Core awareness is the point where thought, feeling, action, and inspiration all become one and the same. Integral learning is the process of developing the ability to be at the center of these four quadrants. This can also be called a state of “flow”. Therefore the thought and the doing become one. This is present moment awareness, and the state of total concentration. This can also be called a state of flow. When we teach children solely through the cognitive process, we imprison them in their own thought, and disable them from experiencing the four quadrants of human existence as a unified whole.
How actually
does one get to this place beyond too much mental thinking?
About developing ability Dr. Suzuki says:
“Knowledge alone is not ability. Knowledge plus 10,000 times equals ability.”
It is through developing the ability to do one spot many times that one can surpass the thought and get to a higher level of awareness. The “thought” then is the hearing of the sound produced and not the extra words that are giving directions to the body to do this or that.
The tone is the feeling and the inspiration as well. This connection is a powerful type of learning, and develops the ability to actualize intention. Children do this naturally until adults give them too many instructions. Adult learners need many more repetitions to get past the point of thinking.
The most important point to teach is tone/sound. That means that the sound has vibration that rings and affects the human being on many levels. It is produced with a balanced body, a clear mind, a soft heart, and hearing awareness. By practicing a small spot which has in it the seed of the ability being developed children can experience this connection of their mind/body/emotion/inspiration.
Here are some recommendations on developing core ability through the practice of a small spot:
1. The spot should be very small -2 or 3 beats.
2. The spot should be easy for the student to do well.
3. The physical movement should be tied directly to the sound produced. The use of the natural movements of a balanced body are critical to success. Teachers must study how to help students find body balance.
4. The number of repetitions can be related to an amount of time so that no actual counting is necessary. Find the number of repetitions the student can do easily with success and good feeling, and begin there.
5. Do the spot every week in the lesson. Keep the same spot or same type of spot over a long period of time.
This type of spot practice must be in relation to a total environment of natural learning which includes hours every day of listening, observation of other students and pianists performing and having lessons, group activities with other students, playing through pieces with freedom, etc.
There are many implications in this type of learning to foster concentration and the ability to connect the mind with the physical ability.
Dr. Suzuki says this about adults:
The repetition of a small spot can be correlated to repeating a mantra, saying, affirmation or prayer. The mind can become calm and focused without internal chatter. After such a practice it is easier to take in and process cognitive information because the mind has rested and made room.
This education preserves the sensibility that we are born with. Dr. Kataoka says:
When the student has internalized the spot and can play with good body balance and tone, they will be able to use it effortlessly in many applications. The easiest example is the “alberti” pattern (do-so-mi-so) which is used Suzuki Book One, and then in many many pieces in classical music. The repetition of this pattern develops the ability to play the four notes as one pattern (not four notes) and to apply the coordination of this to different notes and different pieces. It is very important pedagogically speaking to make sure that the pattern is learned with good body balance/tone so that all of the pieces which follow will have good quality. It is a foundation skill in Book One.
So, spot practice develops concentration and the integration of the four quadrants. It is the process of learning how to learn, the cornerstone of Core Education.
1. Man and Talent-Search into the Unknown-Dr. Shinichi Suzuki-page 67
2. Sensibility and Education-Haruko Kataoka-page 54
Books quoted and discussed in this post:
