Speaking of Strength

I recently heard a fascinating story about Einstein’s brain that surprisingly tied into art therapy. Turns out, after the famous scientist died, the doctor who performed the autopsy took the brain home with him. He felt that the brain should be studied by scientists for clues as to Einstein’s genius. After several twists and turn, portions of Einstein’s brain did indeed wind up in the hands of researchers who discovered that his brain tisse contained abnormally high numbers of glial cells, in particular, a type of glial cells known as astrocytes. Now, here is where my ears really perked up…this abundance of cells was present in the areas of the brain responsible for “complex thinking and imagery”.

So, that got me thinking. First of all, sounds like complex thinking and imagery are neighbors as far as the geography of our brain is concerned. Secondly, if Einstein had an overabundance of astrocytes in this area, could his genius have utilized not only complex thinking but also a gift for using imagery? Einstein is quoted as saying that “No problem can be solved on the same level of consciousness that created it”. For me this recalls another famous scientist, James Watson. Watson and his partner Crick were seeking to uncover the structure of DNA and were stymied. Then, Watson had a dream of an image of two intertwined snakes, which led him to the now familar image of the DNA double helix. His dream, a different level of consciousness, had presented him with an image that was exactly what he needed to conceptualize a problem that his conscious mind had been laboring over.

So what does this have to do with us? Well, it seems to me that if complex thinking and imagery go together in our brains, they might go together in practice also. Art therapists are keenly aware of the ability of art to communicate complex feelings, thoughts and emotions. One of the reasons art is a powerful modality in therapy is because of this ability to crystallize the complex, to become an active form of problem solving.

Furthermore, if problems cannot be solved on the level of consciousness that created them, then art is the way to move from one level of thinking to another. Working with images moves us from verbal and linear thinking to a non-verbal, non-linear and more intuitive way of thinking. New perceptions and perspectives on problems may very well present themselves if we can just be open and accessible to them and invite them in. Really invite them in. Not by sitting in a chair and ruminating, not by self talk that puts pressure on us to fix or solve something. None of these approaches is open or inviting, neither of them changes our point of view or allows for a free flow of ideas. Rather, try putting aside words and giving up on trying to force solutions. Find, or make, the time and space to spend several minutes working on a collage. Scour magazines, even old photos, for images thatspeak to you. Don’t engage in lots of self-censoring or analyzing what images you select and why. Use these images to create a collage related to some aspect of your current problem. Then, sit back and take a look, maybe for a few minutes, maybe revisiting it several times. You might be surprised at what you see.