Imagination, essential 8, chapter 11 in Anat Baniel’s book, Kids Beyond Limits
In this chapter, Anat has a great story about Ari,
a young autistic boy who endlessly repeated a certain video.
Without it, he became anxious.
With it, he’d go through it word by word. Totally locked in to a set outpouring of words.
She loosened up his body
and got him in touch, a bit at a time, with how his body could
function as a coordinated whole
then she interrupted the video
first panic.
and he’s keep reciting and get out of synch
then he got how to get back in synch
how he could listen for where the story had resumed
instead of his old let it loose as one spewing habit
then, Anat and he played with imagining the Little Train of the video might do something else
he caught on
he discovered that story was something that could come from his brain
he discovered how to create something new, in his brain,
a new and playful combination of story ideas
finally, they began to stop the video at random places and make up alternatives
he could IMAGINE NOW,
A world that came from his concoction
….
later, she mentions a study about divergent thinking
the ability to come up with a bunch of ways to use a
clothes pin,
or do something different
98% of children 3-5 ranks as genius
this goes down and down,
until only 2% of adults
….
conclusion:
we aren’t imagining enough..
….
imaginary free throws,
imaginary piano practice:
they work
…..
daydreams:
good for you
this is contrary to the work, study, get ahead,
nose to the grindstone approach
and on the other side
we have
Einstein,
saying that
Imagination is everything
…..
Anat mentions a study of hotel room cleaners
one group was told their work helped their health
one groups was told nothing
after 4 weeks the first group had actual improvement in blood pressure, weight and than kind
of thing
the mind is powerful
imagination can harness this
…..
for any child, special needs or not,
the ability to distinguish made up worlds
and the “real” world outside of them,
is part of the game of growing up,
and an opening to endless discovery
and creativity
the key
is to help, to go along with,
to acknowledge your child’s daydreaming
when they space out
give them some time
and then ask and listen into where they
went
help make it more a game
make up stories together
spend some time co-daydreaming
a fantasy and perhaps filling it in with imaginary music and movement
and then
hey
start some real movement
a great Gestalt exercise
is to let your imagination go to ……
whatever it wants
say a beach on Hawaii
and then use that as a hint:
I need/ want more body relaxation right now
how can I get it
….
and your child’s dreams
in the sense of their big wish for their life
listen
listen
listen
that’s what love is