Hand of Life

Intention:

‘Our lives are in our hands,’ we often hear or say. We use our hands to hold, grasp, play, work, caress. In this exercise, each finger invites us to reflect on the main areas of our present experiences, naming the ups and downs, our good and bad news.

In addition to using this exercise in our lives by reviewing it periodically, we can try it with others. Especially when we tend to focus exclusively on certain areas, or only on the negative or positive aspects of our experiences, this tool helps us look at a bigger picture. The hand of life technique is a graphic way of reflecting on progress, regressions, and on long-standing and newer elements existing in our life.

Instruction:

The person doing the exercise should trace on a piece of paper the shape of their hand, with their fingers extended and apart from each other.

Assign the following labels to each finger:

Index Finger- Health (matters about the functioning and well-being of the body)

Middle Finger- Primary relationships (family and significant others)

Ring Finger- Occupational (school and/or work matters)

Little Finger- Recreational (fun, relaxation, hobbies, social happenings)

The Thumb represents an issue or problem that requires special attention.

Write about present situations inside or around the outline of each finger, including both favorable and unfavorable aspects and experiences.

You can reflect on the process using the questions below.

Inspection:

·       What did you recognize or learn about yourself or about the person whose hand of life was drawn?

·       What emotional reactions, thoughts, and questions were stimulated through this exercise?

·       How could you use your hand to remember and attend to the important matters in your life?