I came across an interesting quote yesterday on a site called “Humans of New York“. I follow the facebook page and it produces excellent photographic and sociological material. The quote was from a woman who was photographed, and goes as follows:

I’m studying music therapy. I just finished observing a music program for children with disabilities, and I’m taking notes.”
“So what’s something you observed?”
“Many of the children had some form of autism. And it seemed that playing music together gave them the satisfaction of contributing to a group and forming relationships, without the pressure of having to speak or maintain eye contact.

I imagine this observation would be nearly identical in reference to Nature Therapy, and more specifically, Rock Balancing… It has already been shown in several instances around the world, including some of my own experience, that the act of balancing is a potent way of engaging attention and more importantly, administrative brain functions such as critical thinking and problem solving… skills that seem to have fallen to the margins in the today’s pubilc school systems. I think it is only a matter of time before people catch on to the academic potential of this simple activity . . .

If anyone in the realm of “hacking life” reads this… i think it might produce very interesting results to measure my brain activity at rest versus, and then as i approach the zero point of a balance… I’m extremely curious to see what the brain is doing during balancing. a kind of active meditation. These results could be used in order validate (or invalidate) rock balancing as a useful learning tool.

1 Response
  1. I am a teacher in an elementary school in Indianapolis and I use you as an artist, along with Andy Goldsworthy and a few others in my “nature art ” unit. I completely agree with the theraputic and intellectual benefits to rock balancing. It also has been a great tool to engage the rougher students who usually hate school.

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