestled within the confines of our brain.

What makes the homunculus even more intriguing is its capacity for change, adapting its figurative map based on our life experiences. For instance, if we were to peek into a baby's brain, we would encounter a rather comical rendition: a colossal mouth dominating the landscape, reflecting its vital role in early life.

HANDSY RIDERS:
Giant hands also make frequent appearances, shedding light on why many novice riders tend to be overly "handsy" when first learning riding.
What would today’s version of your homunculus look like? And your horse? Both together? 

Photos: In these intriguing depictions of the homunculus, we witness a distorted relationship among body parts. The face, lips, tongue, and hands are enlarged, mirroring the extensive areas of the brain's motor cortex and sensory cortex devoted to these body parts. It's almost as if the brain has allotted them more "disk space" to facilitate their functions.

However, here's a thought to ponder: most people do not fully tap into the allocated "disk space" for their toes within the homunculus map. This underutilization not only distorts our self-image but also hinders the ideal function of these often-neglected appendages and interrelated function across the system.

For most modern people, the feet occupy a very small part of our self-image, perhaps with several blind spots. Our feet serve as the foundation of our body's movement, and their significance cannot be overstated. There is immense potential residing within our feet.

Through specific Awareness Through Movement lessons we delve into a journey, an evolutionary journey and a journey back to our childhood during the developmental stages of our feet. Through the Feldenkrais method, we unlock this latent potential, thereby enhancing our balance, stability, and overall function.

Pausing to spend some time on this subject is especially pertinent to dressage riders. Coming soon, The DTM "Fall Wheel Alignment" is a series of classes devoted to creating a reset, on a foundational level. The first of six lessons is devoted to our toes and will immediately improve every rider’s hip function! Hip Function? Stay tuned for the third and final installment of this article, “A Secret Passage In”

We are thrilled that so many have already registered, it isn't too late! >>>https://www.davethindmethod.com/zoom

Intrigued by the concept of the homunculus? There are two primary types to explore:

1. Sensory Homunculus: This representation illustrates the sensitivity of various body parts. In the sensory homunculus, body parts with heightened sensitivity or more sensory receptors appear larger, while less sensitive areas are depicted as smaller. For instance, fingers and lips dominate this representation, while the trunk or torso holds a smaller place.

2. Motor Homunculus: This representation showcases motor control and innervation across body parts. In the motor homunculus, body parts requiring precise and fine motor control receive larger representations in the brain. Hands and face, for example, hold more significant areas in the motor homunculus than the legs.

The homunculus serves as a valuable tool for neuroscientists and researchers, aiding in the understanding of how the brain maps different body parts and processes sensory information to govern voluntary movements. It's important to note that the homunculus is a theoretical representation and does not imply tiny people inside our brains controlling our body parts. Rather, it is a conceptual tool that helps explain how the brain is organized to manage sensory and motor functions.

Continued in PART III
https://www.davethindmethod.com/blog/toespartIII