What is a “Lazy 8”~
what do you do with it~~
and what does it do for you?
A “Lazy 8” is a Brain Gym term used to describe the infinity symbol turned sideways, like the number 8 lying down. This shape is purported to help enhance brain function. Draw the shape on a large piece of paper. Start your drawing in the center where the circles of the 8 cross. Begin by heading up to the Left for the first circle. Follow the pencil line with your eyes as it transcribes the left half of the sideways 8. Then you get back to the center, cross over the starting point and go up to the Right to draw the other half of your 8.
Place your paper on the table directly in front of you so that when you begin to draw the starting point matches the center midline of your body. Your first Lazy 8 may be uneven, crooked, and larger on one side. No problem. Just continue to draw and redraw over your first line refining the shapes as you go. Be free and easy with it. Scrawl. Watch your pencil wander and come back to the shape of the 8. After a while your many pencil lines will have sketched a pretty good recognizable Lazy 8. It might be messy. No problem. This exercise was good for your brain. Each time you try it, your 8's will come easier.
You can also draw a Lazy 8 for someone else to trace with their finger. Try to have a pretty good one for that purpose drawn with a thick black line on light colored paper or card-stock. Put the paper on a firm book or something to prop up in front of the person. Show them how to trace the 8 by starting in the center and going up to the left, watching their own finger as it traces the 8 over and over again until they want to stop. Good for the brain connections. The tracking eye is important. Eye follows finger. Slowly is good. Practice feeling like your eyesight is attached to the pen tip as it marks the paper.
Lazy 8's can also be drawn with your hand on another person's body. In a hospital, as you fluff up someone's pillows and they lean forward, you can draw Lazy 8's on their back. Start on the center of the spine and head up toward the Left shoulder, then rounding down and back to the spine, and then up and over to the right shoulder and so on. Continue to retrace the 8. It is soothing to both of you and theoretically, yes, good for the brain.
You can also draw a small Lazy 8 the palm of the hand, yours or that of someone else. Disclaimer: can tickle a bit.
Find a place in the hospital or at home where you can tape up the Lazy 8 drawing. Looking at it from far away may help re-trigger the connections made from tracing it with the finger done previously. Take it down often to trace. Remember, physically drawing one or tracing one is better than just looking from afar.
what do you do with it~~
and what does it do for you?
A “Lazy 8” is a Brain Gym term used to describe the infinity symbol turned sideways, like the number 8 lying down. This shape is purported to help enhance brain function. Draw the shape on a large piece of paper. Start your drawing in the center where the circles of the 8 cross. Begin by heading up to the Left for the first circle. Follow the pencil line with your eyes as it transcribes the left half of the sideways 8. Then you get back to the center, cross over the starting point and go up to the Right to draw the other half of your 8.
Place your paper on the table directly in front of you so that when you begin to draw the starting point matches the center midline of your body. Your first Lazy 8 may be uneven, crooked, and larger on one side. No problem. Just continue to draw and redraw over your first line refining the shapes as you go. Be free and easy with it. Scrawl. Watch your pencil wander and come back to the shape of the 8. After a while your many pencil lines will have sketched a pretty good recognizable Lazy 8. It might be messy. No problem. This exercise was good for your brain. Each time you try it, your 8's will come easier.
You can also draw a Lazy 8 for someone else to trace with their finger. Try to have a pretty good one for that purpose drawn with a thick black line on light colored paper or card-stock. Put the paper on a firm book or something to prop up in front of the person. Show them how to trace the 8 by starting in the center and going up to the left, watching their own finger as it traces the 8 over and over again until they want to stop. Good for the brain connections. The tracking eye is important. Eye follows finger. Slowly is good. Practice feeling like your eyesight is attached to the pen tip as it marks the paper.
Lazy 8's can also be drawn with your hand on another person's body. In a hospital, as you fluff up someone's pillows and they lean forward, you can draw Lazy 8's on their back. Start on the center of the spine and head up toward the Left shoulder, then rounding down and back to the spine, and then up and over to the right shoulder and so on. Continue to retrace the 8. It is soothing to both of you and theoretically, yes, good for the brain.
You can also draw a small Lazy 8 the palm of the hand, yours or that of someone else. Disclaimer: can tickle a bit.
Find a place in the hospital or at home where you can tape up the Lazy 8 drawing. Looking at it from far away may help re-trigger the connections made from tracing it with the finger done previously. Take it down often to trace. Remember, physically drawing one or tracing one is better than just looking from afar.