Work Your Life Through Your Body Kinesthetic Intelligence:

Use All Your Senses!

The core elements of the body kinesthetic intelligence are awareness of all your physical senses, control of your bodily motions and the capacity to handle objects skilfully.

Are you one of those interesting people who just have to move? In whatever way, you have to have your body involved in what is going on?

You love movement (big or small) and like to stay active. You are very aware of touch, smell, your feelings. Well, the good news is that this is what we call Body Kinesthetic intelligence.

The bad news is that this has mostly not been seen as an intelligence. A way of being smart. This kind of intelligence has been labelled as ‘irritating habits’ class disturber, attention deficit’ and a host of other bad smelling names. You are the ones for whom shop owners put up labels like “Do not touch” or “If you touch it and it breaks, consider it sold”. Because you cannot keep your hands off things! You have often heard things like “sit still and concentrate”. But you know that sitting still means NOT concentrating!

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence makes you smart in all the ways of the body. It makes fully use of all the senses.

But let’s look at the broader picture for a moment.

Howard Gardner (the father of Multiple Intelligences). when discussing Body Kinesthetic Intelligence, uses the example of a dancer's way of expressing the actions, feelings, or dynamic abilities without the help from words or pictures. Dancers and actors draw on this ability; so do architects, who speak of "feeling in their bodies" the mass and proportion of a building.

Most researchers agree that we all do have various learning styles and preferences.

Everyone is born possessing all the intelligences. Nevertheless, all of us walk around with different sets of developed intelligences. This means that we enter every life situation with our particular set of developed intelligences and engage our world with our particular set of smart thinking skills.

For example, we will each be watching a movie and apply our different skills in the process:

• Linguistic Intelligence will be very focused on the language and words used,

• Musical Intelligence will be very tuned in to the music,

• Body Kinesthetic Intelligence will be alert to the action, touching, smells and feelings portrayed in the film.

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence entwined with all other intelligences

With Gardner we can speak of Body Kinesthetic Intelligence as being of equal status to the linguistic and

Logical Intelligence It is definitely a required intelligence in Interpersonal Intelligence and leads us to deeper investigation into our own deep Intrapersonal Intelligence. There is also not a doubt that Body Kinesthetic Intelligence is twinned with Naturalist Intelligence.

Certainly, the use of Body Smart is evident in all the other intelligences, also.

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence in READING and WRITING.

Linguistic Intelligence in reading and writing is the strongest tool a writer can use to move the readers. Think how many kinesthetic expressions are used.

We speak of being "touched," "taken," "gripped," "held". We "grapple" with challenging situations and have "gut wrenching" experiences. Our stomachs turn. Our hearts leap. Our breathing quickens. We may tremble, sigh, be "moved." These responses are rooted in kinesthetic experience. Any writer who wants to affect the way readers feel must find a way to touch the kinesthetic intelligence with words.

Kinesthetic writing may be tactile and action oriented. More subtly, the body kinesthetic intelligence might be what makes a piece of writing feel right down to earth, very real, oh so physical, quite sexual, screamingly funny, and vital.

• Body Kinesthetic Intelligence in EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

We also know that our emotional intelligence is rooted in finely-tuned kinesthetic awareness. We know our emotions through the intelligence of the body. Our body can actually tell us about our feelings – think about having an aching heart, the exhilaration of joy, the tingling of anticipation, your churning stomach when fear is abound.

Our Body Kinesthetic Intelligence allows us to express feelings through our bodies!

• Body Kinesthetic Intelligence in ADVERTISING

Advertising researchers have measured certain physical changes caused in viewers of commercials: changes in pulse rate, blood pressure, and galvanic skin response. Advertisements are specifically created with the body experience in mind. Think about

~ the colours and tastes of food,

~ the emotion and action of movies,

~ how skin nurturing body creams are,

~ perfumes which tingle the senses,

~ soap which leaves the skin soft,

~ alcohol which promises a good time,

~ cars and their finishes,

~ the pleasure and fun of holidays, etc.

• Body Kinesthetic Intelligence in HEALING

The whole healing industry, whether western or holistic/natural is about the body and its pain, illness, and healing – it is about getting the body involved.

The very best way to help your body heal itself is to assist it in creating more of its own natural stem cells.

So, do you know how your own natural stem cell enhancement works? When your body talks to you through your pain and illness, you can answer by assisting it to heal itself. This is a powerful route! Follow these links to help yourself. Practitioners of various schools of "bodywork" document the extraordinary degree to which a "mental" activity such as memory or emotion is linked with highly specific muscular patterns. The body is now widely acknowledged as a knowing, conscious, and wise organism which has a multifaceted relationship to other human faculties.

There is much research available on mental imagery and its effect on body wisdom and disease. Massage and other body therapies, meditations based on breathing, and explorations that take place during deep relaxation has revealed the close connection between the body, its diseases and its pathways to wellness.

Explore healing through color therapy Another implication of Multiple Intelligences is that learning environments of both children and adults should structure the presentation of material in a style which engages most or all of the intelligences.

For example, when teaching about a revolutionary war, a teacher can show students battle maps, play revolutionary war songs, organize a role play of the signing of the peace agreements, and have the students read a novel about life during that period.

This kind of presentation not only excites students about learning, but it also allows a teacher to reinforce the same material in a variety of ways.

By activating a wide assortment of intelligences, teaching and facilitating learning in this manner can facilitate a deeper understanding of the subject material.

What is more important however, is that YOU become aware of your own combination of intelligences. When you know how you engage with the world optimally, you can take responsibility for how you live, love and learn in this world.

There are many tests on the internet available to demonstrate this to you. However, keep in mind that all tests should be taken with a pinch of salt – a test is only as good as the questions it asks. So keep looking at the wider understanding of all the intelligences even when you have test results in your hand! You can take a test here Parents, it may be very wise to ascertain which set of ‘smarts’ your children have. And, yes, you are right, they would be having different combinations! Just think about the communication challenges this presents! Wouldn’t it be really nice if we knew where our loved ones were coming from?

A book which may help in this regard:How am I smart? A Parents guide to Multiple Intelligences

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence: DESCRIPTION

• Body movement control

• High degree of fine-motor control

• A gift for using whole body motions

• Learns by "doing"

• Loves touching rather than just looking

• Manual dexterity

• Well-coordinated with good motor skills

• Likes figuring out how things work

• Physical agility and balance

• Likes to work with hands

• Can't sit still for too long

• Eye and body coordination

• Has a lot of physical energy

• Likes to be active

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence: RELATED TASKS OR ACTIVITIES

• Juggle

• Flip a beer-mat

• Demonstrate a sports technique

• Create a mime to explain something

• Toss a pancake

• Fly a kite

• Coach workplace posture

• Assess work-station ergonomics

• A sense of timing

• A clear sense of the goal of a physical action

• Enjoys the outdoors

• Enjoys sports

• Loves exhilarating experiences

• Smoking

• Some kind of continual body movement is present: tapping of fingers, knee jerking, chair rolling, hair twisting

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence: SOCIETAL ROLES

• Physical therapist • Recreational worker • Dancer • Actor • Farmer • Demonstrator • Gardener • Crafts person • Mechanic • Carpenter • Craftsperson • Physical education teacher /sports coach • Forest ranger • Ergonomist • Chef • Healer • Factory worker • Jeweller • Athlete • Architect • Engineer • Teacher • Nurse • Medical Practitioner • Artistic painter • Surgeon • Osteopath • Fisherman • Driver • Adventurist • Hair Stylist • Acupuncturist

There are many very informative books and other mutlimedia tools in our bookstore on this very topic.

Learning /Teaching / Facilitation Strategies

Body kinesthetic learners learn through moving, doing, smelling, feeling and touching - your intelligence is awakened through the presence of all these stimuli as well as physical movement and expression of yourself through the body.

All lessons (no matter what your content! Yes, really!)can be enhanced with Body Kinesthetic Intelligence. For kinesthetic experiences, you could:

• do breathing exercises,

• lead the class in a simple part-by-part relaxation,

• conduct some simple eyes-closed movement exercises

• include aromatherapy in the ambience creation of your room. It has been demonstrated that stimulation the olfactory glad during learning, enchances learning uptake by between 11 - 14 %. The use of specifically chosen therapeutic essences aids learners in concentration and relaxation.

• include Brain Gym (www.Educational Kinesiology.com) exercises during the lesson

• allow “fiddling” with seed bags, soft desk balls, stress balls

• insist on drinking of water

• encourage nibbling – the mouth has been demonstrated as a valuable tool in learning intake

People with Body Kinesthetic Intelligence respond well to:

• Self discovery

• Constructing concepts

• Spontaneity

• Free flow

• Experimentation

• Playfulness

• Individuality

• Being involved

• Constructing models

• Manipulate and control objects

• Skits and drama

• Abundant use of body language

• Gathering and organizing physical materials

• Organising & structuring content

• Evaluating & testing theories

• Acquiring skills through practice

• Implementing course content

• Sharing ideas

• Integrating experiences with self

• Moving & feeling

• Harmonising with the content

• Emotional involvement

• Experiential opportunities

• Sensory movement

• Music and rhythm

• People oriented case discussions

• Group interaction

• Physical activity

• Hands-on tasks

• Express their ideas through movement

• Field trips

• Learning environments with lots of stimuli: charts, posters, graphics, humour, demonstrations

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence: TECHNOLOGY TOOLS which could be utilized

• Keyboarding, mouse, joystick, and other devices for movemen

• Scientific probes and microscopes

• Video production - skits, dances, sports, role playing, demonstrations

• Animation

• PowerPoint presentations

• Learning reinforcement by typing lessons into computer

• Claymation - sequence of movement

• Handheld Palms and Alphasmart - you can carry them everywhere

• Virtual Field Trip - using and creating

• Lego Logo and Robotics - other construction kit projects

• Digital still and video cameras - skits, plays, role playing, demonstrations

• Virtual worlds

BOOKS WHICH MAY ASSIST:

~ Multiple Intelligences and Leadership (eBook)

~ Eight Ways of Teaching: The Artistry of Teaching with Multiple Intelligences

~ Futures Thinking, Learning, and Leading: Applying Multiple Intelligences to Success and Innovation

~ Inclusive Classroom: A Practical Guide for Educators

~ So Each May Learn: Integrating Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences

~ Higher-Order Thinking the Multiple Intelligences Way: The Multiple Intelligences Way

~ Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom

Explore all our titles on Leadership and business success in our store

BUSINESS ACTIVITIES

Body Kinesthetic Intelligence allows you to:

• Measure precisely

• Construction and production – mechanical, electrical, all types of engineering

• Understand, demonstrate, apply technical elements

• Use Technology tools

• Video production

• Tolerate ambiguity

• Scientific experiments using Scientific probes and microscopes

• Producing and collating materials

• Read signs of coming change

• Integrate ideas and concepts

• Bend or challenge established policies

• Approach problems practically

• Synthesize unlike elements into a new whole

• Solve problems intuitively

• Anticipate how others feel intuitively

• Understand how others feel

• Pick up non-verbal cues of interpersonal stress

• Relate to others in empathetic ways

• Engender enthusiasm

• Persuade

• Teach and facilitate learning

• Conciliate

• Understand emotional elements

• Skills demonstrations

It must be clear that using our Body Kinesthetic Intelligence helps us to navigate our physical world. It makes our world real! It is integrated in all our other intelligences.

Our thinking skills are all tightly connected!

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