The Head Heart and Hands Activity
Head Heart and Hands is a simple and well structured powerful reflection technique for reflecting on an experience. This activity promotes self-knowledge and sharing with others the feelings and sensations of an experience.
Like all reflection activities, this exercise helps build your group’s ability to understand their emotions, thoughts and values and how these influence behavior in different situations.
Ask your group to form smaller groups of two people (pairs) or more, but no more than five or six people. Explain that you would like each person to reflect on their experience in terms of three primary influences:
- Head – what new understanding, knowledge or skills did you discover
- Heart – what feelings and emotions did you experience
- Hands – what practical action(s) are you now called to do.
After a few moments, invite each person to share their thoughts and responses with their partner(s.) Allow several minutes for discussion.
If you want, invite each person to share their response/thoughts with their partner(s.) It is important to share the most significant parts of your conversation with the larger group because it helps reinforce the perception of the experience.
Allow a few minutes for people to consider which of these areas – head, heart or hands – were personally affected the most.
The topics of this publication: integration, interactions, self, reflection, foster relationships, emotions, honesty, mindfulness, empathy, trust
