Movement of the Mind part 2 – Helen Keller
Helen Keller could not hear or see. Before she learned that words existed and could be used to communicate with others, she had learned to move about as any child would. Without words, the movement of her mind taught her how to be active and how to fulfill her desires. She knew how to get food when she wanted it. She knew how to get outside and back in, how to look for the people she wanted to be with, how to hide so she could be alone.
Helen also had emotions and expressed them readily. As she grew, the increasingly complex movements of her mind gave greater physical expression to how she felt. But she had no inner voice saying words. Still, she knew. She was conscious of her own existence, of her actions, and of the people around her.
We imagine that thought is necessary to recognize our existence, and we say thought consists of words. But Helen always knew she existed. She lacked the ability to communicate the reality of her mind to others with words. But she was always learning. The absence of words did not stop her mind from learning.
So what is this kind of learning? What movement within the mind gives birth to it?
I’ll be continuing this exploration next time.
Photo by kevin turcios