Have you been with a friend who's tripped on the edge of the rug -- and you felt an inner twinge as you watched that stumble?
That's because of mirror neurons, a little known but newly discovered aspect of our amazing brains. A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires when a person acts and when a person observes the same action performed by another. It seems that the neurons "mirror" the behavior of the other, as though the observer was himself or herself taking action.
This new discovery has many implications for those of us who practice psychodrama and experiential therapy such as dance therapy, drama therapy and other expressive therapies where some people watch others. This means that we "take in" the new healing image even if we are not actively participating, but simply watching other people. It also has implications about what images are imprinted in our brain and our consciousness when we watch movies, walk around in our neighborhoods and spend time with other people.
Best-selling author, political adviser and social and ethical prophet Jeremy Rifkin investigates mirror neurons, the evolution of empathy and the profound ways that it has shaped our development and our society in this funny and profound YouTube video:
