'I think, therefore I am' Rene Descartes
Embodied thinking involves the ability to apply the physical response to situations of pressure and yet perform at a higher level, without allowing that pressure to affect your performance.
Athletes are great users of embodied thinking; they use visualization exercises, where they actually see themselves in a race, to condition their minds before they actually perform. In these exercises, a person can actually find their muscles twitching and breathing patterns changing as they are visually ‘experiencing’ their performance. Likewise with physical motion. Repetition creates ‘muscle memory,’ so that in the stress of performance or when fatigued, the body takes over with what it has been trained to do unconsciously. In addition, it allows an athlete to focus better; in any competition, there is a lot of ‘chatter’ – distractions whether internal or external – that can distract from performance. At the highest level of competition, the margin between success and failure, and winning and losing, can be minute and being able to stay focused in the face of tremendous pressure.
Athletes are great users of embodied thinking; they use visualization exercises, where they actually see themselves in a race, to condition their minds before they actually perform. In these exercises, a person can actually find their muscles twitching and breathing patterns changing as they are visually ‘experiencing’ their performance. Likewise with physical motion. Repetition creates ‘muscle memory,’ so that in the stress of performance or when fatigued, the body takes over with what it has been trained to do unconsciously. In addition, it allows an athlete to focus better; in any competition, there is a lot of ‘chatter’ – distractions whether internal or external – that can distract from performance. At the highest level of competition, the margin between success and failure, and winning and losing, can be minute and being able to stay focused in the face of tremendous pressure.
This aspect of embodied thinking can be expressed in the accompanying clip from Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays. As he says, ‘..through visualization you can start to simplify the game…the point is not to cloud your mind, its to free your mind of so many thoughts and focus on one or two things…’
More difficult in embodied thinking, however, is creating empathy. Empathy comes from shared experiences; being able to ‘put yourself someone else's shoes.’ Imagining or feeling what it would be like to be that person. Empathizing is also connected with how we perceive things and situations; by placing ourselves into the position of a person or event, our view and understanding of it changes. Actors frequently engage in this type of empathy; for his role in 'Lincoln', Daniel Day Lewis was reported to have adopted the role of Lincoln daily for months on end. In learning about history, one of the best ways to utilize embodied thinking and create empathy is using ‘simulations’ or ‘re-enactments.’ Civil War students engage in scale battle re-enactments regularly, down to uniforms, food, and sleeping arrangements. To simulate decision making via role-play exercises, students can be put in the position of leaders during a simulated crisis situation and be forced to make decisions within a specified time period, just like in the real world (say, the Cuban Missile Crisis.). Students will experience the physical impacts of being under pressure and stress, and they will gain empathy for the difficulty that leaders have in making decisions in uncertain situations. There are obvious physical effects that co-exist with leadership and decision making (have you ever noticed how every President exits office with a lot more grey hair than when they entered?); physically, there is pressure and tension, feelings that will be felt through the head, shoulders and neck, and stomach. Blood pressure and heart rate will rise. Take for example these photos, one of LBJ during the Vietnam War, one of Obama recently. Note the almost exact same physical positioning, demonstrating that, despite the era, the pressures are remarkably similar: |
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