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THE ABSORBENT MIND
\
THE ABSORBENT
\ |
MIND
by
Maria Montcssori M.D., D.Litt., F.E.I.S
1949
THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE ADYAfi MADRAS INDIA
INTRODUCTION THE
present volume
is
based upon the lectures given by
Dr. Maria Montessori at
Training Course lasted
up
to the
during the first after her internment in India which
end
of
Ahmedabad,
World War
II.
In
it
she exposes
unique mental powers of the young child which enable him to construct and firmly establish within a few years only, without teachers, without any of the usual
the
education, nay, almost abandoned and often obstructed, all the characteristics of the human per^bnal-
aids
of
This achievement by a being, weak in its physical powers, who is born with great potentialities, but prac-
ity.
without any of the actual factors of mental life, a being who may be called a zero, but who after only
tically
other living beings, is indeed one of the greatest mysteries of life. In the present volume Dr. Montessori not only sheds the light of her
six
years already surpasses
all
penetrating insight, based on close observation appreciation, on the
phenomena
most decisive period of human
of this
life,
and just earliest and yet
but also indicates the
humanity towards it. She, indeed, gives a practical meaning to the now universally accepted " education from birth ". This can be given, necessity of " " and only, when education becomes a help to life responsibility of adult
VI
transcends
the
narrow
limits
of
transmission of knowledge or ideals
One
another.
of
Montessori Method
ment
"
the best known principles of the " is the preparation of the environ-
at this stage of
;
and direct from one mind to
teaching
life,
long before the child enters
a school, this principle provides the key to the realization of an education from birth, to a real cultivation of a
human individual from its very beginning. This is a plea made on scientific foundations, but it is the plea also of one who has witnessed and helped the manifestations of child-nature
and
over the world, manifestations of mental
all
spiritual
grandeur, which form a startling contrast to
shown by mankind which, abandoned during formative period, grows up as the greatest menace to
the picture its its
own
survival.
MARIO M. MONTESSORI Karachi,
May
1949.
CONTENTS CHAPTER
PAGE Introduction
~ I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
The
VI.
VIII.
IX.
X. XI. XII. XIII.
XIV.
XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII.
of
.
Growth
A New Orientation The Miracle Plan,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
of Creation
One Method
Man's Universality The Psycho-embryonic Life The Conquest of Independence Care to be taken at Life's Beginning .
On
.
.
.
.
.
From Unconscious Creator The New Teacher
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Conscious Worker
to
.
.
Further Elaboration through Culture and Imagination . .
XIX.
XX.
Character and
XXI.
.10 .24 .41
.57 .74 .91 .107 .122 1
.
224
.
235
.247 .261
....
Defects in
Young
Children
38
.157 .169 .184 .198 .212
.
276
Character- building a Conquest, not a Defence
.
288 302
The Sublimation
.315
A
its
Social Contribution of the Child ization.
XXII.
.
1
.
.
Language The Call of Language Obstacles and their Consequences Movement and Total Development Intelligence and the Hand Development and Imitation .
v
.
.
World Reconstruction
Education for Life
The Periods
One VII.
.
Child and
of Possessiveness
:
Normal-
.
Vlll
PAGE
CHAPTER XXIII.
XXIV.
XXV.
325
Social
Development Society by Cohesion Error and its Control
XXVI. The Three
342 363
Degrees of Obedience
XXVII. The Montessori Teacher XXVIII. The Fountain Source of Love
375 393
:
the Child
409
LIST
OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE
Dr. Maria Montessori
The
A
Frontispiece
Multiplication of the Germinal Cell
Chain
of 100
Primitive Ball
Genes
and Walls
of Cells
.
Points of Sensitivity
Types
of Cells
Embryonic Forms
New
.
49
.
60
.
65
.
66
.
68
.
75
Born Child and Adult brought to the same seal
The Cerebellum Diagram.
at the
base of the brain
Tendencies towards Independence
Development
of
Language
Grammar Symbols
.... .... ....
114 .
128
facing
1
36
facing
1
84
facing
]
86
Schematic diagram of the Development of
Language
Development
of
Movement
Normal and deviated Character
196
facing
212
facing
291
facing
360
features of the child's
Circles of attraction towards superior inferior types
facing
and
CHAPTER
I
THE CHILD AND WORLD RECONSTRUCTION THIS book powers torn
is
a
link in
of the Child.
here
apart,
and
our campaign to defend the great To-day while our world is being there one
hears of
One
formulated for future reconstruction.
which
is
envisaged for the purpose
the intensifying
recommended
of
education,
generally.
the
is
plans being of the
Indeed
education.
return to
means
religion
too feel that humanity
I
yet ready to take part in the evolution that
it
is
is
not
desires so
peaceful and harmonious Men are not sufficienty society, the elimination of wars. ardently,
the construction of
educated to control the events, rather they become the victims of them. Although education is recognised as
one
of the
means
for
the uplift of humanity,
ceived as an education of the mind only sort of ordinary education is
still
;
it is
some
con-
superior
envisaged.
Philosophies and religions are said to give a contribution,
it
may be
true,
but
how many
philosophers are
and how many been before and how many more will there be
there in the ultra -civilised world of today
have there I
THE ABSORBENT MIND Noble
have always existed and have always been transmitted, but wars have never ceased. And if education were to be conceived future ?
in
ideas, great sentiments
along the old lines of transmitting knowledge, the problem would remain without solution for ever. Indeed, there
would be no hope of
knowledge that
for the world. is
It is
not transmission
required, the consideration of the
human personality alone can lead us to salvation. And we hold in front of our eyes a psychic entity, a social immense
personality,
in multitude of individuals,
a world
power that must be taken into consideration. If salvation and help are to come, it is through the child for the child is the constructor of man. The child is endowed with an unknown power and this unknown power guides us towards a more luminous Education can no longer be the giving of knowfuture. ;
ledge only
it
;
of
sideration
potentialities
must take a
the
personality,
The condevelopment of human
different path.
must become the centre
When
of education.
to begin such education ?
The
the birth of
and
human
greatness of the
man.
This
is
strikingly mystic at the
speaking,
how can one
an affirmation
same
How
can
we
even know
how
to
He
time.
full
of reality
But, practically
give lessons to a child that
born, or even to children in the life ?
personality begins from
first
is just
or second year of
imagine giving lessons to a babe ? does not understand when we speak, he does not
move
;
so
how can he
learn
?
Is
it
THE ABSORBENT MIND perhaps hygiene merely that is intended when of education of small children > Certainly
modern times the psychic
life
Many
called forth great interest.
have made observations
logists
day from
to the 5th
carefully,
the
two years
first
cation during this
human
individual.
scientists
In
!
has
child
and psycho-
Others, after having studied
birth.
the
to
conclusion that
most important of life. Eduperiod must be intended as a help to are the
of
development
new-born
not
of children from 3 hours
have come
children
the
in the
we speak
powers inherent in the This cannot be attained by teaching the psychic
because the child could not understand what a teacher
would say.
Unexploited Riches Observation,
shown
very
that small children
psychic nature.
A
and wide-spread, has
general are
endowed with a
This shows us a
new way
special
of imparting
itself
form which concerns humanity and which has never been taken into consideration.
The
real
education
men
different
constructive
energy,
remained unknown
children,
as
!
trod
upon
the earth
for first
alive
and dynamic,
thousands of years.
and
cultivated
its
of
Just
surface
without knowing of or caring for the immense riches that lay hidden in the depth, so is man in
later
times,
without knowing buried inside the psychic world of
now-a-days progressing of the riches that
the child
3
lie
and indeed,
in
for
civilisation
thousands of years, from the
THE ABSORBENT MIND very beginning of humanity
man
itself,
has continued
and grinding them into the dust. It is only today that a few have begun to suspect their existence. Humanity has begun to realise the importance of these riches which have never been exploited repressing these energies
something more precious than gold of
man. These
first
two years
of
life
the very soul
;
furnish a
new
light that
shows the laws of psychic construction. These laws were hitherto unknown. It is the outer expression of the It shows a type child that has revealed their existence. of
psychology completely different from that of the adult.
So here begins
the
new
path.
It is
applies psychology to children,
it
not the professor is
who
the children them-
who
teach psychology to the professor. This may seem obscure but it will become immediately clear if we selves
go somewhat more into detail the child has a type of mind that absorbs knowledge and instructs himself. A superficial observation will be sufficient to show this. :
The
two speaks the language
child of
learning of a language
Now who
?
The
a great intellectual acquisition.
is
has taught the child of two
the teacher
of his parents.
this
language
Everyone knows that that
is
?
Is
it
not so, and
yet the child knows to perfection the names of things, he knows the verbs, the adjectives etc. If anyone studies the
phenomenon he
development
will
find
of language.
that the child begins to use
it
All
marvellous to follow the
who have done
words and names
at
so agree
a certain
THE ABSORBENT MIND he had a particular time-table* Indeed, he follows faithfully a severe syllabus which has
period of
It
life.
is
as
if
been imposed by nature and with such exactitude that even the most pains-taking school would suffer in comparison.
And
following this time-table the child learns
and
the irregularities
all
of the
The
different syntactical constructions
language with exacting diligence.
Vital Years
Within a child there
who
a very scrupulous teacher. It achieves these results in every child, no matter
is
he
in
what region he
learns perfectly
when
is
is
found.
The
acquired at no one can teach him. is
only language that
this
man
period of childhood
Not only
that,
but no
matter what help and assistance he will get later in life if he tries to learn a new language, he will not
be able to speak it with the same exactitude as he does the one acquired in childhood. There is a psychic power in
not merely a question two years he is able to recognise all
the child that helps him.
of language.
the things
At
and persons
one thinks about
it
in his
more
The more
environment.
becomes evident that the achieves is immense for all that
the
construction the child
It is
it
:
we
possess has been constructed by the child we once were, and the most important faculties are built in the
two years of recognising what it
first
life.
is
not merely a question of around us or understanding and It
is
dealing with our environment.
It
is
the whole of our
THE ABSORBENT MIND intelligence, our religious sentiment, our special feelings of
and caste that are life when no one can teach nature had safeguarded each
patriotism
human dictates
during this period of the child. It is as though built
child from the influence of
intelligence in order to give the inner teacher that
the
within,
making a complete
of
possibility
psychic construction before the human intelligence can come in contact with the spirit and influence it.
At
three years of age the child has already laid the
foundations
human
the
of
The
special help of education in the school.
he has
made
are
such that
enters school at three that
if
child
it
what a
we compare
is
and needs
personality
we can
the
acquisitions
say the child
who
an old man.
Psychologists say our ability as adults to that of the
would require us 60 years
of
child has achieved in these
hard work to achieve
first
three years.
And
they express themselves by the strange words that I have mentioned above at three a child is already an old man. :
Even then
this strange ability of the child to
the environment children
came
is
not finished.
at three years of
them because they were not
In our
age
;
absorb from
first
schools the
no one could teach
But they gave striking revelations of the greatness of the human mind. Our school is not a real school it is a house of children, receptive.
;
an environment specially prepared for the children where the children absorb whatever culture is spread in In our the environment without any one teaching them. i.e.,
first
school the
children
who attended came from
the
THE ABSORBENT MIND lowest class of people
were quite
the parents
;
illiterate.
Yet these children at 4 years knew how to read and write. Nobody had taught them. Visitors were surprised to see children of so tender an age writing and reading. "
Who
the "
has taught you
to write ?
",
they asked and
would look up in wonder and answer, no one has taught me ". This seemed at
children
Taught
how
?
That children so small could write wonderful, but that they should do so with-
the time a miracle.
was
in
itself
any teaching seemed impossible. The press began to speak about spontaneous acquisition of culture Psychologists thought that these children were out having
received
*
'.
and we shared
special children time. that
It
all
was only
children
this is so,
we
have
this
reasoned,
if
some years that we perceived power of absorbing culture. If
So the
in
without
them
absorbed much more than
children
reading and writing, subjects matics,
can be taken
culture
us put different items of culture for
fatigue then let to absorb.
after
opinion for a long
this
botany, zoology, mathegeography and so on were taken with the same
ease, spontaneously, without
So we found
like
any
fatigue.
that education
is
not what the teacher
a natural process spontaneously It is acquired not carried out by the human individual. by listening to words, but by experiences upon the environgives
:
ment.
education
The
talking, but activity
is
task of the teacher then
one
spread
becomes not one
of preparing a series of
in
of
motives of cultural
a specially prepared environment.
THE ABSORBENT MIND My experiences have
lasted for
the children developed, here
and
there, in different nations,
me to continue and so we found that
asked
parents children
40 years now and as education for older
the
individual activity
is
the
only means of development that this is true for the preschool child as well as for the young people in primary :
and other
schools.
New Man
The
Arises
In front of our eyes arose a
a school or education.
who revealed who showed was
there
his his
to
It
new
It
figure.
was Man
that
rose
true character as he
was ;
not
Man
developed freely no mental oppression greatness when his
restrict
;
And
soul.
so
1
say that any
reform of education must be based upon the development of the human personality. Man himself should
become
the centre of education.
man does
bered that sity
:
birth. first
man
starts his
The years
greatest of
life,
development from
being
birth
univer-
and before
is
If
does not become a burden child not as
must be remem-
achieved during the and therefore it is then that the
development
as the greatest marvel of nature.
by a
it
not develop only at the
greatest care should be taken. child
And
;
this is
he
We
done, then the
will reveal himself
shall
be confronted
he was considered before
a powerless an empty vessel that must be filled with our
wisdom.
His dignity
will
arise in its fullness in front of
our eyes as he reveals himself as the constructor of our
8
THE ABSORBENT MIND as
intelligence,
the
being who,
and happiness works
teacher, in joy
guided by the inner indefatigably, follow-
ing a strict time-table, to the construction of that marvel of nature
MAN. We,
:
help the great work that the master.
who the
will
we the human
of
society.
can only
teachers,
is
soul, to the rising of a
not be the victim of events, but
clarity
human
human
being done, as servants help do so, we shall be witnesses to the
If
unfolding of
the
vision
to direct
and shape
New Man
who
will
have
the future of
CHAPTER
II
EDUCATION FOR LIFE The School and Social
Life
necessary from the very beginning to have an idea of what we intend by an education for life that IT
is
from birth and even before
starts
to
into
go
for the
It is
necessary
question, because recently, time, a leader of the people has formulated
detail
first
about
birth.
this
the necessity not only of extending education to the whole
course of
life,
but also of making
centre of education. to a political
and
I
say
'
*
defence of
for the first
spiritual leader,
time
life
when
I
the refer
because science has not
only expressed the necessity of it, but from the beginning of this century it has given positive contributions which
show
whole
the
the
that
life
conception of extending education to can be done with certainty of success*
Education, as a help and protection to which certainly has not entered the of
any
ministry
North or South
up
to
ities,
today but
it
is
of
education,
nor in Europe. rich in
methods,
neither
life,
field
in
is
an idea
of
action
America
Education as conceived in social
aims and
final-
takes hardly into any consideration whatever
10
THE ABSORBENT MIND There are many
itself.
life
different countries,
adopted by
education considers
life
methods
official
itself
but no
official
is
protection to
that education
life,
you
accompany
system of
or sets out to protect de-
velopment and help the individual from tion
of education
birth.
If
educa-
will realize that
it
life
whole course.
during
its
is
necessary
Education as conceived today prescinds from both bioIf we stop to think about the logical and social life.
we soon
question
realise
that
those
all
who
Students must
going education are isolated from society. follow the rules established
themselves to the syllabus education.
of
If
we
by each institution and adapt recommended by the ministry
think about
these schools no consideration
we
it
find also that in
given to
is
the high school student for instance has not that
is
no concern
of the
are under-
school.
life itself.
If
enough food,
In the recent past
if
were children who were partly deaf, they were marked out by their receiving lower marks because they
there
were unable
to
defects of the
a child
If
was
hear what the
child
teacher said,
were not taken
but the
into consideration.
defective in sight he also received
bad
marks because he could not write as beautifully as other children. Physical defects have not been taken into consideration until very lately it
was from
and when
this
the point of view of hygiene.
was done, Even now,
however, no one worries about the danger there the
mind
methods tl
of the student, of
danger due to defects
education adopted.
What
is
for
in the
school worries
THE ABSORBENT MIND about the kind of live
in ?
the children are forced to
civilisation
The only
thing officialdom
bothered about
is
is
whether or not the syllabus has been followed.
There
are social deficiencies apt to strike the spirit of
young
men but
attending the university
what
the
is
and which do
admonition
official
should not concern yourselves with
?
"
strike
You
them,
students
You must
politics.
attend to your studies and after you have formed yourYes. That is quite so, selves, then go into the world ".
but education today does not form an intelligence capable of visualising the epoch and the problems of the times in
which they
to the social
live. life
mechanisms are
Scholastic
of the
the realm of education.
times
Who
ministry of education that felt
social
is
in
:
foreign
study does not enter has ever heard of any its
called
upon
the country
to solve
any Never has
?
problem acutely such a case occurred because the world of education is a sort of retreat where the individuals, for the whole of remain isolated from the problems of They prepare themselves for life by remain-
scholastic
their
the world.
ing outside of
There
life,
life.
may
be, for instance, a university student
That
dies of tuberculosis.
is
very sad indeed.
who
But as
a university, what can be done > At the most it can provide to be represented at the funeral. There are
many go
individuals
into
the
who
world,
themselves, but will
are extremely nervous
;
when
they
they will be useless not only to be a cause of trouble to their family 12
THE ABSORBENT MIND and
am am
to their friends.
That may be
but
so,
as authority,
I,
1 not concerned with peculiarities of psychology. only concerned with studies and examinations. Who
passes them will receive a diploma or a degree. That is as far as the schools of our times go. Those who study sociology or problems of society have said that the people
who come
from school or university are not prepared for not only that, but most are diminished in their possi-
life,
bilities.
have compiled
Sociologists
found that there are
many
many more who
considered
clude
by saying remedy this. This
is
a
are
criminals,
that the schools
fact.
The
school
It
is
the sociologists
do something, but the school
*
*
strange
:
they con-
must do something is
there are social problems the school
them.
and have many mad and
statistics
a world apart and is
to
if
expected to ignore
who say
that schools
must
has not the possibility of doing so, because the school is a social institution of long standing and its rules cannot be modified unless there
pany
power which enforces this modifiare some of the deficiencies that accomeducation and therefore the life of all who
is
cation.
itself
some These
outside
go to school.
The Pre-School Age What about the child or of the child before
sideration whatever
13
by
its
from birth to the seventh year, birth ? It is taken into no con-
the school.
This age
is
called
THE ABSORBENT MIND and
pre-scholastic
And
of the school.
means
this
falls
it
as to people
could the school do about them
have been created
tions
are controlled
who
who
Wherever
>
what
are just born
institutions
for children of pre-school age, these
are hardly ever governed
They
outside the concern
by
dictate their
the ministry of education.
by
municipalities or private institu-
own
rules
and
Who
regulations.
concerned as a social problem with the protection of the life of the small child ? No one Society says that is
!
belong to the family and not to the
small children
Today of
life.
great importance
But what
is
it
that
given to the
is is
first
state.
years
being recommended
>
A
modification of the family, a modification in the sense that mothers
must be educated.
Now,
the family does
not form a part of school, but of society. how the human personality or the care of the
So we see
human
per-
On
broken into pieces. one side there is a family which is one part of society, but is generally On the other the isolated from society, from social care. sonality
is
school, also kept apart from society, sity.
of
the univer-
no Unitarian conception of the social care There is one piece here, one piece there and
There
life.
and then
is
each one ignores the other. that reveal the
harm
Even those new
sciences
of this isolation such as social psy-
chology and sociology are themselves isolated from the So nowhere is there a reliable system of help for school. When a statesman says that the development of life. education must be a help to
life,
we
realise the
importance 14
THE ABSORBENT MIND mentioned before, nothing new to abstract science, but socially it is something that does not yet It is the next step to be taken by civilisation. exist. It is,
as
Everything
is
of
it.
I
prepared however
existing conditions, others
the errors of the the
to
remedy is
Everything
at
different
may be compared but what
is
has revealed
have shown
stages
The
for the construction.
for the building,
ready
who new
be applied
ready
tions of science
criticism
:
necessary
building necessary for civilisation.
Indian leader
a step that
ance.
It
higher
and
field of
applied science,
The Task
What
is it
of is
is
to
will
and
some one
is
That
life.
contribu-
to the stones cut
takes the stones and puts them together to
resolution of this
of
make
the
why
the
is
of such great import-
is
permit civilisation to
rise
the building of this step, that in the
we
strive
and work.
Education and Society the conception of education that takes
as the centre of
own
life
a conception that alters all previous ideas about education. Education must no longer be based upon a syllabus but upon its
function
?
It
is
knowledge of human life. Now, if this is so and be so the education of the new-born acquires it has to a sudden great importance. It is true that the new-born cannot do anything, cannot be taught in the ordinary
the
sense, to
find
it
can only be observed, out what are the needs
can be studied so as of the new-born life.
it
Observation has been carried out by us with a view of 15
THE ABSORBENT MIND what
discovering to help
life
the
are the laws of
first
laws governing
thing
the
this,
is
we wish know the
if
to
because
if
it
were
we
sought then we would remain of psychology but if we are concerned
merely knowledge that in
because
we must do
Not- only
life.
life,
field
;
with education our action cannot be limited merely to
knowledge. This knowledge must be spread, for all must know what is the psychic development of the child. Education then acquires a new dignity, a new authority, because education the laws of
must act
in this
Indeed tion
it
life.
then
will
You cannot
is
means
society to
disregard
:
These
are
them and you
way." that education
be given from
to
society
society wishes to give compulsory educa-
if
otherwise one cannot call tion
" tell
know what
it
must be given, compulsory
birth,
then
it
;
is
practically,
and
if
educa-
necessary
for
are the laws of the development
Education can no longer remain isolated from society but must acquire authority over society. Social machinery must arrange itself around what is to be of the
child.
done so
that
to collaborate their part
be protected. All must be called upon mothers and fathers must, of course, do
life :
well, but
if
the family has not sufficient means,
then society must give not only knowledge, but enough means to educate the children. If education means care of the
individual
such a thing
and
if
society recognises that such
and
necessary for the child for its development and the family is not capable of providing for it, then is
16
THE ABSORBENT MIND must be society which provides child must not be abandoned by the
it
tion, instead
to
acquire
trol will
state.
over society. control over the
authority
education
if
The
the child.
Thus educaremaining apart from society, is bound
must have
society
but
of
for
is
It
evident that
is
human
considered as a help to
individual,
life,
this
con-
not be one of restraint and oppression, but a
and psychic aid. by these few words that the next step
be
control of physical help
It
alised
for society is
that of allotting a great deal of
will
re-
to education.
money
Step by step the needs of the child during the years of
growth have been studied
and the
scientifically
The educa-
of this study are being given out to society.
conceived as a help to
tion
life
results
takes in every one
not
only the child. That means that social conscience must take over responsibility for education and that education will
spread
step
as
it
it
its
knowledge
to the
whole
of society in every
takes, instead of remaining isolated from society
does today.
not only the child,
Education as protection to life affects but the mothers and fathers as well
as the state and international finance.
It
which moves every part of society, indeed Education as est of social movements.
is
it is it
something the greatis
today
!
Can we imagine anything more immobile, stagnant and indifferent ? Today if economy is to be made in a state, If we ask any great stateseducation is the first victim. " do not know man about education he will tell us I
:
anything about education. Education 17
is
a specialisation.
THE ABSORBENT MIND have even entrusted the education
I
my
wife and she has given
them
of
my
children to
to the school."
In future
be absolutely impossible for any head of the state to answer in this fashion when one speaks about education. will
it
The Child Builder Now,
Man Let us take the
us take another point.
let
made by
statements
of
different
who have What life.
psychologists
studied small children from their
first
year of
conception does one derive from them ? Generally that from now on instead of growing haphazardly, the indiviHe will dual will grow scientifically, with better care. achieve
common
development and growth.
better
idea
"
The
individual
This
the
is
will
grow stronger, the individual will grow more balanced in mind and have a stronger character ". In other words the extreme :
being provided with physical hygiene, the growing child will be provided with mental But this cannot be all. Let us suppose that hygiene. science has made some discoveries about this first period
conception
of
life,
and
is
that besides
this is
not merely a supposition.
.Indeed there
are powers in the small child that are far greater than is
generally realised, because
construction, at
birth,
it is
the building-up of
in this period that the
man
psychically speaking, there
takes is
place,
nothing at
for
all
Indeed not only psychically, for at birth the child is almost paralytic, he cannot do anything, he cannot speak, even though he sees all that happens around him. zero
!
18
THE ABSORBENT MIND And
behold him
after
a while
;
the child, talking, walking
and passing on from conquest to conquest until he has built up man in all his greatness, in all his intelligence. If we consider this we begin to have a glimpse of reality. The child is not an empty being who owes whatever he knows to us who have filled him up with it. No, the There is no man existing child is the builder of man.
who
has not been formed by the child he once was. In order to form a man great powers are necessary and
these powers are possessed only
powers of the and which at
great long,
child last
which
by
the child.
we have
These
described for
have attracted the attention
of
other scientists, were hitherto hidden under the cloak of
who
mother to
forms the child, the mother
walk
talk,
mother
at
things.
What
but
it
is
sense that people said that
in the
motherhood,
It
all.
this
etc.
etc., is
But
I
who
say that
the child himself
it is
the
teaches him it
is
who does
not the all
these
new-born babe, babe who produces the man. Suppose the the mother produces
mother
dies, the
mother
is
is
the
grows just the same. Even if the and even if the mother has not the
child
not there,
milk necessary to feed him, we give other milk to the It is the child and that is how he continues to grow. child
who
carries out the construction
and not the mother. America and entrust
Suppose we take an Indian child to him to some Americans. This child will learn the English language and not an Indian language. By English, we mean American English. So it is not the mother 19
THE ABSORBENT MIND He
that gives the knowledge.
Americans
these
own,
this
takes
it
himself
and
if
treated the child as one of their
really
Indian child would acquire the habits and customs
American people and not those of the Indian people. So none of these things is hereditary. The father and mother cannot claim the credit it is the child who,
of
the
:
making use
of all that he finds
around him, shapes himself
for the future.
needs special aid in order to build man Reproperly and society must give this its attention. cognising the merits of the child does not diminish the
The
child
and the mother
authority of the father
come
to realise that
merely the helpers of
do
able to
a greater child
their
achieve
this construction,
Only
if
;
then they will be
help
is
well given will the
So
a good construction, not otherwise.
loftiness
is
not based upon an inde-
but upon the help that
is
given to the
Parents have no authority other than that.
child.
they
they will help the child with
this
the authority of parenthood
pendent
when
they are not the constructors, but
duty better
vision.
for
us consider another aspect.
Everyone
will
Let
have heard
of
Marx who was the originator of a social reform when he made the workers realise that whatever society enjoys was due to their work and that everything we have in our environment has been made by some man Our daily life is based upon these workers or woman. Karl
and life
they ceased to produce, our social and political would cease. This is part of the theory of Karl Marx. if
20
THE ABSORBENT MIND The workers
on our
of carrying
and provide
lives
;
really give us the possibility
they produce the environment
everything, food, clothing, every people realised this, the working
When
life.
who
are those
bread on
his
employer
Previous to that
ance.
princes, kings
and
workers came to
was
capitalist
the workers
importance was given only to
capitalists,
but later the merits of the
And
the real contribution of the
light.
work
to carry out their
needed
and more accurate was
that the child
is
this
means
greater
problem
means
that
also that the
;
to the
worker, the
his product.
idea into our
the worker
parents furnish the social
for
his real import-
realised as the supplier of the
Let us carry
The
he assumed
were the conditions afforded
better better
all
;
of
man no
who depended
longer appeared as the poor labourer his
means
who
Let us realize
field.
produces man.
The
of construction to the worker.
confronting us
then
is
of
much
because from the children's work, produced, not an object. Childhood
importance,
humanity itself is does not produce one race, one caste, one social group, but it produces the whole of humanity. This is the it is the child that reality that humanity must envisage this worker who society must take into consideration, :
produces really
Karl not
humanity
present
a
itself.
Marx expounded this considered. They had
social questions
resemblance,
striking
told just as the child has to
21
The two
e.g.
before
working men were do whatever they were
idea, the to ;
the workers' needs
and
his
THE ABSORBENT MIND dignity as a
man were
the child, the needs of
life
physical
not considered, and his dignity of
What have
movement
started a of
we
structor,
is
non-existent. ?
They have
order to obtain better conditions
in
more money must
;
who produce
humanity.
also be given to
The workers wish
themselves from restraints and repressions. conditions of this constructor of
man
are
life
great worker from the
this
We
moment he
follow him until he reaches adulthood
;
The
more dramatic
for the constructor of
bring about a betterment in humanity.
must
it.
than those of the constructor of the environment. ing the conditions of
to free
We
childhood from repression that weighs upon
free
are
Also to the child, this conworking man. must give better means of life. Workers ask
more money
those
man
of
for the
life
for
and psychic
and communists done
socialists
work
In the
not considered.
Better-
man
will
must follow at birth,
starts,
and provide him
We
with means necessary for a good construction. must remember that he is going to form that humanity which with
its
is
intelligence
building civilisation.
and it is which guides our hands and produces what we
the builder of our intelligence, telligence
The child is our human in-
call civilisation. If
we
life
shall
itself
know
our hands the
The It
is
is
taken into consideration and studied,
the secret of humanity.
power
of governing
We
shall
have
in
and helping humanity.
Marx brought about a revolution. we are preaching when we speak
social vision of Karl
a revolution that
22
THE ABSORBENT MIND about education.
we know
thing that
consider
It
it
a revolution inasmuch as everytoday will be changed. Indeed I
is
the last revolution.
revolution because
if
It
will
be a non-violent
the slightest violence
is
offered to
then his psychic construction will be faulty. delicate construction of human normality, as it
the child,
This
should be, needs protection it must be carried out without the slightest violence being offered to it. Indeed all ;
our effort has been to remove obstacles from the path of have taken away from him the growth of the child.
We
the dangers
This life
tion
is
and misunderstandings that surrounded him. what is intended by education as a help to
an education from
;
:
birth that brings
about a revolu-
a revolution that eliminates every violence, a re-
volution in which everyone will be attracted towards a
common
centre.
centred
upon respecting and aiding this delicate conwhich is carried on in psychic mystery following
struction
Mothers, fathers, statesmen
all will
be
the guide of an inner teacher.
This not
so
is
the
much a
new
shining hope for humanity.
reconstruction, as
by the human developed in all the immense the new-born child is endowed. tion carried out
23
an aid
It is
to the construc-
meant
to be,
potentialities with
which
soul as
it is
CHAPTER
III
THE PERIODS OF GROWTH ACCORDING
modern
the
to
psychologists
who have
followed children from birth to university age, there are in the course of development different and distinct periods.
This
conception
is
different
from the one
which was held previously and which considered that the
human
individual
when young
then becomes more capable as
it
holds very
little
and
grows, the concep-
something small that developed, i.e., something small which grows, but which holds always the same form. tion of
That was the old conception about the human mind.
Today psychology
recognises
that
there
are
different
types of psyche and different types of mind at different periods of life. These periods are clearly distinct from
one another.
It
curious to
is
say that these periods
correspond to different phases in the development of the physical body.
The changes
are so great, psychically
speaking, that certain psychologists, trying to render them
have exaggerated and they have expressed them" selves in this fashion Growth is a succession of births."
clear,
:
24
THE ABSORBENT MIND At
a certain period of life, a psychic individuality ceases and another is born. These successive births take place during the period of growth.
goes from birth to six years. differences, is
the
first
of these periods
This period shows notable
whole length the type of mind From zero to 6 the period shows two
but during
same.
The
distinct sub-phases.
its
The
a type of mentality which
first
from
to 3 years
shows
unapproachable by the adult, i.e., upon which the adult cannot exert any direct influence and, indeed, there is no school for such children.
Then
is
another sub-phase from 3 to 6 in which the type of mind is the same, but the child begins to become This period is approachable in a special manner. there
is
characterised
by the great transformations
in the individual.
In order to realise
think about the difference there
babe and a
child of 6.
How
is
this
this,
that take place it is
sufficient to
between a new-born transformation takes
place does not concern us for the moment, but the fact is
that at 6 years the individual becomes, according to
the usual expression, intelligent
enough
to
be admitted
to school.
The
is
next period is from 6 to 2 years. This period one of growth, but without transformations. It is a 1
period of calm and serenity. It is also psychically speaking a period of health and strength and security. Now if we
look at the physical body, we see signs that seem to mark The transthe limit between these two psychic periods.
formation that takes place in the body
25
is
very
visible.
I
THE ABSORBENT MIND will cite
and
only one item
starts
there
it
is
reminds us of the
extends from
in
the
12
to
15
first
This
period.
2
last
period
two sub-phases, one that and one from 15 to 18. This into
also distinguished physically
is
1
also a period of such transformation
can also be sub-divided
period
set of teeth
first
the third period which goes from
is
18 years, which
that
the child loses his
growing the second.
Then to
:
body which achieves
by transformations
maturity.
After 18
considered completely developed and there
Man
any considerable transformation.
man
is
no longer merely becomes is
older.
The
curious
thing
that
is
official
education has
It seems to recognised these different psychic types. have had a subconscious intuition of them. The first
period from
to
because
it
education and
it
nised
6 years of age has been clearly recoghas been excluded from compulsory
has been noticed that at
6,
there
is
a
People seem to have reasoned that the child of 6 years is sufficiently intelligent to be admitted
transformation.
to school.
In doing so they have unconsciously admitted
that the child
knows a
many
great
things
;
for
if
he were
completely ignorant, he would not be able to attend school.
If,
for
do not know how
instance, children
orientate themselves,
how
when somebody
and so
talks
to
be unable to attend school.
walk,
forth,
how
even at
to understand 6,
they would
So we might say
has been a practical recognition.
to
that this
But they never thought,
26
THE ABSORBENT MIND these educators, that his
the child can
if
come
to school, find
about and understand the ideas transmitted to
way
him, he must have learned to do so, because at birth he
was unable him then
?
to
do any
Not the
teachers, because, as
period the child
this
Who
of these things.
is
has taught
we saw,
excluded from school.
during It
has
never even entered their minds that there must be a very elaborate procedure to enable the new-born individual
who had no will,
no co-ordinated movement, no and no memory, to understand what we say. intelligence,
An
unconscious recognition was also given to the second period, because in many countries at 2 years of 1
age children generally leave the elementary school and enter high school. Why have they chosen the period
and why do they consider it the proper period in which to give the basic and elementary items of culture ? As this happens in every country of the world, means that it was not done by chance. It means that it from 6 to
1
2
must be a psychic basis common to all children that made this possible. It had been recognised by reasoning based upon experience. It has been found that during
there
this
period,
the
child
can submit
to
the mental
work
He understands what a teacher necessary in schools. says and he has enough patience to listen and to learn. During
this
whole period, he
well as strong in health. teristics
that this period
It is
fitable for imparting culture.
27
is is
constant in his work, as
because of these charac-
considered as the most pro-
THE ABSORBENT MIND After the 12th year of age, usually there is the beginBy this official education ning of a higher sort of school. has recognised that at that year a new type of psychology
begins in the
human
divisions has also
individual.
been
felt.
It
That this type has two is shown by the fact that
they have divided high schools into two parts. have in our country an inferior and a superior high school. The inferior high school lasts three years
We
and the superior sometimes two and sometimes three. Here we have a period which is not as smooth and calm as the preceding one. Psychologists say that a
of such
psychic transformation that it may be compared to the first period from to 6. Usually during this period the character is not steady, there is it
is
period
indiscipline
also
is
and some
sort of rebellion.
Physical health
not as strong and secure as during the second
But the school pays no heed to this. A certain syllabus has been elaborated and children are forced to In this period also follow it, whether they like it or not. period.
the children have to to
obey
implicitly
sit
and
listen to the teachers,
and spend
their
time
have
memorising
things.
Then comes not
the university.
differ essentially
The
university also does
from the types of school that precede
Here also except perhaps by the intensity of study. the professors come, they talk and students listen.
it,
When beards.
I
was
And
young, it
was
men
did
not shave, they had
curious to see in the lecture halls
28
THE ABSORBENT MIND men
bearded, some of them with pointed some had long beards beards, some with square ones all
these
fully
;
and some had them
short, while the
most
moustaches were displayed. Yet and more than mature were as
of
had
to
and
sit
listen
;
all
different varieties
these
little
men
mature
children.
They
they had to submit to the jibes of the
they had to depend for their cigarettes, for their street-car fares on the liberality of their fathers who scolded professors
them adult
if
;
They were
they failed in the examinations.
men
!
These
whose
men,
intelligence,
whose
was going to direct the world, whose instruwork was to be the intelligence and to whom
experience
ment were
of
alloted
doctors,
the
highest
engineers,
professions,
lawyers.
were the
And what good
future is
a
assured on receiving one's degree ? Who goes to a doctor who has only just received And if somebody wants to build a beautiful house, it ?
degree today
?
Is
one's
life
does he go and ask the services of a newly fledged Or if I have a law suit on my hands, am I engineer. going to employ a newly accredited lawyer ? No. And why ? For the simple reason that all these years of study, these years of listening,
work and doctors have
cal
practice
'
do not form man only practido that. Thus we find that young '
all
;
and lawyers have to an established lawyer. The same
to serve in hospitals,
practise in the office of
plan has to be followed for the
This apprenticeship lasts for years and years, before they can have a practice of their own. And in order to be able
29
engineer.
THE ABSORBENT MIND must have an opportunity There have been very strange cases
to find a place to practise, they
and
protection.
resulting from this in
New
place in find
with
this
;
of
information
What
starving.
are
There
even today.
out control, but
employment. " :
we is
some
to the fact that during different periods of
and
to
phase
one took
typical
There was a procession exclusively hundreds of them who had been unable
sort
any
A
York.
of intellectuals to
many countries.
life.
We to
work
are without
do ?" Such
no planning. sort of
bore a banner
They is
;
we
are
the situation,
Education
is
with-
acknowledgement
is
given
growth there are different types at There are different mental types
each mental type has been allotted a different
of education, elementary, high school
The Period
When
I
and
university.
of Creation
was young,
were not taken
the children from 2 to 6 years
into consideration at
Now
all.
there are
There is the pre-school institutions of different kinds. creche for small children and the so-called Montessori school, nursery
and kindergarten schools
for children
from
But today, as then, the most important part of education is considered to be university education, because from the university come the people who have 3 to 6.
best cultivated that part of man's intelligence.
study
and
life,
Now
there
is
mind which we
that the psychologists
call
have come
to
a tendency to go to the other extreme,
there are other people besides
me who
say that the
30
THE ABSORBENT MIND most important part first
it
life
is
not the university, but the
the period that extends from
period
because
of
during this
is
first
to 6 years,
period that intelligence, the
man, is formed and not only intelligence, but the whole of the psychic faculties are congreat instrument of
structed
during this
;
This has
period.
made
a great
who have had any sensibility towards Today many meditate upon the small psychic life. child upon the new-born, and the one year old, who and they feel the same create the personality of man emotion, the same deep impression as those who in olden times used to meditate upon death. What is it that takes place when death comes ? This is what attracted medita-
impression upon
all
;
;
tion
and sentimentality
meditation
in
being carried
is
entered the world.
This
is
Today a similar out upon man who has just a Man, this is the being who the past.
has been created with the highest and
Why
is
animal
he to have such a long and painful infancy ? No has a period of infancy so painful and so
This
long.
"What
loftiest intelligence.
is
what
is
attracts the attention of the thinkers.
that takes place during this period ?" they
it
ask themselves. Certainly
nothing child
it
existed,
knows
little bit
with a
little bit
31
nothing
!
a child were born
It is
not as
if
of intelligence,
with a
little
everything.
with a
is
a period of creation because before and then, a year or so after birth, the
is
which
bit of
memory,
grows. There It is not as Individuality starts from zero of will
after a while
!
THE ABSORBENT MIND though there were a
voice that later developed, as
little
the case, for instance, for the kitten,
mew is
if
The only means
mute.
a
not
question of development. that starts from
creation
able to
is
Man
zero.
That
cannot hope to grow.
It
he
of expression
In the case of the
that of crying.
is
at birth
imperfectly, or for the bird or the calf.
absolutely
has is
even
who
human is
is
being,
it
a question of
you do not exist, you the tremendous step the If
is
child takes, the step that goes from nothing to something.
We
are not capable of
A
is
not capable of
it.
type of mind different from ours, endowed with
different is
Our mind
it.
powers
is
necessary to accomplish
And
this.
not a small creation that the child achieves.
creation of
all.
He
it
the
It is
creates not only the language, but the
make it possible for us to speak. Every physical movement he creates, every side of our intelliHe creates all that the human mind, the human gence. It is a tremendous achieveindividual is endowed with. organs that
ment
!
This conscious thing, child,
is ;
we have
a will and
if
we go about it. There is no no
will.
be created.
We
not done with a conscious mind.
to learn
If
child's
we
type, that of the child
mind
call is
is
will
not the type of
have
to
mind we
our type of mind the conscious
an unconscious mind.
unconscious mind does not
unconscious mind can be
some-
consciousness in the small
For both consciousness and
The
adults possess.
we want
are
mean an
full
inferior
Now
mind.
of intelligence.
One
an
An will
32
THE ABSORBENT MIND type of intelligence in every being and every insect has it. It is not a conscious intelligence even though find
this
were endowed with reason. It an unconscious type and while he is endowed with
sometimes
it
looks as
if it
is
of
it
the child performs his wonderful achievements.
The
one year has already seen all things that are environment and is capable of recognising them.
child of his
How This
we
has he been able to take
due
is
one
to
the
of
have discovered
in
in this
special
the child
:
environment
intense sensitivity that the things which surround
the environment
awaken
him an intense
in
such
of
power
>
that
characteristics a
in
him
interest
in
and
such a great enthusiasm that they seem to penetrate into very life. The child takes with his mind, but with his life.
his
guage that
is
the most evident
all
these impressions not
The
example
the child acquires language
? It is
acquisition of lan-
How
of this.
said that the child
endowed with the sense of hearing, that he voice of the human being and thus he learns is
Let us admit
this.
the millions of different sounds
does he hear child hears,
if it is
to speak. all
and noises that surround him,
voice of
man
true that
he takes only the language
just the
and
hears the
Why, however, amongst
a fact.
It is
is it
?
If it is
true that the
human beings, it means that the human language must have made a great impression on the child. These of
impressions must be so strong, they must cause such an intensity of feeling and such a great enthusiasm as to set in
33
motion
invisible
fibres
within the
body
that begin
THE ABSORBENT MIND to
vibrate
order to
in
We
reproduce those sounds.
can compare it to something similar in ourselves. SomeAfter a while one begins times one goes to a concert. to see
rapt expressions
and hands begin
on the faces
of the public
;
heads
What
has brought them into movement if not the impressions caused by the music > Something similar must happen in the unconscious mind of
to
The
the child.
move.
voice
the impressions aroused
causes such impressions that in us by music seem almost
non-existent in comparison.
One can
movements
thrills,
of the
and
that tremble
tongue that
almost see these
of the minute chords
of the cheeks, everything vibrating
and
becoming tense, preparing in silence to reproduce those sounds that have caused so much emotion in the un-
And how
conscious mind. in
language
its
acquired that sonality,
it is
this
in
natural
from
all
How
set.
He
the words.
is
of If
"
table
it
is
we
the
that
it
his psychic per-
and
it is
as clearly
these
sounds which
meaning suddenly bring
He
>
has taken
4
to his
has not merely taken the sentence, the con-
we do not understand the sentence, we cannot understand
the sentence.'
construction
language.
so exactly and firmly
languages that he may teeth may be distinguished from
the beginning have no
struction of
is
other
mind understanding, ideas in
It
language forms part of
as a set of false
learn,
>
that the child acquires
it
called his mother-tongue,
distinguished
the
exactness
is
If
say, for instance,
the order of the
words
"
the glass
is
on the
that gives the sense.
34
THE ABSORBENT MIND If
one said
difficult
we
"
to them,
to get the idea.
The
understand.
It is
"
on
glass the
table
is
would be
it
words that
the sequence of
child has absorbed the construc-
tions of the language.
The Absorbent Mind
How
does
these things
it
take place
?
It is
in
He would
it.
he remembers
but in order to remember, he has to have
",
memory and he had no memory struct
"
said
have
to
he has
;
have the power
still
to con-
of reasoning
order to realise that the construction of a sentence order
in
necessary
reasoning power.
He
Our mind, such plish
it
understand
to
as
it
is,
child possesses,
it.
could not do
a different type of mind
what the
But he has no
it.
has to construct
is
is
it
to
;
accom-
needed, and that
is
a type of intelligence different
We
might say that we acquire with our The intelligence, the child absorbs with his psychic life. child merely by going on with his life, learns to speak the
from ours.
It belonging to his race. chemistry that takes place in the child.
language
impressions pour our mind, but as water
in,
is
a
like
We
mental
are vessels
and we remember and hold them
we remain
distinct
;
in
from our impressions,
remains distinct from the
glass.
The
child
The
impressions not only penetrate the mind of the child, but form it. They become
undergoes a transformation. incarnate.
The
child
makes
its
own
*
'
mental
using the things that are in his environment.
35
flesh
We
by
have
THE ABSORBENT MIND called his type of for
mind
*
Mind\
Absorbent
It is difficult
us to conceive the powers of the absorbent mind of
the small child, but certainly
mind.
If
only
The
think.
could continue,
it
child
is
born and
a privileged form of
is
it
only
if
it
persisted
some months he
for
!
Just
lies in
After a while he walks, goes around, does
his house.
and he enjoys himself, he is happy he lives from day to day and by doing this he learns movements language comes into his mind with all its constructions things
;
;
;
the
possibility
of
directing
his
and many other things. vironment comes to be part of life
religion.
Think how wonderful
movements Whatever is mind
his it
:
to
suit
his
in
his
en-
habits, customs,
would be
if,
while merely
enjoying ourselves, merely by existing, just because we had such a type of mind, we could become doctors or
lawyers or engineers. Think of it. Children learn the language with all the perfection or imperfection they find in their environment without going to school. How
one could learn German merely by walking with a German. Instead how hard have we Arid how much have we to study when we to work.
wonderful would
have
by
things,
little
if
the
all
unconsciously,
scious
path
to
love,
the
child
becomes conscious
these form his consciousness.
see
and
be
to learn the different subjects. Little
the
it
followed
conscious,
by
the
gradually following
child.
passing
a
path
of all
And so we He acquires from of
unconpleasure
THE ABSORBENT MIND This
To
tion.
consciousness seems to us a great acquisibecome conscious to acquire a human ;
mind But we pay for it. Because as soon as we become conscious, every new acquisition causes hard work and fatigue. !
Movement At birth tions.
another of these wonderful acquisithe child moves very little, then gradually is
body becomes animated. He starts to move. The movements that the child acquires, just as is the case
his
with language, are not formed by chance. They are determined in the sense that they are acquired during a special period. When the child begins to move, his absorbent mind has already taken in the environment. Before he starts to move, an unconscious psychic development has already taken place. As he starts to move,
he begins to become conscious. If you watch a small child of three, he is always playing with something. That means he is elaborating with his hands, putting into his consciousness,
what
taken in before.
by
ment
It
is
his
this
unconscious mind had
experience in the environ-
he goes over the things and the impressions that he has taken into his It is by means of work that he unconscious mind. in
the
guise
of
becomes conscious and
playing
that
constructs
Man.
He
is
directed
by a marvellously grand mysterious power which little by little he incarnates and thus he becomes a Man. He becomes a man by means of his hands, by means of his experience,
37
first
through play, then through work.
The
THE ABSORBENT MIND hands are the instrument
of the
human
intelligence.
And
he becomes a man, he takes
by means
of this experience
a
form and becomes limited because conscious-
definite
ness
always more limited than unconsciousness and
is
sub-consciousness.
He comes
and begins his mysterious work and little by little he becomes the wonderful personality adapted to his time and to his environment. He builds his
mind,
to
until little
by reasoning power until
life
little
by
little
he has constructed
memory
;
he has constructed understanding, until little by little, he has arrived at
little ;
6th year. Then suddenly we educators discover that this individual understands, that he has the patience to his
listen to
what we
In this
And
lived
a study of the psychology
years of his all
He
we had no power
on another plane, different from book we are concerned with this first period.
to reach him. ours.
say, whereas before
life
is
who understand
of the child in the
so marvellous, so it
full
cannot help but
first
of miracles, that
feel
a great emo-
Our work is not to teach, but to help the absorbent mind in its work of development. How marvellous it would be if by our help, if by an intelligent treatment of the child, if by understanding the needs of his physical life and by feeding his intellect, we could prolong the What a period of functioning of the absorbent mind tion.
!
we
we
could help the human individual to absorb knowledge without fatigue, if man could find himself full of knowledge without knowing how service
should render
if
38
THE ABSORBENT MIND he had acquired it, doing it almost by magic. And why should it not be possible ? Is not nature full of magic, full of miracles ?
The
discovery of the fact that the child
is
endowed
with an absorbent mind has brought about a revolution in education. Now it is easy to understand why the first is
the most important amongst the periods of develop-
The
human character takes place within its span and once we have understood this, it also becomes clear that we must help the child in his ment.
creation
of
;
creative work.
more
in
need
evident that
For there
no age
in
which the
child
of intelligent help than in this period.
if
work becomes
is
It is
the child meets with obstacles, his creative less
the child because he
have
is
perfect. is
We
do not any longer help
weak being. No We endowed with great creative
a small and
realised that the child
is
!
powers, that these great powers are delicate in their nature and can be thwarted if obstacles are placed in their path.
It
is
small child, not his weakness.
we
wish to help, not the When we understand that
these powers
these powers belong to an unconscious
mind which must
become conscious by work and experience carried out in the environment, when we realise that the child's mind is different from ours, that we cannot reach it and teach him things, that this
process
we
cannot directly intervene in of passing from the unconscious to the
conscious and of constructing the
human
faculties
the whole conception of education will change
39
then
;
and
will
THE ABSORBENT MIND become
that of a help to the child's
life.
Education
will
take the guise of an aid to the psychic development of man and not of making him memorise ideas and facts.
This this
mind
different
qualities this
is
in
the its
new path
of
different
processes,
education and
how
powers and how to give strength of this mind will be the object
how
to
to help
second the
to the different of our
study in
book.
40
CHAPTER
IV
A NEW ORIENTATION IN
our days there
biological studies.
on
the
adult
were
plants
a
is
new
definitely
Previously
all
orientation
was carried out when animals or it was the adult
study
being.
For
instance,
studied
by
scientists
specimen which came under consideration. also to the studies
adult
that
study of morality,
always the attention
and
this
proceeds
adult.
and
was in
in
the
logical
life
is
we
of
all
in it
the
the
was
which attracted the
field
the
thinkers
adult
headed towards death.
was death
being as he
The study
might say, the study of the conditions
amongst
adults.
such as love
for
It is
true that
one another, the other beings and
these are difficult virtues.
a preparation and an to
e.g.
sociology,
one's self for the welfare of
so forth, but
seem
consideration,
because the
rules of social contact
sacrifice
of
This applied
was always
It
study of
Another
there are moral ideas
41
into
meditation
of morality was,
and
upon humanity.
was taken
in
effort of the will.
have taken the opposite
They require Today scientists
direction.
It
seems as
THE ABSORBENT MIND though they were proceeding backwards.
Both
in the
human
beings and of other types of life, they consider not only the very young beings, but their very study of
So biology
origin. to
the
we
Rather,
it is
might say,
From
this orientation
philosophy has sprung up
not
is
philosophy
attention to embryology,
forth.
new
the origin a
this
its
and so
of the cell
life
towards but
directs
an
of
scientific
nature.
idealistic
because
it
springs
from observation and not from abstract deductions of
The
thinkers.
by
progress of this philosophy proceeds side
side with the progress
discoveries
in the
made
in
the laboratories.
When
one enters the
the
of origins,
field
field of
embryology, one sees things which do not exist in the fields that concern adults, or if they do exist, they are of a very different nature. Scientific observations reveal a type of
which
life
is
the one that
quite different from
humanity was accustomed to consider previously.
by
new
this
of research that the personality of the
field
been thrown
child has
wards
life
struction
of
like
is
no
very banal that the child does not progress
the adult,
the child
progresses to-
because the purpose of the child
man
in
the fullness of his child
A
into the limelight.
show
consideration will
towards death
It is
longer.
the fullness of life.
When
the con-
his strength
the
So the whole
is
adult
life
of
and
arrives,
the child
in
the is
a
progress towards perfection, a progress of ever greater
achievement.
Even from
this
banal observation, one can
42
THE ABSORBENT MIND deduct that the child can find joy
and
task of growth
in the fulfilment of
The
perfection.
a
a type of
child's is
which work, the fulfilment of one's task, brings joy and happiness, whereas in the field of adult, work is something which is usually a rather painful process. in
life
This process of growth,
this
in
proceeding
life
is
for
expands and enlarges, inasmuch becomes, the more intelligent and His work, his activity help the
the child something that
as the older the child stronger he becomes.
child to acquire intelligence
case of adults,
strength,
is
man
that
The
adults
for
found.
field
this
Now child,
birth
In
other
words,
child.
beings,
near the child usually are
So one can see it
is
in
that,
the field of
in
the
the child
deserves to be studied.
life, it
us go
let
for
still
further
back
in
the
life
of the
Already before the child has contact with the adult because as an i.e.
embryo
to
life
the
is
two
cells
period
before
birth.
spent in the body of the mother.
the embryo, there
43
order to construct
a better society can be It is a reality. not a question of an ideal. is different and also as it represents a
is
It
better kind of
of
are
examples and inspiration
that
As
human
of
in this field
him.
who
protectors of the
case
in
he has to construct.
nobody can grow
in the
no competition, because no one
can do the work that the child does the
whereas
Also
rather the contrary.
it is
there
of the child,
and
is
the germinal cell which
which come from
adults.
is
Before
the result
So from
either
THE ABSORBENT MIND when one goes towards the origin of the life of human beings, and when one goes on following the child side
towards the completion of
The
the adult.
child's
generations of adult
and
is
in the
from
adult.
this
life
The
This
is
child's
life
from the
starts
growth, one finds
the line that joins the
is
life
life.
originated,
his task of
which originates
and
adult
way, the path
the
two
of
life,
finishes
and
it
is
that touches the adult so intimately that a
That
great light can be derived.
is
why
its
study
so
is
fascinating.
The Two Lives Nature furnishes special protection to the young. They are born amidst love, the very origin of the child is love.
Once he
is
born,
and mother. generated and that is
his father
he
is
So
it
his
surrounded by the love of is not in strife that he is
protection.
Nature gives to
young and this love is not enforced by reason, such as the
the parents love for their
something artificial, or idea of brotherhood that trying to arouse.
It
is
all
people aspiring to unity are
in the field of the child's life that
can be found the type of love which shows what ought to be the ideal moral attitude of the adult community, because only here can be found love that naturally inspires self-sacrifice.
ego to somebody
inspires the
else, the
service of other beings. all
It
parents give up their
of
an
self to
the
dedication
dedication of one's
In the depth of their sentiment
own
life
in order to dedicate
it
to
44
THE ABSORBENT MIND This sacrifice that the father and mother
children.
their
make
is
something natural that gives
appear as
Nobody
sacrifice.
for
does not
It
joy.
"
instance says
:
Oh,
man has two children etc." But one says How this man is to have a wife and children. What a 4t
this
poor
lucky
must be
it
joy
And
:
her to have such lovely children
for
yet there
is
a real
life
is
It
itself,
on the part of the a sacrifice which gives
self-sacrifice
parents for their children, but joy.
it is
so that the child inspires that which
world represents an ideal renunciation, selfwhich are almost impossible to attain. What
in the adult sacrifice
" !
:
businessman,
if,
on the market, there
is
something rare he
"
Here you take it, do not want it ? But if they are both hungry and there is only a small piece of bread, what father
needs,
tells
another
firm
rival
:
"
I
if
would not say
mother
or it.
am
I
"
not hungry
?
the
to
This
child
" :
You
a very lofty sort of love
is
that can be found only in the world of children.
nature that gives
The one is
a
it.
So
there are
because of the child and
member
of
society.
The
different lives.
loftiest
the
this life
his
sentiments are developed.
Now
it
is
among animals life
in
two
is
of the
because
In
because he
in the other
better
part which concerns the child
of
two
It is
adult has the privilege of taking part in both. life
eat
curious that,
instead of
are also to be found.
if
the study
among men, There
is
these
carried out
two types
are, for instance, the
wild and ferocious animals which seem to change their
45
THE ABSORBENT MIND Everybody knows how tender are tigers and lions for their young and how brave becomes the timid deer. It seems as if there were a reversal of instinct in all animals when they have young
when
instincts
ones
to
they have a family.
is
It
protect.
a sort of imposition of special
over the ordinary ones. Timid animals, even to a greater degree than we, possess an instinct of self-
instincts
preservation, but
when they have young
of self-preservation for
the young.
the protection of
changes into an
So with many to fly
ones, this instinct
instinct of protection
Their instinct for
birds.
as soon as
away
any danger approaches, but when they have young ones, they do not fly away, but some remain frozen upon the nest in cover
life is
whiteness of the eggs. Others feign being wounded, keep themselves just out of reach of the dog's jaws and attract them away from their order
to
young who
the
remain
betraying
in
Ordinarily
hiding.
instead
of
There taking the chance of being caught, they fly away. are many instances of this kind and in every form of there will be found
animal
life
set
self-protection
for
two
and another
sets of instincts
that
owes
it
is
its
H. Fabre
in
One book
of the of the
books French
which he concludes by saying
to this great mother-instinct that the species survival.
This
is
true
because
if
the survival of
the species were due only to the so-called the
one
set of instincts for the
protection of the lives of their young. which most beautifully describes this is a biologist J.
:
struggle for
existence,
how
weapons
for
could the young ones
46
THE ABSORBENT MIND defend themselves
not as yet developed Are not the small tigers toothless and
these weapons. the
birds without feathers
young
Therefore, to survive, for
They have
>
it is
life
if
is
be saved and
to
necessary
?
first
if
the species
of all to provide protection
young who though unarmed are building up
the
is
their
weapons. If
owed
life
would
strong, the species
main
survival only to the struggle of the
its
perish.
So the
factor of the survival of the species,
the adults feel for their young.
that there
is
even
Each one
them.
tective instincts
;
we
is
the love that
study nature, the
see the revelation of intelligence
to
is
fascinating part
If
real reason, the
lowest of the low, as
in the
we
endowed with different kinds of proeach one is endowed with a different is
kind of intelligence and
expended one studies
this intelligence is
all
the protection of the young, whereas if their instincts for self-protection, these do not
for
much
and
intelligence
instinct in
this
field.
made Fabre
that
fill
protective instincts all
different
consider
kinds
there
is
There
is
1
instincts are necessary
same
variety of
not the finesse of detail
6 volumes, treating mainly of the
among of
not the
show so
So studying among one sees that two sets of
insects.
life,
and two types
of
life.
When we
were it for nothing carry this to the field of human life, but for social reasons, the study of the life of the child adult.
47
is
necessary
And
this
for the
study of
consequences it has life must go to the very
in
the
origin.
THE ABSORBENT MIND Embryology There are today consideration the
being from
of the child
and the
One
very beginning.
new
a
which take into life
of the
the study of embryology which
is
ing
its
life
different sciences
is
of the living
most
interest-
also carried out
Thinkers and philosophers in all times have wondered about the marvel of a being who did not exist before and becomes a man or a in
fashion.
woman who
will
have
intelligence,
thoughts,
and who
be able to show the greatness of his soul. How does this come about ? How are the organs made which are so complicated and so marvellous P How will
are
eyes formed and the tongue, that allows us to
the
speak, and the
brain
human organism
of the
of
that there
must be
it
it
was thought in
to
as
disputed this
other infinite details
are they formed
his
be so also to
1th
generating
mammals. Two schools was the man who had
for the
whether
that time there
cell
it
or
the
woman.
" :
I
am
And
they
in the Universities.
was a young man who made use
the microscope, which
himself
In the
century scientists thought the egg-cell a minute ready-made 1
fought carrying on learned discussions
At
?
woman. It was so small that one could not see was there and afterwards it merely grew. This
or
but
in
the
all
How
?
XVI
the
beginning
man
and
had
going to
of
been invented, saying to see what really happens/' He just
started to study the germinal
cell.
vations to the conclusion that there
is
He came by
obser-
nothing pre-existing.
48
THE ABSORBENT MIND He it
said that the being builds
the
The
formed.
is
two divide
the being
formed.
is
(See
men who were
fighting
with each other
became
Who
angry.
is
cell
germinal
into four
this
itself
and by fig.
1.)
and described how
divides
into two,
itself
multiplication of cells,
The
learned university
ig-
who says that nothing exists ? Why, norant person this
is
against
And
the
came
so
religion
situation
bad
for
!
bethis
poor man that he was chased out of his country. He remained an exile
and
died
country.
in
For
a foreign 50 years
Fie.
The
1
multiplication of the
germinal
cell.
though the microscopes were multiplied, nobody dared to look into the secret
But meanwhile what
again.
to penetrate
begun
this first
man had
and people thought
that
it
said
had
might be
Another scientist after 50 years made the same study and found that what the first man had said was He said it to every one arid this time every one true. true.
believed
today
is
and a new branch of science arose which very advanced Embryology. it,
:
Today embryology has developed that
49
it
begins
to
reason
and
says
to
that
the it
point is
true
THE ABSORBENT MIND that there
ready-made woman he becomes a full-grown man
made man grows is
or
until
but there
no readywho grows and
nothing pre-existing, that there
is
surprising,
out
and
build a
or
woman
;
a pre-established plan of construction which
is
seems so well made, so well appears as if somebody had thought
because
reasoned out, that it
is
fixed
it
it
It is
it.
as though
some one wanted
to
house and started by collecting bricks before
And the beginning to build the walls of the house. same happens with this primitive cell first it accumulates a number of cells, by sub-division and multiplication, and :
When
then builds three walls.
been
built,
the
three
second phase begins
the
have
walls
the phase of the
construction of the organs.
Now
the construction of the organs takes place in an
extraordinary way. I
begins by one
It
do not know what happens
there.
I
cell at
one
point.
do not know
if it is
something of a chemical nature or if it is a sort of sensitiveness. I believe no one does. The fact is that around that point an extraordinary activity begins. multiplication
where
it
of
cells
becomes
continues in the
There the
feverish
same calm
rate of
whereas
fashion.
else-
When
this
an organ has been built. There these points and each one of them builds
feverish activity ceases,
are several of
up a
definite organ.
phenomenon
in
this
The
discoverer has interpreted the
fashion
:
there
are
points
of
around which a construction takes place. These It is organs develop independently one from the other.
sensitivity
50
THE ABSORBENT MIND as though the purpose of each of
were
build something for themselves only,
to
the cells
and the
in-
such that in each of these organs become so united, so imbued with what we
the activity,
tensity,
call
might
these cellular points
their
is
ideal that they actually transform them-
and they become So the cells assume a selves
different
from the other
special form
organs that they are constructing.
cells.
according to the
Then when
the dif-
organs are formed independently one of the other,
ferent
something else comes, which puts them into relation and communication. When they are all united, so united and so interconnected that one cannot live without the other, the child
them
is
born.
together.
the circulatory system that joins
is
It
And
after
the circulatory system, the
nervous system is finished, to make more intimate the union. And then one sees the plan of construction.
This plan of construction is based upon a point of enthusiasm from which a creation is achieved. And once the creation of the organs to join
together.
animals and
development
for
is
a fact, they are destined to unite,
This plan
man.
It is
is
the
for all superior
followed by them
all for
the
of each.
The modern
idea
plan of construction
is
therefore
common
that there
is
but one
Embryos are past there was a theory
to all lives.
in fact so similar that in the recent
that
same
evolution had proceeded along a path of different
degrees of animality so that man for instance came from the monkey, that mammals and birds came from ;
51
THE ABSORBENT MIND these from amphibians, the latter from fishes etc.
reptiles,
The embryos stages of
so
all
each were thought to pass through the the preceding ones before achieving birth of
;
that in the
embryos
evolution of the species,
there
that
ction,
has
nature
that
says
Today
synthesis
is
but
one
the facts
method
one plan
only
of
of
the
an abandoned
this is
science looks merely at
Today
theory.
was a
there
and
constru-
of
construction in
nature.
Now
we have
if
facts
are better
ment
of the child,
plan.
mind, then e.g.
the
many
obscure
psychic develop-
because not only the human body, but
from
starts
It
in
understood,
human psyche
also the
this
is
same from what
constructed following the
nothing,
or at least
appears to be nothing, in the same way as the body starts from that primitive cell which appears in no way In the new-born child, also different from other cells. psychically speaking, there seems to be nothing which is already built up, just as there was not a ready-made man in
the
primitive
organs are
built
cell.
And
in
around a point
the psychic field also, of sensitivity.
There
is
accumulation of material, just as we said there was an accumulation of cells by a multiplicaThis is done by what I tion in the case of the body. at
first
the
work
*
absorbent mind/ After that come points These are so intense that we adults cannot
have called the of sensitivity.
of
even imagine anything approaching
example
of this
when we
it.
We
gave an
illustrated the acquisition
of
52
THE ABSORBENT MIND From
language.
these points of sensitivity,
not the
it is
Here
also
developed, but the organs of this psyche. each organ develops independently of the
other,
e.g.,
language, being able to judge distances, or
psyche that
is
being able to orient oneself in the environment, or being able to stand on two legs and other co-ordinations. Each of
develops around
items
these
dependently sensitivity
is
one
the
of
acute
so
towards a certain
set
of
other.
that
an
Now
this
the
attracts
it
actions.
but in-
interest,
None
of
point
individual
of these sen-
occupies the whole period of development. Each long enough to ensure occupies only part of the time After the organ has the construction of a psychic organ.
sitivities
;
been formed, the
but during
sensitivity disappears,
this
we
cannot imagine them and therefore cannot
period there are powers so great that
them, because we have lost even have an idea of what they organs are ready, they unite, call the
When
are.
in order to
the
all
form what
we
psychic unity.
upon different animals them build their adult
Biological studies carried out
have
revealed
by
species
that
means
all
of
of
these
sensitive
periods.
One
cannot understand the construction of the psyche of the child, unless one has an idea of these sensitive periods.
When
one knows
wards childhood
we
are
the child
53
is
them, then the whole attitude tobound to change. As a consequence
better able if
of
to help the psychic
we know when
development
of
these sensitive periods occur.
THE ABSORBENT MIND "
What about the previous generations ? People say How did they develop into healthy and strong beings if " It is true that humanity they did not know about them ? :
did not scientifically
know
the sensitive periods, but in
previous civilizations mothers applied an instinctive treatment of their children which enabled them if not to
second the needs of a sensitive period at least not to disturb it too much. Nature which in its plan has devised the sensitive periods so as to achieve the construction of the psychic organs has also put an instinct in mothers that guides
them
to give
protection.
And when
one
studies the simply living mothers in the treatment of their
then one understands
children,
how
well
mothers of
past generations must have aided the development of their children and how well they seconded the special in the sentiments that nature is It sensitivities.
has to
put in
be
the
found
hearts
for
the
of
parents that the reason
spiritual
strength
of
is
previous
generations.
Today, on account this instinct.
That
is
why
instinct as
ment
it is
Humanity it
life,
is
mothers have
lost
headed towards degeneration.
as important to study the maternal
to study the phases of the natural develop-
of children.
physical
is
of civilization,
In the past the mother not only gave
not only the
first
nourishment, but she also
gave protection to growth as other mothers belonging to animal species give it even today. And if today in humanity the maternal instincts tend to disappear as they
54
THE ABSORBENT MIND do, then a very real danger looms
ahead
of
humanity.
Today, we are face to face with the great practical problem that mothers must co-operate and science must find some way of aiding and protecting the psychic development of the child as it has found a way of development. The artificial of the West has deprived most children of their
protecting life
the
physical
mother's milk and the children would have starved
had not intervened and supplied the
science
some
other sort of physical nourishment.
field,
maternal love
is
a force,
it is
one
if
child with
In the psychic of the forces of
This must receive today the attention of science, science must enlighten the mothers by means of the disnature.
coveries
made
in
the field of the psyche of the children
so that henceforth mothers can help consciously instead Now that circumstances no longer of unconsciously. give free play to instincts in the mother, a consciousness
needs must be given to her. Education must come to the rescue and give mothers this knowledge. Education that starts from birth means to give a conscious of the
child's
protection to the psychic needs of the children.
It is
certain that in this effort to give protection to the psychic
needs
of the children, the
invited
and
become so
interested. artificial
that
mothers must be the
And
if
the
the child
life
of
first
to
be
today has
cannot achieve
its
development, then society must create institutions which will fulfil the needs of the children. When should schools begin
55
?
We
started from 3i, then
we went
to 3, then 2$,
THE ABSORBENT MIND then 2.
Now
the children of one year are brought to
But education meant to give protection to life, must reach further down until it includes the new-born
school.
child.
56
CHAPTER V
THE MIRACLE OF CREATION THIS passing from a cell to a complete organ thing which is incomprehensible, but it is a fact. exist, it
but
and
this
if
is
it
to scientists.
cause though is
felt
it
it
is
is
It
is
books upon
No
word
*
miracle
'.
Be-
this
miracle
matter what animals are ob-
or a rabbit or
sees that
composed
is
the
miraculous and wonder at
served, a bird it
scientific
something that happens continuously,
the same.
just
does
one finds a word used which before was
subject,
nevertheless
It
so marvellous that no one can understand
one reads the modern
anathema
some-
is
any
sort of vertebrate,
of organs
which
in
one
themselves
are extremely complicated
and what causes great wonder
how
these very complicated organs
and
surprise
is
to see
are closely connected one
with the other.
siders the circulatory system,
system so
system of
fine,
in
it
one con-
a drainage
so complicated and so complete that no
by the most advanced type can be compared to it. Also the in-
of drainage invented
civilization
telligence
service
environment, which
57
one sees
If
of is
impressions from the carried out with sense organs, is so collecting
THE ABSORBENT MIND marvellous that no modern instrument can approach it. What can for instance approach the marvel of the eye f or of the ear
And
?
that take place
special
if
one studies the chemical reactions
the body, one
in
chemical laboratories
in
sees that there are
which substances are
evolved, placing and holding together other substances that we in our most modern and most powerful laboratories are
in the
unable to unite.
human
If
we
consider communications
system, the most evolved and perfect com-
munication systems
which include telephone and wire-
telegraphy and telephones and
less,
all
that
we may
imagine which have been evolved and put together they, when compared to the communications that there are in the
body by means
And
of the nervous system, are as nothing.
one studies the best organised army, one will never find the obedience that the muscles have, which carry out the
if
commands
of
one
strategic director
whom
everyone
obeys immediately. These obedient servants exercise themselves in a special work, in a special fashion, so as to be ready to obey whatever commands come to them.
If
we
consider that
all
these complicated organs,
organs of communication, muscles obedient as soldiers, nerves that penetrate each little cell in the body, come
from one
we
cell,
the primitive cell which
is
spherical in
its
wonder of nature. Each living animal, each living mammal, and man, this marvellous being, all of them come from one primitive cell which, when examined, differs in no way from other cells and form,
realise
the
58
THE ABSORBENT MIND looks very very simple. If we, who are accustomed to big things, consider the size of these primitive cells, we
probably receive a shock. It inch, or 1/1 Oth of a millimetre.
shall
means, consider the
and
pencil
size of
is
the l/30th part of an
To
sharp other,
from which
cell
will not
So imagine how microscopic
them.
man
is
And when
comes.
this
one against the
no matter how tiny they are a millimetre of
what
made by a
a point
try to put 10 such dots
realise
the
hold ten cell, this
this cell
de-
develops isolated from the parent because it is protected, it is enclosed in a sort of envelope that keeps This is true it separate from the adult that contains it. velops,
it
The
for all animals.
cell
is
that the adult resulting from
the
work
it
is
of this cell originated
men
actually the product of
by
the adult.
This has
a long time because the in different spheres, such as Napoleon or
been the cause greatest
isolated from the parent so
of meditation for
Alexander or Gandhi, Shakespeare or Dante, etc., as well as the humblest of the humble among the human beings, every one has been constructed by one of these tiny This mystery not only provoked meditation but has also roused the attention of many scientists who have cells.
made
these cells the object of their studies.
tion with a powerful microscope,
each
cell
contains a certain
it
By
observa-
has been found that
number
of points
which as
they can be very easily coloured by chemical means have been called Chromosomes/ Their number differs in the *
different
59
species.
In
the
human
species for instance,
THE ABSORBENT MIND In others there are 15, in
there are 48.
the
number
of
chromosomes
which they belong.
mosomes
some
13 so that
distinguishes the species to
thought that these chrohad something to do with the formation of the Scientists
Recently much more powerful microscopes have been invented. These allow one to see things which it organs.
was
their
They have means people
that each of the
chromosomes
absolutely impossible to see previously.
been called
have been able
was a
and by
ultra -microscopes,
to see
box which contained a sort of chain, composed of about 00 little grains. The chromosomes break up, the grains free themselves and the cell becomes the depositary of some four thousand little grains that sort of
a
little
1
have been termed
'
4
genes
(fig.
PlC.
A chain
of 100
2.)
The word genes
2
genes shown linearly and each contained in one of the
48 chromosomes disposed geometrically on the
left.
60
THE ABSORBENT MIND They have been so called the body are formed by
implies the idea of generation.
because the characteristics combinations.
their
This
what fic
of
is
Yet
really science.
this implies,
one
realises
statement sounds, for
almost invisible, yet
this
little
mystic this dry scienticell is so tiny as to be
a combination
is
the heredity
itself
speck, there
perience, the whole history of the
any apparent change
to think
how
contains within
it
In this
of all times.
one stops
if
the whole ex-
is
human
Before
kind.
visible in the primitive cell,
already
these genes has taken place.
among
They
have already arranged themselves to determine exactly the form of the nose the colour of the eyes etc. of the f
being that will result from
genes are employed
in the formation of
of struggle takes place
Not
this primitive cell.
a body.
between these genes
all
A
made an
is
the famous example of
He
sort
only a few
;
combine and these give the outer characters of the vidual while others remain hidden and obscure. instance, there
the
indi-
For
Mendel who
a plant with red flowers and one of the same kind with white flowers and experiment.
then the seeds of the
new
with red flowers and
1
crossed
plant were sown.
These produce either three plants with white and one with red flowers or the contrary. So out of 40 seeds, 30 will come
and 30 with the
white.
with white flowers or If
with red
the circumstances are good,
superior qualities that
prevail
stances are not favourable, then 61
1
;
it is
but
if
it is
the circum-
the worse qualities
THE ABSORBENT MIND come
that
which the
So according
forth.
cell finds itself,
to the circumstances in
you can have a more
beautiful
individual or a less beautiful individual, a stronger indi-
vidual or a weaker individual.
And
this
is
due
to the
combinations between the genes. The combinations are so many that every human being is different from every
and even
other
children,
one observes families that have many
all
the children are generated
by the some ugly
some are beautiful, others tall, others short and so forth. Today much time is spent in studying what
same are
though
if
parents, yet
circumstances which will forth
a
;
new
make
;
are the
the better characters
come
science has arisen, Eugenics, which shows
how man
has by his intelligence succeeded in acquiring Human intelligence has influence even over heredity. understood that heredity can be influenced only at the stage when the primitive cell is formed and changes can
Thus man becomes a sort of god who takes in hand the powers of life and orients the path it will take. Nothing much has been done in this direction in the field of humanity, but in that of plants and animals, man has
be made.
been able does
it
hand
?
to influence heredity to a great extent.
mean when one has the power of life It means that we can dispose of heredity
What in one's
so as to
transform the species. This is the fascinating part that in our days focusses on this science the interest of
hundreds upon hundreds of people. Today this interest is not academic or philosophical. Today it has invaded
62
THE ABSORBENT MIND Great numbers of plants and ani-
the practical field.
have
mals
been
transformed.
Some
for
ago,
years
two young men carried out certain biologiexperiments and a race of stingless bees was
instance, cal
produced which made a great deal more honey. So man has been able to influence the life of these insects a species that has become harmless and produces more of a nourishing substance that humanity
and
to create
appreciates.
In the
same way
transformed so as to produce
Men
did previously. into
the
much more food than they
have also transformed simple roses
beautiful
many
that
varieties
today gladden
our eyes and delight our sense of smell. of flowers great
his
In the case
achievements have been made.
has captured a secret of life. magician who has embellished of
have been
certain plants
intelligence
;
He
Man
has become a sort of
with the magic because of it, the world is life
wand much
and more pleasant. We begin to see one of the aims of the life of man, one of the reasons which makes him one of the great cosmic forces. He has not been
richer
placed in the world in order to enjoy beautiful things. He has been placed here to make the world better. Man has intelligence because he has to make a better world than that which he has found. the continuator of the
sent to
employ creation more
as though
man were
had been help and make
creation, as though he
his intelligence in order to
perfect.
has been given to him.
63
It is
Intelligence
Man
is
the great
gift
that
has been able to enter a
THE ABSORBENT MIND permits him to have control over
field that
man had So
it.
and
man
life
as
was, but
it
fruitless study.
It
is
control
is
to penetrate certain secrets of
come.
now he can
no longer an abstract a study which has allowed
the study of embryology
to control to
to follow
Hitherto
life.
life
and
be able
to
by means of these secrets the beings that are Now, if by a stretch of imagination we think
development follows a similar procedure, then we can imagine that man, who has penetrated the secrets of physical development, can also control and that psychic
help psychic development.
This chapter about genes and heredity from pure embryology.
way
in
To do
separate
Embryology considers only the
which the primitive this,
is
cell
produces the individual.
the ultra -microscope or special reasoning are
not required.
It
merely a question of observation. two are generated and these remain is
From one cell, Then the two become four, the four eight, eight joined. become sixteen and so on. This continues until hundreds of cells are
produced which are similar
to the bricks that
are used for the construction of a house.
hollow sphere
sort of
Eventually a
is
produced. Curiously enough, in the oceans, there are certain animals which are just volvo like that, a hollow ball, and they are called f
'
because they are always going round. Then these become inflected and form two walls and later a wall
is
formed between the two.
consists
of these
three walls.
So
Up
the to
first
now
balls third
construction all cells
are
64
THE ABSORBENT MIND alike
amongst themselves.
the primitive
cell.
Only they
are smaller than
(Fig. 3.)
o
O O o o o
o Q
0oo
SS
o
oo 080
8
X
8
q
00
(
v
S Q
g
Po
olbo
C od
Fie. 3
Upper wall
left
the primitive ball of cell* (morula) consisting of
(right).
and
Below left the
a
single
introflected double-walled gasttula
to the right the third inner wall is formed.
Recently studies have permitted the discovery of the this
65
way in fact
which these organs are formed.
in the previous chapter.
I
mentioned
This discovery Was
THE ABSORBENT MIND made
very recently, between 1929 and 1930 i.e., after Now this is 1 4 years ago. Before the first world war. a discovery is made and this discovery is made public
and every one knows about say, as yesterday.
Now
4 years are,
we
might the figure reproduced here does
not correspond to a reality.
1
it,
(Fig. 4.)
SENSlTfS/TiONt INCREASED ACTMTV.
CRAOIENTSi
PHYSIOLOGICAL
QftADlEHT$,
Fie. 4
something imaginary made in order to show points of sensitivity. There are these spots in which cells begin It is
and it is in these special points that formed. While one person discovered this in
to multiply very fast
organs are
England independently somebody else was also doing research work and he made the same discovery. The American called these points gradients the Englishman, as he made his discovery upon the
America,
in
f
'
,
nervous system, called them
and
*
'
points
of
sensitisation
'
sanglion
Each set of
'.
of the three walls of the gastrula
organs.
The
external
produces a
one produces the
skin, the
66
THE ABSORBENT MIND sensory organs and nervous system. And this illustrates that the external layer is in relation with the environment,
because the skin gives us protection and the nervous system places us in relation to the environment. The innermost one develops organs used for nourishment such as the intestines, stomach, the glands of digestion, liver, pancreas,
and the
The organs
lungs.
of the nervous
systems are called organs of relation because they allow us to put ourselves in relation with the environment.
The organs
of the digestive
and
respiratory systems are
called vegetative organs because they life
possible.
The
third or
make
the skeleton that sustains the whole
rest,
muscles.
Now
it
is
vegetative
middle wall produces
curious to see
all
the
body and
the
how each one
of
has a special purpose and this purpose remains the same for each kind of animal. As long these
walls
as they are in the stage of walls, the cells are more Is this not intelligent > or less alike, simple. First three
walls
are
not curious that
And is it made, then the organs. the plan of the whole is made while
each of the three layers is After this, each of the
independent of the other ? cells that are going to form still
organs begins to transform itself. They assume the form best suited to perform a function which, however, they do not carry out in the embryo. So that this fine specialization of the cells for
a certain function takes place before the function
begins.
67
which transform themselves
THE ABSORBENT MIND Here
I
have reproduced some
of these cells (Fig. 5.).
MUSCLE CELL.
LIVER CELLS
MUCUS CELLS
FIG. 5
Types
There are the
which are pentagonal in form the muscles which are very long,
liver cells
there are the cells of
and
of cells
the triangular ones are
;
those that
make
the bones.
68
THE ABSORBENT MIND While these bone-cells are very soft, they take carbonate of calcium from the blood and form bones. There are others which
very interesting because they are a sort of little cup and these little cups exude a sort of sticky substance. They also have a sort of fringe of are
fibres called cilia
move
who
up
it
are the cells
of
The
skin.
skin
The
which
outer layer of the skin dies
themselves and underneath there
is
sacrifices
getting ready to sacrifice
Then
nervous system.
;
its cells
is
another layer
its life
for the safety
Those with the long filaments are the
all.
These
for the welfare of others.
life
the
of
whole body.
which
their
then there are the heroes,
the protection of the other organs, covers the
for
sacrifice
And
to the mouth.
sacrifice
itself
mucus and
enter the throat with their gluey
may
that
which vibrate so as to catch any dust
cells of the
there are the red cells of the blood
which go on continuously taking oxygen to the other cells. They take back and throw away the poisonous gases that have formed. The marvellous thing is that though the red corpuscles of the blood are in enormous numbers, yet their number is determined. Before the work of cells. it
has
for
this
Each to
A
themselves. into
a
liver
69
When work, nervous
cell.
themselves as
if
these are
some
of the types
of these cells prepares itself for the
do.
special
starts,
And
work
they have formed themselves they can no longer transform cell
so
can never be transformed
when they have
imbued with a great
ideal
transformed
and dedicated
THE ABSORBENT MIND themselves to the work that
fulfils it, their
task
they have specialized themselves for not the same in our human society ? There are,
because
say, special groups of In
ity.
men who form the
is
fixed, Is
it.
we
it
might
organs of human-
the beginning each individual performs
many
when people are few, one has to know a little of everything. One is a mason, a doctor, a carpenter and everything. But when society tasks.
In the primitive society,
Each man chooses a type of work and his psyche becomes so involved in this work that he can do only that work and nothing else. For example, a doctor cannot be a is
evolved, then there
The
shoemaker.
is
specialization of work.
training for a profession
is
not only
learning a technique, the individual undergoes a psychic
transformation for the task that he
to perform so that
is
one prepares himself not only technically, but, what is more important, one acquires a special psychic personality,
which
suited for that special work.
is
one's ideal realized in
The same seems
When organs,
each
all.
life is
that.
to
in the
comes
that
composed
of
else It is
happen
do not function
for
achieves a union
two complex organs
themselves but function in
order to achieve the unity among all others. the circulatory and nervous systems. The is
a sort of a
river in
are carried to
all.
finds
case of the body. has specialized to form the different
something
among them which
cell
One's
it.
One
They first
are
system
which there are substances and these But it is not only a distributor, it is 70
THE ABSORBENT MIND also
a
The organs produce
collector.
certain things
which are needed by other organs that are far away from them. See what perfection has been achieved by this river
Each organ takes from
!
and throws
Do we
can take
not find the
what
whatever
into the river
that other organs
it
of
it
same
needs
it
for its life
has produced so according to their need. it
in our society to
day
?
Has
All the substances not developed a circulatory system. that are produced are thrown into circulation and each it
one takes from produced that
it
is
it
what
thrown
is
into
becomes available
travelling
salesmen
useful for his
the
stream of
to others.
who go
and what is commerce so
life
The merchants,
the
about everywhere, are they
we
human
society,
we can
better understand the functioning of the
embryo
because
in society also the functioning is
not like red corpuscles
?
If
look at
such that things
produced in Germany are consumed in S. America, things which are produced in England are consumed in India and so forth.
We
can deduce from
this that society
has reached an embryonic stage in which the circulatory system begins to function, but with many defects still.
The
defects of circulation reveal that our society has not
finished
development. The one thing we do not find its
in
human
society
is
something corresponding to the specialized cell of the nervous system. We might almost conclude that this organ of direction has not yet been envolved by society as the the chaotic state of our world very clearly indicates. 71
In
THE ABSORBENT MIND the absence of this specialization, there gives sensibility to
whole
of
instance,
is
that civilization has produced
organization
own
to choose their
all
and can harmoniously direct the What happens in democracy, for the most evolved sort of social
all
society.
which
nothing that
is
leader
by
?
elections.
It
If
permits
we
trans-
"
port this to the field of embryology, one could say
I
:
"
and anothink the liver cell is most suited to govern " " I think that those cells which are inside the ther ;
:
bones
are
structure."
more
suited,
And
another might say
one heroic who
work
at the
because they have a strong
defend
will
of direction
The
us.
".
" I
:
want some
skin cell must
be
such a situation arose in
If
embryology, it would appear absurd, inconceivable, because if there must be specialized cells at all it is surely the cell which directs the functions of the the
of
field
The work
whole.
and
of direction
is
the most difficult task
requires greater specialization than
any
So
other.
It is a question of not a question of election. being fit and prepared for the work. He who has to Thus direct others, must have transformed himself. it
is
there
can
formed
no
be
himself.
specialization
to
leader
But
this
function
unless
principle is
the plan adopted
that
it is
has that
by nature
we
for all
the plan that nature follows
first
goes It
fascinating.
even much more fascinating when is
he
trans-
from
becomes
discover that this
branches of
when
it
life,
creates.
72
THE ABSORBENT MIND we show an
embryology, it is not only because of this plan, and because of the fact that one can acquire control over development, but because it If
interest in
runs parallel step by step to what in the psychic field.
73
we have
discovered
CHAPTER V
ONE PLAN, ONE METHOD NEITHER the discoveries nor the theories that arise from modern discoveries explain fully the mystery of life and of its development. But certainly they do show and illustrate
facts.
These
enable us to see
furnish us with sufficient data to
how growth
Every new detail discovered shows an added realization, but does not explain it. These phenomena can be fully observed and they give an explanation of events of ordinary life.
One
of the things
which
is
takes place.
observed
for instance is that
plan of construction is only one and all types of animal life follow it. Now when I say that it is a plan, I do not mean that we actually see a plan drawn up like
the
a draftsman's.
But what
our eyes, shows us that invisible
plan.
embryo,
it
ren
and
it
we all
see occurring in front of the details follow a certain
The plan can be seen
materially in the
can be followed in the psychology of childcan also be recognized in society. If one
observes the embryos of different animals, one easily sees that the plan of development followed is the
74
THE ABSORBENT MIND same.
This
embryos
of
is
no new discovery.
three
shows the two different
Fig. 6.
animals at
different
FORMS. UATC* 6T A6E.
,
RABBIT
LIZARD
FlC,
stages.
The
earlier
stage
6
is
on the
left
and
the
more
The animals are advanced on the right. Man on top, rabbit below it, and lizard below that. And this is one of the revelations I mentioned. As the :
picture
shows,
in
order
to
realize
vertebrates have to pass through the
lopment and the same forms. 75
themselves,
same
the
stages of deveFor instance you can see
THE ABSORBENT MIND man and
a striking resemblance between
lizard at this
Yet when the embryo has finished developing, the difference is immense. So stage of embryonic development.
there
is
a period
when
all
beings are alike.
We
can also say with the same certainty that, psychically speaking, there is a period in which all the
human beings new born is a all
psychic embryo,
new-born children are
means
but one age,
r'.e.,
but one method.
methods
is
we
say that the must understand that
There can therefore be
alike.
of treating
education
if
And when we
are alike.
or educating children of this
to start
from
birth, there
There can be no question
can be
of special
Indian children or Chinese or Japanese or European children. Here there is an absolute method which is the same for all. There is a period of incarfor
nation in which every fashion,
way
;
i.e.,
all
human
being acts in the same
every human being incarnates
itself in
the
same
have the same psychic needs and follow the
same procedure in order to achieve the construction of man. No matter what type of man results from the work of the child, no matter if it is a genius, or a labourer, a saint or a murderer, each in order to become what he must pass through these stages of growth, What we must take into these phases of incarnation. consideration is this process of incarnation, we must not
is
in the end,
pre-occupy ourselves with what the individual will become We cannot interfere with that. First of all we later on.
do not know
it,
and then we should not have the power 76
THE ABSORBENT MIND to achieve
it if
we knew. What must preoccupy
must take our energies
is
The method which
of education.
methods of eduonly one method
of the
there can be
There must be
what
the assistance to those laws of
growth that are common to all. This brings us to the question cation.
us,
helps the natural laws
growth and of development, alike for all. This is not an idea it is a fact, an evident fact and it shows that it
of
;
cannot be a philosopher or a thinker to dictate this or that method of education. The only one who can dictate the
method
is
nature
itself
which has established certain
laws, which has infused certain needs into the growing the
aim
of satisfying these needs,
seconding these laws, which must dictate the method of education not the more or less brilliant ideas of a philosopher. being.
It
is
;
This true that
but
it
is
specially so in the
is
first
years of
life.
It is
afterwards differences arise in the individuals not
we who
cause these differences
;
we
cannot
even provoke them. There is an inner individuality, an ego which develops spontaneously, independently of us and we cannot do anything about it. We cannot make, We can for instance, a genius, or a general or an artist. only help that individual
who is
to realize his potentialities.
they are leaders or poets or
common men,
they
77
in
No
be a general or a leader matter what they are,
artists or
birth,
if
geniuses, or merely
must pass through these stages
embryonic stages before after birth,
to
:
psycho-embryonic stages
order to realize their mysterious future
self.
THE ABSORBENT MIND What we can do
merely to remove the obstacles so that the mysterious being that each individual is to realize can be achieved, because by removing those obstacles, the
work can be done
We 4
is
call
better.
fundamental
this
effort
of
self-realization
*
incarnation
This
.
the
is
first
practical point
:
there
is
a
process of incarnation, this process of incarnation is the same for all, and our aim in education must be to help this
process of incarnation.
Further
Outcome
The the
of
Embryology
embryos of fig. 6 are very However, when they have
three
other.
similar,
one to
finished
their
development, these beings are very different from one another.
Now
let
us continue to illustrate this question of
the development of embryos of the
most modern
seen
very striking
is
:
by following
thinkers.
the reasoning
What we have
already
the existence of genes, the existence
of points of sensitivity
around which organs are formed
and then the formation of two systems the circulatory system and the nervous system which connect and unite intimately
all
have come
that has
been created.
into relation,
more mysterious.
This
is
there
is
After these organs
something that
the fact that
it is
is
even
not merely
organs that are created and that come to be intimately connected one with the other, but that there come living It is not merely the conbeings free and independent. struction of those organs and putting them in connection
78
THE ABSORBENT MIND with one another, the whole of these organs, the same in every being, form in each case a being different
from the other is
each has
:
its
own
character.
This
is
what
This problem has not yet been solved There is the theory of evolution, but it is a
extraordinary. science.
by
theory and not a
Observation unfolds
fact.
without explaining them. nation a void remains and tant
fact
is
to
Whenever
there
this is important.
recognise that there
is
all is
the facts
no expla-
The impor-
a void.
If
we
accept a theory, e.g., that of evolution which covers all But once the facts, then our intelligence is set at rest. void has been
the
restless
and
noticed,
sets out to find
the
becomes These voids
intelligence
an explanation.
lead people to think, to study facts until a new discovery is made and with each discovery, one more void is filled
and one step forward (this It
in
knowledge
is
made.
There was a discovery first made public in 1930 seems to be an important year for embryology).
was made
in the
laboratories of a biologist of Phila-
These modern laboratories of America are very well staffed and endowed so that each scientist can dedicate himself to the study of one special detail. One of these studied for seven or eight years but one type of animal, a very inferior sort of amphibian and he
delphia.
studied
it
for
such a long time because the facts did not
which were expounded Now to give a full explanation of what at the time. this man has discovered would be boring and not easy correspond to the
79
scientific theories
THE ABSORBENT MIND to understand.
discovered
I
just
mention
it
which were
that the parts
This
in passing. first
scientist
formed were
those parts which directed the functioning of the individual and that the formation of the executive organs comes
Every body knows that we have a nervous system and among other things we have a brain and in our brain are located certain parts each of which deals with an organ. There is a part of the brain which deals afterwards.
Now what with sight and it is called the visual centre. this scientist discovered was that the part of the nervous system which was meant to direct
much
first,
was formed and much before
sight
before the nerve of sight
This was absolutely contrary to the scientific theory of the time. The conclusion* he came to was that in animals the psychic part is formed this
the eye.
:
the being
before
itself
formed
is
i.e.,
the instincts of the
animals are there before the animal has finished building This means that generation concerns itself physically. not only the body, and the different inner organs but also the psyche, also the instincts of each animal, and that the habits of these animals are fixed before the
organ
is
formed.
Behaviourism This is
is
the
new
idea.
The
habits that the animal
going to have are fixed in the nerve centres
before the organ existing,
is built.
what does
it
Now mean
?
if
It
this
psychic part
means
much is
pre-
that the organ
80
THE ABSORBENT MIND finishes
own
its
itself
moulding
construction,
to
the
requirements of the psyche, of the instincts. This method of reasoning brings us to the conclusion that animals have
and the organs
pre-established before birth
their habits
are built in such a fashion
as best to
So according and these instincts. what is important in nature is the of animals.
It
is
fulfil
to this
these habits
new
habits, the
theory,
customs
interesting to see that the organs, of
whatever the animal, are the best suited to carry out the command of its instincts. The new theory has arisen from years and years of study and from observation of This brings us to facts, not from pre-established ideas. the conclusion that the habits of animals are now-a-days
more important than the form
body which was
of the
The term used
the centre of interest in previous times. in 4
generalization of
this
behaviour
'.
It
facts is
includes in
its
what
of
the animals described.
known
in
modern books,
behaviourism/
field
It is
of science.
The
a
new
designated as
meaning the habits and
customs '
is
The new in
especially light that
theory
is
America, as
has come into the
old ideas which held that animals
to their
because they had to adapt themselves environment have gone. The old theory held that
was
the will of the adult which provoked the transfor-
assume
it
their habits
mations necessary so that the body became adapted to the environment, that the efforts which animals made to keep 4
alive,
this
instinct of self-preservation
',
caused a trans-
formation in the successive generations and gradually the
81
THE ABSORBENT MIND species
do
became adapted. The species which could not This was called the survival of the perished. This theory averred that by means of continuous 4
this
fittest
'.
efforts
carried out during generations, a sort of perfection
came about and
this
was then
transmitted to the next
generation.
The new
theory does not do
with
away
all this,
but
places the behaviour of the animal at the centre of its
The
habits.
which
facts
observed are
that
all
the animal
adaptation is successful only if its efforts are expended within its behaviour-pattern. So the animal which successfully carries out its experiences of life upon strives for
the environment does so along the lines of
Let us cows.
illustrate
They
this
by an example.
are powerful animals, strong
its
behaviour.
Let us take the
and well armed.
In the geological history of the earth, the course of their evolution can be traced.
They make their appearance when
already well covered with vegetation. One might ask oneself why this animal has limited itself to feed only on grass which is the most indigestible food the earth
is
be found, so much so that in order to digest it the poor animal has had to develop four stomachs. If, as
that can
was a question of self-preservation of survival, how much easier it would have been to eat something else of which there was an abundance in the
the old theory said,
would have been very simple and very But today after millions and millions of years, we
surroundings. easy. still
it
see
It
cows,
when
in
natural surroundings,
eating
82
THE ABSORBENT MIND They stand
only grass.
and chewing.
with lowered heads, chewing
very seldom that you can make them raise their heads so that one can look into their beautiful It is
eyes. Immediately after they have given
that
head.
their
goes
it
If
you a
you observe the animal, you
crops the grass near the roots, but
the plant.
look,
it
down
will
see
never uproots
seems to know that in order to keep the must be cut near the roots because if the latter
It
grass alive,
it
are cut, the plant dies, whereas
if
they are cut
like this,
they develop under ground. The roots expand and occupy more ground and so the grass travels and spreads instead of dying.
Now
one
that
finds
earth
if
one studies the history
only very late
and one
grass appears
importance that grass has
the
in
of evolution,
of
history
the
also finds the tremendous
for other vegetation
;
because
grass ties together the loose grains of sand which other-
wise would be carried
away by
the wind.
Not only does it
No other render the ground firm, but it fertilizes it also. vegetation could have grown if the grass had not prepared the
way
first.
That
is
upkeep, besides cutting one rolling i.e., putting a heavy weight
things are necessary for is
manure, the other
is
Two
the importance of grass. its
:
upon it. Now, tell me what artificial agricultural machine can be more marvellously fit for these three tasks than So efficient is this machine that bethe cow herself. sides helping the growth of grass
What
a wonderful
it
also produces milk.
agriculturist of nature is the
cow.
Her
behaviour gives us one more reason to be grateful to her.
83
THE ABSORBENT MIND We
thought that she gave us milk and manure and
cow
the
At
else.
nothing
an example
is
we may have
the most
been
something which large, but which has
It is
by the subconscious mind in worshipped. It is the upkeep
felt
cow
is
of
life
But much more
of patience.
does humanity owe to the cow. has been ignored by humanity at
we owe
other plants that
patience she has that we admire.
thought that
is
more than the
It
is
to
India,
where the
of the earth, the
The
cow.
the
superficial patience
the patience of generations
and
generations.
A
Task in
Now
f
if
Life the
cow were
conscious, she
ous merely of the fact that she
is
would be consci-
hungry, that she likes
grass, just as in India the people like chapatis, rice
and other people
and
something else. But certainly the cow will never realize, will never think, will never be conscious of the fact that she is an agriculturist. Yet the curry
behaviour of the
work
is just
such as to help nature
in its
of agriculture.
Now,
who
cow
like
let
us take the example of crows
eat the refuse of nature.
of food there
is
Why,
and
vultures
with the abundance
in the world, should the vultures eat rotten
carcases and the crows excrements and whatever find in the environment >
and do fly long distances would not be difficuft it
They have wings. in search for
them
dirt
They can
of their food.
to
find
they
So
something
84
THE ABSORBENT MIND more appetizing, such as other animals less endowed with strength and the possibility of movement do find. But can you imagine the amount of mortality there would be if this refuse were not removed from the earth ?
What an amount all
and other diseases of were not some instrument
of illness, of plague
kinds would there be,
if
there
whose only task in life is to keep the environment clean ? They have by nature been allotted the task of cleaning the environment. Tell me what is the difference between the mass of workers that in Ahmedabad go back after work, streaming from the mills towards their homes, and the hundreds of crows we see flying back at dusk
their
towards
their
roost,
having done their work of This is their behaviour.
after
cleaning and sweeping
?
These two examples have been given taking them from the choice of food. We might take hundreds and
we
should find that each species has chosen a particular kind of food. might conclude that animals have no
We
free choice
of food.
They do
not eat merely to satisfy
a mission upon the earth, the mission which is prescribed for them by their behaviour. Certain it is that all these animals are benefactors
themselves.
They
eat to
fulfil
and the benefactors of all other living beings. They work to preserve the harmony of creation. They work out creation, because creation is achieved by the collaboration of all the living and non-living beings. And Other these two do their part in it by their behaviour. of nature
animals there are which eat in such tremendous quantity
85
THE ABSORBENT MIND cannot be explained merely on the ground of the upkeep of life. They do not eat in order to keep them-
that
it
They keep alive in order to eat, for instance, the earth-worms. They eat only earth, although there is so much choice of foods. These earthworms eat daily a
selves alive.
quantity of food which
200 times the volume
is
of their
species of
measured by their droppings. This is a being that does not eat in order to keep alive,
especially
when one
food there
is
body.
This
the earth.
without the
is
body
direct
its
disposal.
render the earth
fertile.
So
there are forms
body which go beyond
the
advantage of the individual. the bees.
They come
out in hot weather.
are covered with a sort of fur or a sort of yellow
and black itself
This
velvet.
country, but
bee
at
or details of the
Take
They
of other better
The worm is a worker of It was Darwin himself who first said that worms the earth would be less productive.
The worms of
amount
considers the
it
is
not necessary in a hot
collects the pollen
does not use.
to other flowers to
it is
from flowers which the
This pollen, however,
is
useful
brought by them and which So the work of the bee is not useful
which
are thus fertilized. to itself alone,
fur
it is
useful for the propagation of plants so
one might say that this fur has been developed by the bees for the propagation of plants, not for themselves. Don't
that
you begin
to see in this behaviour that animals sacrifice
themselves for the welfare of other types of life, instead of trying to eat as much as possible merely for their own
86
THE ABSORBENT MIND The more one
existence or
?
of
plants, the
upkeep animals and of
they have a task to perform
There are certain
studies the behaviour
more
clearly
one sees that whole.
for the welfare of the
unicellular animals
which
live in
and drink such an enormous quantity of water that if they were calculated to the proportion of man, they would need to drink a gallon of water per second during
the ocean
their
whole
life.
Certainly one could call this intemper-
ance, for these animals cannot do It
is
not a vice, however,
must work
at high
it is
it
to satisfy their thirst.
rather like a virtue.
speed because
their task is to filter all
the water of the ocean, to eliminate from
which would be a
poison for
terrible
They
it
certain salts
the other in-
all
habitants of the ocean.
The same animals and
if
is
true
of
Corals
corals.
the theory of evolution
were
are
true,
inferior it
would
be incomprehensible that having been among the first animals to appear, they have remained for millions of years always the same.
Why
have they not changed
Because they have a function to fulfil and they fulfil it a perfect manner. This is the same function as that the animals
mentioned above
:
to
ocean the poisonous matter which the flow of rivers.
Their work
is
eliminate is
?
in of
from the
brought into
that of coating
it
by
them-
This has been going on for millions and millions of years and so we can imagine the
selves
with those
salts.
enormous quantity of rock they have accumulated. They accumulate enormous quantities and these animals have 87
THE ABSORBENT MIND been entrusted with the formation of new continents. Look at the innumerable little islands of the Pacific
Ocean
today have come into the lime-light on account of the war which has been fought between the that
Japanese on one side and the Allies on the
made by
are constructions
islands
other.
these
Those
animals,
the
are the tops of mountains that today are If we study the rising out of the water, forming islands.
They
corals.
rocks on dry land,
Even
by animals. is
we
find that
in the
many
of
Himalayas much
We may well say
of coralline origin.
them are formed of the massif
that these corals
are the constructors of our continents.
animals,
the
more one more one
not
for
the
upkeep
that
all
give
So
the
studies the functions
the
these
that these functions are
finds,
of
of
animal's
their contribution
to the
body only, but harmony of the
whole.
Let us say then that these animals are not
merely
inhabitants
structors
This
is
given
of
and workers
the
earth
of this
the past,
light,
we
by studying
they are the con-
earth, they
the vision given by these this
:
new
keep
discoveries.
it
going.
Once
the geological epochs of
find testimony of similar
work
carried out
by animals which are now extinct. There has always been this relation between the animals and the earth, of the animals between themselves and between the animals
and
the vegetation.
which
is
called
A new science has arisen from this
Ecology, a science which
and forms an important part applied today
is
widely
of the study
THE ABSORBENT MIND in
universities.
Ecology
a study of the different
is
behaviours of animals, and
it
reveals that they are not
here to compete with each other, but to carry out an enormous work serving the harmonious upkeep of the
When we
say they are workers, we mean that each one of them has a purpose, a special aim to fulfil earth.
and the
result of these tasks is our beautiful world.
A
of
fundamental study today is to consider the task Behaviour does not merely each upon this earth. the desire to continue to live.
fulfil
It
serves a task which
unknown
and unconscious to the because it does not form part of what one might If animals were to become self-conscious, they remains
evidently being,
wish.
would be conscious of their habits, of the beauty of the places in which they live, but certainly the corals would never realize or understand that they are the builders of the world, nor would the worms which fertilize the
would others the environment and
earth consider themselves agriculturists, nor
consider themselves the purifiers of
so
forth.
The purpose which
relation to the earth their
consciousness.
and Yet
its life
places the
upkeep would never enter and its relation with the
surface of the earth, the purity of the
water
another force which survival, but
us say
that
beautiful, or
89
upon these
are dependent is
because
it
air,
tasks.
the purity of
So
there
is
not the force of the desire for
a force which harmonizes each one
animals in
is
all
the tasks.
important, not because
has succeeded
Let it is
in the struggle for
THE ABSORBENT MIND existence, but because to the
it
whole and the
the place allotted to
why we
That
is
plan,
and
effort
it
which are
carries out tasks
and
of each
to try
the task which
said that there
that the organs
is
was a
were formed
it
useful
and reach is
to
fulfil.
pre-established
to
fulfil
this plan.
This pre-established plan puts the animals in relation with the task that they have to accomplish upon the Nor is the purpose of life to perfect oneself, nor earth.
The purpose
obey the hidden command which ensures harmony among all and We are not created only creates an ever better world. only to
evolve.
to enjoy the world,
we
of
life
is
to
are created in order to evolve the
cosmos.
Today
plan
gradually changing the theory of the linear evo-
is
the influence of the existence of a cosmic
lution of past times.
90
CHAPTER
VI
MAN'S UNIVERSALITY THE how
vision given
by the theory
of behaviourism
shows
each animal species has a task to perform upon the environment and the individuals belonging to that species
faithfully
carry out the task which has been allotted to
them, although they live and function independently from those who have generated them. may have the
We
impression that animals are choice
and
free,
that they
have a
that they struggle with others to
free
have the
upper hand. If we look more closely, we see that their freedom is merely to carry out what is in the behaviour of
each and each one moves according to the dictates of
this
behaviour.
We
see certain animals that proceed
running, other animals
by
skipping, others
by
by walking
slowly and sedately, others by crawling and so forth. If we observe more closely still we find that each species
has a task assigned at a different level in the environment, so that certain animals live upon the plains, others live hills,
others live
upon the mountains, some
in frozen lands
and others
in torrid zones.
upon the
91
live
THE ABSORBENT MIND Now, when we study the human kind and compare it with the animal kind, we find some differences and an important one is that the human kind has not had allotted to it a special kind of movement or a special kind of residence.
Certainly,
task assigned
by
ever, that there
to
adapt
We
earth.
such as
find
is
a
The study
any climate in
deserts.
also
of nature shows,
and
be found.
place.
He
man
the only being
is
how-
as capable as
man
or to
elephants cannot
So we can see
have one's
any place upon this frozen lands where certain animals
the jungle where elephants
man can
facilitation of life to
no animal which
man
tigers or
is
nature.
to
itself
it
that
live.
Yet
tigers are to
Man man
if
you look
in
be found there
can be found even
in
has been allotted no fixed
can adapt himself and can live in any part of the world, for he is destined to invade every part of the world. Let us say then that because of this adaptability, is
upon
is free
to
go wherever he
likes
this earth.
If
this
who
we
look at the behaviour of animals,
behaviour
is
we
find that
expressed in their movements, which
stand in relation to the work that they carry out, whereas man has no special movements. Man is capable of the
movements which he can acquire very Also man can do certain rapidly and very perfectly. things which no animal has ever been able to do or will ever be able to do. Man has done them from his first most
varied
appearance upon the earth he works with his hands. Each animal, for T[here is no limit to man's behaviour. :
92
THE ABSORBENT MIND instance, has
English dog,
America.
one language. it
But
If
we
take for example an
bark in the same fashion as a dog in we take a Tamilian and bring him to
will if
not understand the language there and the Mankind has the most Italians will not understand him. Italy,
he
will
varied languages.
man can walk, man can swim. birds.
The same can be
run,
Not only
said for
jump and crawl
Birds can this,
Man
fly.
man
is
also.
can
movements Like the
fly better
:
fish
than
artificial
move-
movement.
Man
capable of
ments such as dancing.
Each animal has but one
sort of
has a great variety of movements. So his behaviour fixed like certain.
that of the
is
Another thing
In the child none of these abilities
mentioned are present. it
animals.
So we can conclude
true that the abilities of
man
is
is
not also
we have
that though
are infinite, each has to
be acquired by the human individual during childhood. It is by an active conquest, by work, that he acquires
He who is born without movement, who is language. born almost paralysed, by means of exercise can learn to walk, to run and to climb
any animal. But all these Everycapabilities he must acquire by his own effort. him. be Whatever abilities must man conquered by thing possesses, there must have been a child who conquered them. So we might say that the values of man have their beginning in the work of the child. We saw that men are to be found everywhere on like
the earth, in every possible condition and, strange to say,
93
THE ABSORBENT MIND each one
is
contented and glad to live where he
we
consider the Eskimoes,
of
life
consists
in
we
find that to
lives.
If
them happiness
the great wide plains covered with
those lights that break the long darkness with vivid colours, in the noise of the winds that howl and
snow,
in
penetrate not only the body, but are music to the soul. The cold climate and everything that goes with those conditions of
life
give
they be happy except there.
The
others.
for
Nowhere else can The same can be said
them happiness.
men who
live
in
the
tropics
find
and those customs essenand happiness. No matter where
that climate, that special food tial
for
their
we
look,
we
own
always find the same. Man is in There are certain people country.
live in places
which seem to be absolutely unsuited
love with his
who even is
life
will
to the possibility of
life.
In Finland, the country
cold and for long months covered with
rocky,
snow
Yet the recent war between Finland and Russia shows what attachment, what fascination this barren land seems to exercise upon the Finns. If we
and
ice.
take Holland,
we
find that
its
inhabitants are extremely
though we can hardly call it land because it is only by a tremendous amount of work that they wrest the land from the water of the sea and once they have wrested it away, they have to
proud
of
surround
and attached
it
with dykes and they have to
first
And
pump
out the
they have to build a house, the ground upon which the house is to
water continuously. they build
to their land
if
94
THE ABSORBENT MIND because otherwise the house would
stand,
have to sink
trees vertically side
by
side
They
sink.
and
create
an
wooden
platform upon which can be put the foundations of the house. country with most undesirartificial
A
able conditions, yet see with that piece of land It
what
And how
!
ferocity they fought for
beautiful
it
seems
to
has produced some of the greatest painters.
them
!
It is this
attachment, this affection to the place, to the country,
which makes
possible that the whole earth
it
by men.
Because
conditions
of
life,
if
for
peopled each people sought for the best the most fertile of the lands, much
world would be uninhabited.
of the
the whole world inhabited
Now, in
the curious part
adult stage,
his
adaptable beings. live
we
An
anywhere except
by human is
that
see that he
Mediterranean
we
in,
that
makes
is
consider
one
man
of the least
Indian certainly does not like to
in India.
And we who
come back.
attachment,
beings.
when we
If
outside for study or for work, he to
It is this
love for whatever country one lives
this
is
the Indian adult goes is
always hankering are accustomed to the
environment and a temperate climate,
cannot adapt ourselves to the icy North.
Yes,
it is
very nice to go to the desert to see strings of camels It is fascinating and romantic, but not travelling along. pleasant to live there.
We times ago,
95
are attached to our environment, but also to the
we it
live
in.
If
we
consider Europe of
had a much simpler
life
than
it
some years
has now-a-days.
THE ABSORBENT MIND There were no railways or other fast means of communication. Travelling was done by horse carriages, horses had to be changed, people spent days and days to
go from one country
to another.
In order to get
news
would have to wait for months. Suppose a modern man from America came into such conditions. He would find it impossible to live. Or let us take somebody who lived a few centuries back. Everything was calm and peaceful. No trains, no electric light, no of
their
family, they
no underground rumblings of sub-ways, no noise. If a person of those days were taken to New York today with its tremendous traffic, all the bustle and noise that goes on there day and night, where people always hurry,
trams,
where darkness becomes a fantastic display of light advertisements, where no peace, no silence found, he would say So here we see
" I
:
man who
cannot
live in this
a contrast.
place
Previously
electric is
to
be
".
we have
capable of loving and adapting himself to the worst conditions that the earth can present described
and who can
Now we
is
happily no matter in what country. find that men of different centuries could not live
and adapt themselves to the more evolved stage of civilization of more modern times just like we could not
live
adapt ourselves to the slow fashion of living of the previous age. We are happy to live in our age as our forefathers
were happy to
We
see
that
conditions change
live in their ages.
and civilization evolve, men were fixed in their behaviour
as society
and
if
96
THE ABSORBENT MIND animals, they would not be able to adapt themselves the new conditions. Let us consider language.
like
to
No
language
like
born as
is
everything
else.
First
How
more complicated.
when language
time
it
is
is
it is
is
now.
Language evolves Then it becomes simple.
it
that those
who
so complicated, take
pain and without paying any attention to so easily ?
Where does There
tradiction.
the explanation is
a
lie ?
sort of mystery.
live in
it
without learn
it
it
We
face a con-
Man
must adapt
himself to the changing conditions of civilization. older humanity becomes,
a
culture progresses the more.
The So
there must be a continuous adaptation on the part of
man, not only
to geographical
changes as
we
also to the continuous changes of civilization.
as
we
real
saw, adult
enigma
man
is
not very adaptable.
saw, but
And Here
yet is
a
!
The Child Instrument of Adaptation The solution is found in the child, whom we can the instrument of the adaptability of humanity.
The
call
child
whom we saw
born without any special movement, not only acquires all the human faculties, but also adapts the being that it constructs to the conditions in his environment. And this takes place because of the special psychic form of the child, for the child's psychic form is different
show
from that of the adult.
Psychologists today
great interest in the study of this different form of
97 7
THE ABSORBENT MIND psychology. The child stands in a different relationship to the environment. may admire an environment.
We
We it
may remember an
into himself.
sees,
He
He
environment, but the child absorbs
does not remember the things that he
but he forms with these things part of his psyche. incarnates in himself the things which he sees and
hears
us there
in
i.e.,
mations take place.
no change, in the child transformerely remember an environment
is
We
while the child adapts himself to it. This special kind of vital memory, that does not remember consciously, but
absorbs images into the very life of the individual has received from the psychologists a special name they :
have called it Mneme. We have an example
of this in language.
The The
child
does not remember the sounds of language. child incarnates these sounds and he can pronounce them better
than anybody
according to not
all its
He
speaks the language
complicated rules and
all its
he studies and remembers
because
of ordinary
else.
memory, perhaps Yet
it
exceptions,
by means
memory never
his
takes
language forms a part of his psyche, forms a part of him. This is a phenomenon different from mere mnemonic activity. It is a psychic it
consciously.
this
feature that characterizes
an aspect
of the child's psychic
personality.
There whatever
and
is
is
in the child
an absorbent
in his surroundings.
sensitivity
And
absorbing the environment that one
towards
by beholding becomes adapted
it is
THE ABSORBENT MIND This faculty reveals a subconscious power that only found in the child.
to
it.
The
first
period of
life
is
the
is
period of adapta-
We
must be very clear as to what we mean We must distinguish by adaptability in this case. from the adaptability in the adult. The biological it bility.
adaptability of the child
that
is
which makes the only the place where one is
place one really loves to stay in, born. Just as the only language that one speaks well is one's mother tongue. Now an adult person who goes to a country other than his to
it
in the
same
own, never adapts himself
fashion or to the
same
degree.
Let us take the example of those men who go voluntarily to another country in order to spend their life
there,
who by country. "
We
e.g.
the missionaries.
their
own
And
yet
will
if
choose to go and
you speak
sacrifice our lives
Missionaries are people
by
live in
another
to them, they usually
living in this country
".
say This :
denotes the limitations of the adaptability of the adult. Let us now take the child. The child is an individual
who
loves whatever locality he
is
born in to
happy anywhere else, no matter how hard is the life there. So the man who loves the frozen plains of Finland and another who loves the
the point that he could not be
dunes
of
Holland has each received
his adaptation, his
love for his country, from the child he once was. It is
this
99
the child
adaptation.
who The
practically
adult
finds
and
actually realizes
himself
prepared,
THE ABSORBENT MIND adapted, suited to his country, so that he feels the love and special fascination for the place where he lives, so that happiness
and peace
In former times, in
him are only found there. Italy, the people who were born for
a village lived and died there and never moved away from it. Later people who got married sometimes moved elsewhere and gradually the original population
in
were scattered from
their
native places.
By and by
a
malady came about. People became pale, sad, weak, anaemic looking. Many cures were tried but in So at last when it could not be cured in any vain.
strange
" I think way, the doctor said to the relatives you had better send this person to get a breath of his
other
:
native
air ".
And
was sent to his home wherever he was born and after a
the person
town, or the farm, or little while he came back
a breath of the native
People said that was better than any amount
fully cured.
air,
was often much worse than that of the place where one was suffering. What this person really needed was the quiet given to his subconscious by the conditions of the place where he had of medicine, but the air itself
lived as a child.
Now
there
is
nothing more important than
this
absorbent sort of psyche which forms man and adapts him to no matter what social conditions, to no matter
what this 11
J
no matter what country. It is upon that we must concentrate and work. When one says climate, to
:
love
my
country
",
one
does not
say something 100
THE ABSORBENT MIND something
superficial,
forms a part of one's
artificial.
own
how
stand
customs that he finds thus
own life. above we can also
said
the child absorbs
something which
is
of one's
self,
From what we have
It
by
type of psyche, the
this
the land, the habits,
in
who
forms the individual
under-
etc.,
and
typical of his race.
is
'
behaviour of man, i.e., of man suited to the special country in which he lives, is a mysterious con*
This
local
which takes place during childhood.
struction
men
dent that
acquire customs, habits,
mentality, etc.
surroundings because none of them So we have now a fuller picture natural to humanity.
work
of the
not only
the
to
also
of
not
It is
that those people are
respect animal
life,
What
reasoning.
but
place,
India
in
also
to
there
is
life,
right
is
me
cannot
some Indians
feel
:
Oh,
acquired.
and
but with I
"
by saying
that this feeling
respected
the
Here
place.
"
that
to
a respect which leads to veneraThis cannot be acquired by animals.
an adult person.
tion
constructs a behaviour suited
and
time
a great respect for tion
He
of the child.
mentality of the
the
is
evi-
own
peculiar to their is
It is
feel it is
feel
is
for the
that
life
must be
may
I
reason
also
I
must
not a sentiment,
it
the sort of venera-
cow,
for
instance,
whereas people who possess it can never get rid of it. Other people have their religion and even if their mind eventually rejects less. 44
they 101
it,
still
at heart they feel
These things form part
of us as
our
The
are
in
blood
".
uneasy,
we say
in
rest-
Europe
:
things that together
THE ABSORBENT MIND form the personality, sentiments of caste and all sorts of other feelings that make a typical Italian, a typical Englishman, a typical Indian, are constructed during childhood by this mysterious sort of psychic power that psychologists call Mneme. This is true for everything,
even
certain types of characteristic
for
who develop and
that
There are certain people in qualities which are provoked
distinguish different races.
Africa
movement
fix
the need of defence against wild animals. They do certain exercises in order to render their hearing sharper.
by
Sharpness of hearing
is
one
of the special characteristics
of the individual of that special tribe. all
characteristics
the
the child
by
There are certain
individual.
which remain
are absorbed
religious sentiments
in spite of the fact that the
on reason otherwise and
reject
same way and fixed in
In the
mind may
the teachings
later
of this
Something continues in the sub-conscious, because what has been formed by the child can never be totally destroyed. This Mneme, which may be conreligion.
sidered as a superior natural characteristics,
The
memory, not only creates but holds them alive in the individual.
individual changes,
it is
true,
but those things which
the child remain in the personality just as the legs remain, so that each man has this special
are formed
by
character.
One would
we
"
say
Often
:
we
change individual adults. Often This person does not know how to behave ". call such and such a person bad-mannered. like to
102
THE .ABSORBENT MIND He
knows
or she
it,
recognize that they have is
that
feel humiliated,
they *
a bad character
cannot be changed.
it
In the
because they ',
but the fact
same way
in
which
type of psychology leads the child to the wonderful
this
of
acquisitions
civilization,
to
the
modern language,
and
complications
him to fix in his psyche certain things which reason would like to eliminate from the personality, but which cannot be elaborations of
The same phenomenon
changed. tion to,
it
also leads
explains the adapta-
we
might say, different phases of history, because, while an adult of olden times could not adapt him* to
self
level
the in
modern
of level
times, the child adapts himself to the
civilization
of
that
constructing a
which
he
no matter
what
may be and
succeeds
suited to those times
and those
civilization
man
finds,
customs.
So today be,
the child begins to be visualized as
it
should
as the connection, the joining link between different
phases of history and different levels of civilization. Childhood is now considered by psychologists as a very important period because they realize that if we wish to give
new
ideas to the people,
if
we
wish to
alter the habits
and customs of the country, or if we wish to accentuate more vigorously the characteristics belonging to a people,
we must
take as our instrument the child, as very
one has
little
can be done by acting upon
adults.
a vision
of greater enlightenment
for
103
of better conditions,
people,
it
is
If
really
only the child that one can look upon
THE ABSORBENT MIND in
order to bring about the desired results*
there
If
who think that their customs are degenerate, who want to revive old ones, the only individual
are people or others
with
whom
have
they can work
success with the
is
the child.
adults.
If
They
never
will
anybody wants
to
have an influence upon society, he must orientate himself towards chilhood. In past times people tried to influence
Now
adults.
they have understood better and they start
schools for children because in the children the construc-
humanity takes place. They construct with what Let us suppose that a statesman wanted give them.
tion of
we
to try
and change the customs
of his people.
Strange as it may sound, this person must take into great conThis has actually sideration the children of his country.
happened set out to
very
recently
make
among
different
warrior-like people out of those
peaceful, of a loving nature.
grown-ups, but children.
in
the
end he had
He
A
person
who were
tried with the
to take the
young
Mussolini did so in Italy, Hitler followed suit in
Germany. The Youth, Youth '
'.
make
nations.
Fascist
begins with the words the main trend of their policy,
hymn
This was
youth, but soon they had to go towards even younger people and soon the to
use of the creative
hymn
should
taking
children
spirit of
have sounded of
three
*
Infancy,
Infancy
'.
By
years and younger and by
them an atmosphere of enthusiasm, of dignity, of activity, in one generation the character of the whole people was changed. creating around
104
THE ABSORBENT MIND mentality we fight today was neither the original character of the Italian people nor perhaps that of the
The
Germans, but by creating an atmosphere, an enthusiasm based upon our glory around the children, these rooted *
4
so firmly
what
this warrior-spirit in their
may
disaster
not die.
With
psyche that no matter
upon the nation, this spirit will people one can reason, but not
fall
older
with the young ones. They will fight till they are dead. If they are defeated they will continue to fight underground. And you see the different methods and how
even ordinary democracy is not the answer to our needs, for children cannot choose a leader because they do not understand.
We
three years in
idealism or to
cannot hold a meeting of children of order to make them understand political
make them
warriors.
In order to influence
them, you must do so by means of the environment, because the child absorbs the environment, he takes everything
He
from the environment and incarnates
who
really omnipotent,
where-
is
we wish to influence it either if we want to reawaken religion or whatever it is that we may wish to do, we
change a generation, towards good, or evil,
add
is
in himself.
already formed cannot change. So have in front of us a clear vision. If we wish to
as the adult
we
He
can do everything.
it
culture,
must take the
if
child.
The power
of the
psyche
is
something parallel to what
has been discovered in the embryo. By action upon the embryo, you can either make a monster or a more 105
THE ABSORBENT MIND perfect being.
made by and arms have been made to
Indeed, experiments have been
transfering the sanglion
develop on the back. it.
It is
the
But
same here
in
for the
an
adult,
psyche.
man, but you can make him more
one could not do
You cannot
perfect
create
by acting upon power to the
This gives great adults and to education because it confers control over
the
psychic embryo.
psychic growth and psychic development.
immense
if
we compare
it
This power is to the power society has had
when it acted merely upon the adult. The child gives us a new hope and a new vision. Perhaps a great many modifications which
would bring more understanding,
greater welfare, greater spirituality can be brought about in the future humanity.
106
CHAPTER
VII
THE PSYCHO-EMBRYONIC LET us repeat again with psychic
If
life.
have begun then.
embryo
there
know
instead
already psychic
this
If it
is
so, this psychic life
exist,
it
may
endowed
may
not
already have been
how could it be there ? Also in the may be psychic life. When one conceives
is
at
what period
of
embryonic
life
Let us consider certain cases. there are occasions when a child is born at 7
the psychic
who
be
this
one wonders
idea,
We
that the child at birth
otherwise
built,
this
LIFE
life
of at
so
begins.
9 months and at 7 months the child complete that it can live. Therefore
is its
capable of functioning like that of the child born at 9 months. I do not want to insist upon life is
question, but this
example
will suffice
to illustrate
what I mean when I postulate that all life is psychic life, and that even as an embryo the child is endowed with a
As
each type of life has a specific quantity of psychic energy, a specific kind of individual psyche, no matter how primitive the form of psyche.
life
is.
Even
that there
107
is
a matter of
if
we
fact,
we find move away from
consider unicellular beings,
a kind of psyche, they
THE ABSORBENT MIND To
give an example, there is called the little vampire of
danger, towards food, etc.
a unicellular being which is This little being, out of the spirogyra.
do this must have a specific psychic individuality which makes choose this plant. It must, in other words, be endowed
the water, feeds it it
the plants in
all
upon a
special
weed.
In order to
with a specific behaviour.
Each type and has a special
shows
irresistible
way
of conducting its
that their actions are directed
of psyche.
we
especially every animal form of
If
we were
which
special form
to leave the strictly scientific field
might say that there
tributes all the
by a
life
life
is
a psychic director
who
dis-
upon the earth using different In other words today life is contypes of life to do so. sidered as a great energy, one of the energies of cosmic creation.
activities
Therefore,
why
should
it
people state that the new-born child psychic life ? Indeed if it were not
be alive
when is endowed with so, how could it
surprise
us
?
This conclusion
made a
great impression because
had been considered void of psychic Many began to study and meditate upon the fact the child is endowed with a psychic life even be-
previously the child life.
that
fore birth. If
one
is
endowed with psychic
life,
one receives
impressions and at birth a great shock must be felt by the child. This is a new point which makes thinkers
dwell upon the drama of
birth, the fact of
a psychic
life,
108
THE ABSORBENT MIND being thrown all of a sudden from one environment into another vastly different. This sudden change of
a
living
environment
of
more impressive
even
is
considers the condition of the child at birth.
born child
when one The new-
not fully developed and indeed the more
is
people study it, the more they realize how incomplete it is even physically. Everything is unfinished. The legs with which he will walk upon the earth and invade the
whole world are of the
of is
still
cranium that encloses the brain which
a strong defence, but
new-born
in the
Only a few
not yet ossified.
loped.
The same
cartilaginous.
More important
is
still
of
need the head
is
child
true
is
in
bones are deve-
its
the fact that the nerves
themselves are not completed so that there is a lack of central direction and therefore a lack of unification
between the organs, so that not yet developed, the urge to
is
at
whose bones
this being,
the
same time unable
move because every
is
urge
an embryonic as
he
the
This
child
at
Thus we must life
is
life
birth
plunges
into ;
a it
is
new
So
by in
whilst
at once. is
still
in
consider" the child
that
interrupted,
extends before
we
might say,
great event, the great adventure of birth,
in itself is terrific
|09
:
an embryonic
after birth.
by a
new-born walk almost
this
is
stage.
possessing
and
the
obey
transmitted
nerves and they are not yet fully developed. the human new-born, there is no movement
among animals The conclusion
to
are
environment.
by which
The change
as though one went from the earth
THE ABSORBENT MIND moon.
to the
But
this is
great step the child must
not
all
;
in order to
make
make a tremendous
this
physical
Generally the fact that the child goes through so difficult an experience is not considered. When a effort.
child
born, people think only about the mother, and
is
has been
for her.
The
how
however, passes through a greater trial than the mother, especially if one considers that the child is not even complete, but is neverdifficult
it
endowed
theless
remember
that
with a psychic the
developed psychic them,
this
child,
new-born
faculties
life.
Let us therefore
does not possess because he has yet to create child
psychic embryo, which even physically
complete, must create its own faculties. Let us then continue to reason along this
being
which
is
born,
powerless,
line.
is
not
This
motionless, must
be
endowed with a behaviour that leads it towards movement. The formation of those human faculties which do not exist and which must be created, represents a further period of
embryonic
life
:
the psycho -embryonic
life.
This
physically
incomplete
complete the complicated being create man's psychic faculties.
new-born
who
is
child
man
:
must
he must
After birth psychic development takes place following the line dictated by behaviour. In other words, it is the
psychic instincts
development which creates movement. The which in other animals seem to awaken at birth,
as soon as the animal comes into contact with the outer
no
THE ABSORBENT MIND environment, must in
man be
built
the psyche which must construct the
by
the psyche.
human
It is
faculties
and
along with that the movements to correspond to those And while this goes on the physical part of faculties.
embryo finishes its development. The nerves become mielinized and the cranium ossified. It seems as though the human embryo were born incomplete because its final form and its functions must wait until the psyche has the
built itself.
Little chickens,
wait for the hen to
immediately is
start to
so now, this
when they come out of the egg but show them how to pick up food and behave
was so
This
like all other chickens.
and it
in previous generations
be expected that it will always be so. not the case, because man, before he
For
man
starts to
is
this
to is
move,
must develop his psyche. Therefore he is born incapable of movement. The psyche must be constructed according to the evolution of in
which
man
man, according
to the environment
finds himself, according to the conditions
he finds around him, because he must build to his time
The psyche
and conditions. movements are
i.e.,
built
the psyche while
it
man
suited
up together with the
develops
its faculties,
also
develops the movements that express them and thus such behaviour is built that man is adapted to his time and to his conditions.
The
environment must wait faculties
HI
have been
first
active experiences
until the
laid,
upon the
formations of the psychic
THE ABSORBENT MIND Several
consequences follow this fact. that from birth itself the most important side
man
the psychic
is
One of
is
life
in
not movement, because move-
life,
ments must be created following the guide and dictates of the psychic life. Intelligence is what distinguishes man from all animals. The first act of man in this life must be the construction of
therefore
and the nervous system await the construc-
the skeleton
body remains inert. It has to not the body of a being whose the
tion of this intelligence,
because
wait,
behaviour it
While both
intelligence.
is
this
is
Nature has taken
prefixed.
has deprived
man
of the
power
of
its
precautions,
movement and made
body soft-boned, because before starting on his experience upon the environment, he must wait until he has made a great psychic acquisition. It is logical that if
his
life
psychic
the
environment,
it,
construct
intelligence
just like the physical
mulation of
The
first
is
logical
period
may
of
life
its
from
great accu-
special organs.
has been reserved
in order
be collected from the environment.
how
could
man
orient himself in
he started to walk immediately after unless he were endowed with fixed instincts like if
those of the animals
This first
embryo begins with a
because
the environment birth,
of impressions
before starting to build
cells
that impressions
This
by incarnating the must observe and study
itself
must gather a great quantity
it
first,
to
is
is
period
?
the marvellous part. is
one
In the
life
of
man
of the greatest psychic activity.
the It is
112
THE ABSORBENT MIND then that the accumulation of impressions
which
as
Also,
movements in
towards
is
it
of
man
his
made upon
environment that the
and as man
are directed
and
environments
different
in
different
epochs, as he must adapt himself to them, that
is
intelligence builds itself afterwards.
at
great deal
of
tion of this
ment and
psyche
receive
born
historical
imperative
and accumulate a
nourishing matter which lays the founda-
special adaptation to the specific environhistorical
The
born.
the
first
it is
is
epoch
year of
first
which the individual
in
life
is
then appears to us as a
period of the greatest activity leading to the absorption of In the everything that there is in the environment.
second
the
being nears completion, its movement begins to become determined. This shows how clearly nature has planned that the movements of
year
physical
man be
determined by psychic life. This is all the more impressive because people in olden times said that children who cannot move and
were psychically speaking non-existent* What a change Then people thought that the small child had no psychic life whereas now it is known that the main activity during this first year is of the brain. cannot
speak
!
Now born
child,
if
with
this vision,
we seem
we
consider again the
better to understand
why
new-
the size
head of the one year old child is double the size of And at the third year its size that of the new-born child. is already half of that of an adult. And when the child is of the
113
THE ABSORBENT MIND four years of age, the size of
its
head
is
8/10 of that of
the adult. (Fig. 7.)
FIG.
A
7
new-born child and an adult brought
show
How
to the
same
scale
the difference in the proportions of their bodies.
one sees then that the human being grows especially in intelligence, in psychic life, and that all the rest of growth is but that of an instrument of this life
psychic
This, of the
of
first
man
shows
clearly
is
as
if
it
develops
its faculties.
shows anything, shows the importance year for the rest of life and that the child it
characterized
by
his intelligence.
the greatest difference there
is
This also
between man and
the animals. Animals merely have to obey the instincts of
114
THE ABSORBENT MIND Their psychic life is limited to that. In another fact the creation of human intelli-
their behaviour.
man
there
is
:
What man will do in the future we do not know The and we cannot know from the new-born child. gence.
have
intelligence of the child will
a
life
which
thousands
is
of
which goes back hundreds of civilization and which has
in evolution, in
years
stretching in front of
to take in the present of
its
a future of hundreds, of thousands,
it
a present that has no limit either in the past or in the future, and that is never for a of millions of years perhaps
moment
same
the
the others there
For
man
:
:
aspects are infinite whereas for
its
but one aspect which
is
there
is
no
is
Human
limit.
always
intelligence
the centre which must be taken into consideration
man
is
studied.
Certainly this psychic
possibility of going
towards the
life
infinite,
fixed. is
when
which has the
which
is
destined
some mysterious because in the mind of
to go towards the infinite, must begin in fashion.
It
begins before birth
the new-born the to
we
find
powers so strong that they have
possibility of creating
any
any
faculties, of
adapting
man
condition.
The
various impulses of
man have
as their basis this
psychic life. This point must be clearly visualized before we go on and before we can understand the
psychic development of the child. There is something else which must be considered and that is the essence of the
because 115
mind this
of the
mind
is
child
so
and
its
way
very hungry
of
functioning,
in the first
year of
THE ABSORBENT MIND life
that
wants to gather impressions of everything that It does not absorb anything its environment.
it
exists in
with
life
consciously.
It
development
of the
is
its
What
child.
that guides the
powers
nature of this
the
is
We
must understand this if we are to psychic life > understand some of the future actions of the child. How does the child
re -act to external things ?
Birth Terror
and
Reactions
its
Psychologists are today struck 4
adventure of birth
difficult
at birth
one
',
by what they
and conclude
must undergo a great shock
of the scientific terms of
Certainly,
is
it
'
not a conscious
terror,
is
but
the
that the child
Today
of fright.
psychology
call
birth terror \
his conscious
if
psychic faculties were developed, he would express himself
bitter
by
this terrible
words
world
" :
What can
>
to adapt myself to a
own
How am
Why
life
I
have you thrown me into do ? How shall I be able
which
is
so different from
my
going to adapt myself to the terrific amount of sounds, I who had never heard even the ?
slightest
I
whisper before
these very
yourself for
How
shall
I
How
shall
me
?
How
can
I
climate in the world, the
is
who have been
is
in a
not conscious of
suffering
from birth
mother, took
and breathe
>
changes of
terrific
temperature that
same agreeable warmth
child
not say that he
I
my
digest
be able to withstand these
was always of Now, the
take upon myself
I
functions which you,
difficult
upon
?
f*
of your
all this.
terror.
body
He
?
could
There must 116
THE ABSORBENT MIND be a psychic feeling different from the conscious, because " if he were conscious the child would say Why have you
abandoned me ? You have left me who am wounded. You have abandoned me, who have no strength. How " had you the courage to do so > This would be his reasoning if he were conscious, but he
Yet
not conscious.
is
very sensitive, and he must
in his
sub-conscious he
is
feel
very nearly something have expressed above.
corresponding to what we This must be taken into consideration by those
The
who
must be helped in his first adaptation to our environment as his psyche must, through study
life.
birth,
receive a
child
terrific
the child can feel
There
shock.
fright.
Very often we have seen lowered into the bath
children
What to the
that they
help
young
mothers the
is
in
who,
in the first hours of
grasping movement, as one does
That shows
no doubt that
is
felt
if
life,
when one
is
quickly
made a falling.
frightened.
Nature does give help Nature gives adaptation.
there in nature this difficult
?
keeping their child close to their own body and to protect him from light. And the mother herself has been made powerless by nature during this
Not too much energy
period.
quiet
for
child.
It
reasoning I
her is :
must keep
117
instinct of
own
is left
to her.
By keeping
sake she gives the needed quiet to the
as though sub-consciously the mother were " This child has received a terrific shock. it
close to
me
".
THE ABSORBENT MIND She warms from too
many
Human we
with her warmth and she protects
it
it
impressions.
mothers do not do
this
with the enthusiasm
see in mothers of other types of
who
life.
We see
the
some dark hole and they are very jealous if somebody comes near them, whereas human mothers seem to have lost this animal mother-cats
As soon
instinct.
washes of
the
hide their young in
it,
dresses
it,
etc.
eyes,
as the child
puts
it
That
is
born somebody comes,
into the light to see the colour
why
is
the
human
kind
is
in
no longer nature that guides, but human reasoning and the reasoning is faulty because it is not It is a reasoning which enlightened by understanding.
danger.
is
It
considers that the child
not a being
is
endowed with a
psyche. This birth-terror, it has been observed today, leads to something much more terrible than vocal protests, it
leads
as
it
to
wrong characters assumed by
develops.
The consequence
is
the
child
a psychic transfor-
mation, or rather, instead of taking the path which we might say is normal, the child takes a wrong path. The faulty characters are to be found not only in the child,
but remain in the adult. the general term
They have been
included in
*
Instead of psychic regressions*. progressing, instead of going forward along the path of life,
of
individuals suffering from a negative reaction to birth-
terror
seem
to
before birth.
but they
all
remain attached to something which existed
These characters give the
same
of regression are several,
impression.
It is
as though
118
THE ABSORBENT MIND the child were reasoning in this fashion
how
terrible
came
this world,
is
am
I
" :
My
goodness,
going back to where
I
The
long hours of sleep in the new-born are considered normal, but too long sleep is not normal even from**.
and
the new-born
considered as a sort of refuge due to a psychic repulsion from the world and a means to seek oblivion from the earth.
in
And
is
it
sub-conscious
mind,
let
realities,
not sleep the kingdom of the something unpleasant troubles our
not so
?
If
us sleep. in
Is
?
For
sleep there
necessity for struggle.
a
in
life
Sleep fact
new-born
In the
sleep there are dreams, not
in
is
Another
from the world. in sleep.
is
it
which there
is
no
a refuge, a getting-away
is is
the position of the
body
child the natural position
is
to
double up with the hands near the face, and the legs next to the body. This however continues also in some older people, and position.
we
might say, a refuge into the pre-natal Then there is another fact. This is clearly a is,
character of regression. crying as
start
living
if
When
children
they were frightened, as
again through
that terrible
brings one into a difficult world.
nightmares.
wake
These form a part
moment
up, they
they were
if
of birth
Often they
which
suffer
of the terror of
from
life.
tendency is to attach oneself to somebody as though one was afraid of being This attachment is not affection. It is alone. left
Another expression
of
this
something which has fear in it. The child is timid and always wants to remain near someone, the mother 119
THE ABSORBENT MIND preferably. like to
He
is
not
happy
to
go
out, but
would always
remain at home isolated from the world.
Every-
make him happy frightens repugnance from new experiences. The
thing in the world that should
him, he feels
environment instead of proving attractive, as it should to a being in course of development, is repellent. And if a child, from the very first infancy feels repulsion towards this
environment, which ought to be
means
its
of deve-
lopment, certainly this child will not develop normally. He will not be the child who conquers, who is destined to take the
whole
of his
environment and incarnate
it
in
He will do so, but with difficulty and incomHe is the very picture of the saying To live is to To do something is, to him, to go against his own
himself.
4
pletely.
suffer
'.
Even
seems
be hard. People of this sort require much more sleep and rest even digestion seems to be difficult. So you see what sort of life this nature.
respiration
to
;
type of child prepares
for himself in the future, for these
characters are things not only of the present, but also of the future. He is of the type who cries easily. He will
always
somebody sad and depressed.
require
indolent, features.
They remain
when an
adult,
fear to
he
to
help him.
And
He
will
be
these are not passing
as characteristics for
life.
Even
will feel repulsion for the world, will
meet people and be always
timid.
It is
evident
that such beings are inferior to others in the struggle for existence in social life. It will not be the lot of these
people to have joy, courage and happiness. 120
THE ABSORBENT MIND This
the
is
We
terrible
answer
of
the
subconscious
with our conscious memory, but though the subconscious appears not to feel and though does not seem to remember, it does something it
psyche.
worse.
Mneme
The
forget
impressions
made
there, are
made upon
the
they remain engraved as characteristics of the Therein lies the great danger to humanity. individual. The child, not properly cared for, will take revenge on ;
society through the individual that
it
forms.
The treatment
would amongst adults, it forms individuals who are weaker, inferior to what they ought to be it forms characters that will be an obstacle to the life of the individual, and individuals who will be does not foment rebels as
it
;
an obstacle
121
to the progress of civilization.
CHAPTER
VIII
THE CONQUEST OF INDEPENDENCE THE
developed when the
characteristics of regression are
child has
been unable
to achieve the
soon
after birth.
back
to this remain also in the adult.
Modern
first
adaptation
Certain tendencies which can be traced
psychologists describing these characters of
when they
regression say that
are not there, then the
child presents tendencies which are very clearly
strongly set towards independence. is
i.e.,
and very
Then development
a conquest of ever greater independence.
It
as
is
though an arrow had been sent flying from the bow and it goes straight, sure and strong. So does the child
proceed along the path of independence. This is normal an ever growing and more powerful development :
activity
shown along
The conquest commencement fects itself its
way.
leads
it
of
of
the path that leads to independence.
independence begins from the life.
As
the being develops,
vital
towards
force
its
own
is
active
evolution.
per-
on in the individual and This force has been
and overcomes every obstacle
A
it
first
that
it
finds
called Horme.
122
THE ABSORBENT MIND one had
If
Horme
in the conscious
compare
psychic
field,
although there
to the force of will,
it
compare to this one would have to
to find something to
is
very
The force of will is something too small and too much attached to the consciousness of the individual, whereas the Horme is someanalogy between the two.
little
thing which belongs to call
life
a divine force which
in general, to
what we might
the promotor of
is
all
evolution.
expressed in the child by a will to perform certain actions. This will cannot be broken by anything short of death. I call it will/ because
This
vital
force of evolution
is
'
we
It is not will, possess no better word to describe it. however, because will implies consciousness and reason-
a subconscious
ing.
It
is
child
to
do
child
its
and
unhindered activity
*
call
certain things
vital
joy
of
life
'.
The
is
child
force
which urges the
in the
normally growing
manifested in what enthusiastic,
is
we
always
happy.
These beginning
known
of
conquests the
different
independence steps
of
as natural development.
examine natural development
what
are is
generally
In other words,
closely,
we can
the
in
if
we
describe
it
as the conquest of successive degrees of independence. This is true not only of the psychic, but also of the physical field.
The body
also has a
tendency to grow, a
death. tendency so strong that nothing can stop it short of Let us then examine this development. The child at birth frees himself from a prison, the prison of the body
123
THE ABSORBENT MIND At
of the mother.
birth
functions of the mother.
he becomes independent of the
The new-born
child
is
endowed
with an urge, an impulse to face the environment and to absorb it. might say that he is born with the psychology of conquest of the world/ He absorbs it in
We
and
himself
This is
is
in
absorbing
it,
he forms
the characteristic of the
evident that
if
impulse he feels this
'
is
his psychic
body.
period of life. It the child feels this urge, if the first first
the desire to conquer the environment,
environment must exert an attraction on the
we
Therefore
say,
using words
which are
child.
really not
appropriate to describe the fact, that the child feels ' love for the environment.
4
The
first
organs which begin to function
Now
what are sensory organs prehension, instruments by means of which
are the sensory organs.
but organs of
in the child
we
grasp the impressions which, in the case of the child, must be incarnated ?
When we gaze, what do we see ? We see everything there is in the environment. As soon as we start hearing, we also hear every sound there is in the environment.
We
might say that the field of prehension is very wide, This is the way of nature. that it is almost universal.
One does object
by
totality.
not take in sound by sound, noise
we
from noise, sounds from sounds, come tion of this
first
noise,
begin by taking in everything, a distinctions of object from object, sound
object,
The
by
global gathering
later as
an evolu-
in.
124
THE ABSORBENT MIND This
At
the picture of the normal child's psyche. takes in the world and then it analyses it.
first it
Now
is
us suppose another type who does not feel this irresistible attraction for the environment, a type in
whom
let
fondness has suffered damage by fright, evident that the development of the
this great
by
terror.
first
type must be different from that of the second. Let us continue to examine the development of the
It
is
by considering the child at six months of age. Certain phenomena present themselves which are looked upon as sign-posts of normal growth. At the age of 6 months the child undergoes certain child
physical
transformations.
Some
of these
are invisible
and have been discovered only through experiments, the
stomach begins to secrete
e.g.,
acid which
chloric
is
It is also at six months that the necessary for digestion. This is a further tooth makes its appearance. first
perfection of the
body which
develops along a
certain path of growth.
months the
at birth
is
and means
not finished It
also
capable of living without the milk of his mother, or at least of supplementing milk with other substances. This is a further conquest of
that at six
independence.
If
we
child
is
consider that the child up to that
age had been absolutely dependent upon his mother's milk because if he were to take anything else he would not be able to digest it, we realize what a great degree
The 6 independence he acquires at this period. " I do not want to live months* child seems to reason
of
:
125
THE ABSORBENT MIND my
upon
am a human being and can eat An analogous phenomenon takes
mother.
I
everything now." place in adolescents of being
to
live
own
I
who
begin to feel the humiliation
dependent on their family. They do not want on them. They would like to live by their
resources. is
It
also at about this
moment
critical
to utter the
in
first
the
life
syllables.
which
epoch (which seems to be a of the child) that he begins This
is
the
first
stone in the
develop later into language which is another great step, another great conquest of independence. When the child acquires language, he
great building
will
can express himself and does not have
to
depend upon
Instead of
other people to guess his needs.
somebody
having to guess what he, the child, wants, he can express He can tell everybody " Do this. Do that/* himself. :
comes
communication with humanity, because without language how can one communicate ?
Thus
he
into
This conquest of language and this possibility of intelligent communication with others is a tremendous step Before acquiring it the child towards independence. may be compared to a deaf and dumb person, because
cannot express himself and he cannot understand
he
what other people
After the conquest of language
say.
he suddenly acquired ears and the possibility of uttering the speech of the people around him. A long time after that, at one year of age, the child it
is
starts
as
to
if
walk.
This
is
to
become
free of
a second
126
THE ABSORBENT MIND now he can
own two
prison,
because
and
you come near him, he can get away. He can I can run on my two legs, I can express with
say
if
" :
language
my
thoughts to
men
run on his
like
legs
you/'
Thus man develops gradually and by means of these successive steps of independence, he becomes free. It is
not a question of
pendence.
Really,
will,
it is
it
is,
a phenomenon of inde-
nature that
giving to the child
is
the opportunity of growing, gives him independence at the
same time leads him
made age,
'
conquest
especially
complex,
if
it
is
achieved
orientation,
physiological
of
walking
one considers
together with of
to freedom.
'
The
and
all
in
in
that,
the
is
very important,
spite
first
of being
year of
life
very
and
is
the other conquests of langu-
etc.
To walk
conquest of great
is
for
the
importance.
a Animals child
do not need to make it. It is only man who has this In his prolonged and refined type of development. growth he has to make three different achievements, three conquests, before being physically able to walk, or
even
to
stand erect on his two
legs.
Look
at those
Imagine if atone year of age calves just began to stand on their legs. Indeed they do not. They begin to walk as soon as they are born. Yet these animals are inferior to us, even if
majestically looking animals, the oxen.
We are so apparently they are gigantic in construction. powerless because the construction of man is much more refined
127
and takes
therefore
much more
time.
THE ABSORBENT MIND The power one's of
two is
which
is
walking and being able to stand on
legs entails a thorough
different
There
of
items.
a part
One
of the
development composed
them concerns the
of
*
brain called the
situated under
its
It
is
that
at six
just
the
velops
*
cerebellum
(See
larger portion.
brain.
fig. 8).
months
cerebellum de-
and
rapidly
this
rapid development of the
cerebellum continues until the
child
14
is
or
15
months. Then the growth of the cerebellum isslower r but continues nevertheless until the child is Fie.
The
The
8
4j years,
possibility of stand-
cerebellum at the base of the brain
ng Qn twQ J eg8 amj Q f being able to walk erect depends on the development of In the child this development can easily the cerebellum. j
be followed.
We
see the two developments following
each other step by step
:
the child begins to
its
up
at six
months of age, starts to crawl at 9 months, stands at and walks between 12 and 13 months, while at 15 months the child walks with security. The second item of this complex development is 1
the completion
of certain
through which the direct pass, were not completed,
nerves.
command it
If
the spinal nerve,
to the muscles
could not pass and
it is
must only
128
THE ABSORBENT MIND during
How
this
period that the
complex
come
is
nerves become completed*
development and how many things have
harmony before the conquest of walking can be made. This however is not all. There is a third to
into
achievement to be made ton.
The
we have
:
the development of the skele-
legs of the child are not completely ossified, as
seen.
They
they are so soft. the weight of the
are cartilaginous
If this is
body
?
the case,
and
that
is
why
how can
they support Therefore the skeleton has to
be complete before the child can start to walk. Still another thing is that the bones of the cranium were not
and only now they become complete, so the child falls down, he is not in danger of in-
united at birth that,
if
juring his head.
by means of education we wished to teach the child how to walk before this time, we could not do it, because the fact of being able to walk is dependent on a If
developments, which take place simultaone tried one could not achieve any-
series of physical
neously.
If
damaging the child. Here it is nature which directs. Everything depends on her and has At the same time, if you to obey her exact commands. tried to keep the child who has started to walk and run from doing so, you would not be able to do it, because in nature whenever an organ is developed, this must be thing without seriously
put in use. Creation in nature is not to make something, but also to allow it to function. As soon as the organ is complete,
129
it
must immediately be used
in the environment*
THE ABSORBENT MIND modern language these functions have been called experiences upon the environment/ If these experiences do not take place, then the organ does not develop norIn
4
mally because the organ, incomplete at used in order to accomplish its completion.
The upon
child
can only develop by means
the environment,
we
call
them
'
first,
must be
of experiences
work.'
As soon
as
language appears the child begins to chatter and no one can silence him. Indeed one of the most difficult things is
make a
to
child stop talking.
Now
if
the child
were not
he would not be able to develop There would be an arrest in his development.
to talk or to walk, then
normally.
Whereas
and by doing this makes the instruments,
the child walks, runs, jumps
he develops
Nature
his legs.
first
and then develops them by means of functions, through When, therefore, the experiences upon the environment. child has increased his independence by the acquisition
new powers, he can
of
free to function.
ence,
it
develop.
is
When
only develop normally if left the child has acquired independ-
by exercising this independence that he will Development does not come of itself, but, as 4
modern psychologists express it, the behaviour is affirmed in each individual by the experiences this individual If therefore we think carries out upon the environment '.
of
education as a help to the development of the child's
we cannot
but rejoice when a child shows signs of having attained a certain degree of development. " cannot help saying child has today said his first life,
We
:
My
130
THE ABSORBENT MIND word
"
and
about
rejoice
Especially inasmuch as
it.
we
know we cannot do anything to bring about this event. however, we realize that, although the development If, of the child cannot be destroyed (because nature
strong for us, thanks be to God),
incomplete or retarded
too
can however be kept the child is not given an oppor-
if
it
tunity of carrying out experiences
then a problem does arise
The
is
upon
the environment,
The problem
:
of education.
problem of education is to furnish the child with an environment which will permit him to develop This is not the functions that nature has given to him.
an
first
indifferent
is
It
question.
not a question of merely
It pleasing the child, of allowing him to do as he likes. is a question of co-operation with a command of nature,
with one of her laws which decrees that development should take place by
environment.
With
means
his first
experiences upon the step the child enters a higher of
level of experiences. If
we observe
the child
who has reached this level, we
see that he has a tendency to acquire
dence.
He
wants
carry things, himself,
to act in his
own way,
it is
do
things.
has such a strong urge, such a
things. this,
131
it
i.e.,
indepenhe wants to
not by following our suggestions
that the child begins to
efforts
further
to dress and to undress alone, to feed
And
etc.
still
On
the contrary he
impulse that our are usually spent in restraining him from doing It
is
is
not the child that
nature.
It
is
vital
we
fight
not the child's will
when we do that we fight,
THE ABSORBENT MIND he merely collaborates with nature and obeys her laws and step by step, first in one thing, then in others, he acquires ever increasing independence from those
moment comes when he will want mental independence too. Then he will
surround him, to
acquire
show
a
until
the tendency to develop his
And
He
thus
This
it is
this
during
his
own
of other
begins to seek out the reason of things. that the
human
is
individuality
period of childhood.
not an opinion.
is
mind through
and not through the experiences
experiences people.
who
This
These are
is
constructed
not a theory.
clear natural facts,
they are observed facts. When we say that we must render the freedom of the child complete, when we say that his
independence and
normal functioning must be do not speak about a vague ideaL
we speak because we have
assured by society,
We
his
observed
observed nature and nature has reveafed through freedom
only
life,
we have
this fact.
It is
and by experiences upon the
man can develop. Now, when we speak of independence and
environment that
freedom
do not transfer to this field the ideas of independence and freedom that we hold as ideal in the for the
child,
world of adults. selves
and give a
If
the adults were to examine them-
definition
of
independence and
free-
dom, they could not do so with exactness. In reality they have a very miserable idea of what freedom is.
They
have not the
largeness that
nature
has.
child offers the majestic vision of nature that gives
The life
by 132
THE ABSORBENT MIND and independence.
giving freedom
She gives it with determined laws regarding the time, and the needs she makes freedom a law of life either be free or die. 1 :
:
believe
us
nature offers
that
interpretation of our social
and
help It is
life.
for
the
as though the child
and we
offered us the picture of the whole
aid
in our social
took only small details. The child is right in this sense that what he shows leads to reality, to truth. When life
there It
is
a natural truth, there can be no doubt about
interesting therefore to consider the
is
which
child
What
aim
the
is
of this ever increasing conquest of
From where does
?
the individuality that forms
But
itself.
in
tendency towards
So
itself.
nature. of
in
He
freedom of the
achieved through growth.
is
independence
by
it*
nature
this.
itself,
all
it
that
living
Every
living
arise ? is
It
arises in
able to function
beings have
the
being functions by
obeys the plan of achieves that freedom which is the first rule this
the
also
child
in
life
every being. does the child acquire this independence ? He How does acquires it by means of continuous activity.
How
the child realize his freedom effort
;
what
life
cannot do
By means
? is
to arrest
of continuous itself,
to stop.
a continuous conquest. And by means of continuous work, one acquires not only freedom but strength and self-perfection.
Independence
is
not
static.
Let us consider the seeks to act alone,
133
i.e.,
It is
first
instinct
of the child
without help from others.
:
he
His
THE ABSORBENT MIND conscious act of independence is to defend himself from those who try to help him. And in order to act by first
t
he
himself,
of us
many
to
tries
think,
make an
ever greater
effort.
the best idea of well-being
is
If,
as
to
sit
down, do nothing and let other people work for us r then the ideal state would be that of the child before
The
birth.
body
of
because the mother would do everything for If we think so, why should one learn a
the mother,
the
well go back to the
child might as
child.
language in order to communicate with others ? No, nature has other intentions. She forces the child to make
conquest of language so that he can enter Or again, if we into communication with other beings. this difficult
adopted rest as the ideal of life, then the child might say : " I have nice sweet milk from my mother. It is easily digestible. stick to
it.
Why should Why should
I
want any other food
chewing coarser food that
No
!
No "
again
:
!
have
I
I
have
?
I
shall
to take the trouble of
to secure for myself >
am
I
Why
going to stick to mother's milk." Or walk ? Somebody carries me in her arms.
have something like an automobile of my own. See the tremendous effort I must make in order to walk, I have I
to
develop
my
bones,
my
brain
and even
insulation of the nerves in the spinal chord. 1
go to
all this
bad-mannered
trouble
as
?
to
Why insist
should
I
finish
Why
the
should
be so uncouth and
upon knowing
things
for
Why, when there are so many wise people around me, people who have instruction and culture and myself
?
134
THE ABSORBENT MIND who can child
is
"
me
tell
things
The
not so.
But the
>
reality
shown by the
child reveals that nature's teachings
are quite different from the ideals that society has forged for
The
itself.
independence
independence through work body and of mind. The child seems to
child seeks
of
:
"I do not mind how much you know, 1 want to know things for myself. I want to have experience in the world and to perceive it with my own effort you keep
say
:
;
your
own knowledge and
must understand independence
who
is
we
and as
We
is
cannot
live
except by
the form of existence
human being is also living, And if we try to stop it then,
the
this
tendency. a produce degeneration in the individual. in
Everything all
who
This
his activity.
beings,
he also has
acquire mine/'
when we give freedom and we give freedom to a worker
impelled to act and
for living
me
clearly that
to the child,
work and
his
let
the
activity
The
more
so.
creation Life
that perfection
is
is
activity
in life this is
only through can be sought and found.
activity
of
and
and
life
it is
have come to us through the past generations an ideal life of less hours
social aspirations that
experience of
:
of work, of people
working
for us, of idling
as long as
we
what nature shows as the characteristic of a degenerate child. These aspirations are the characteristics of regression of the child who was not helped in the first days of its life to adapt itself and who has acquired a disgust for the environment and for activity. He it is
can,
is
who wants 135
to
be helped by other people,
who wants
to
THE ABSORBENT MIND have servants, wants bulator,
who
to
be carried or driven
sleeps too long,
who
These are the
other people.
in a
peram-
shuns the company of
characteristics that nature
has shown as belonging to degeneration. These are the characteristics which have been recognized, analysed and described as the tendency to go back to embryonic life. He who is born and grows normally goes towards inde-
pendence.
The one who shuns
it
is
degenerate. of another faces us in these education problem Quite How to cure regression ? Regresdegenerate children. The devisions retard or deviate normal development.
ated child has no love
environment presents too the scientific
field
many
difficulties,
too
much
the deviated child holds the centre in
Today
resistance.
environment, because the
for the
psychology which
of
we
could better
'
psycho-pathology/ Pedagogy teaches that the environment must offer the least resistance. It is sought,
call
diminish
to
therefore,
resistance that
and,
if
the
avoidable
environment presents to the
the
possible, to
them
eliminate
and
obstacles
altogether.
child,
Now-
adays we try to give attraction to the environment. The environment must be rendered pleasing, beautiful, because
it is
necessary, especially in the case of one
feels repulsion
for
the environment to arouse it.
made
possible
diffidence
as
attractive
and
disgust.
to the child, because
We
sympathy
The environment must be
and benevolence towards as
who
so as to overcome
must give pleasant
we know
that
it is
activity
through activity
136
THE ABSORBENT MIND The environment must
development takes place.
that
contain plenty of motives for interesting activity which are an invitation for the child to carry out his experiences
These are
the environment.
upon
deviated nature,
child,
and
clear principles for the
which are dictated by life, by bring those who have acquired
principles
which
regressive characteristics from the tendency to idle to the
working, from lethargy and sluggishness to activity, from that state of fright which sometimes trans-
desire
of
attachment to somebody whom they never want to leave, into a freedom of joy, freedom to go lates itself into
towards the conquest of
From just
for
inertia to
as from inertia
nature herself.
137
work That is the path of the cure to work is the path of development
the normal child.
saged, this must be
life.
its
!
If
a
new
basis, for
it
education
is
to
be envi-
has been formulated by
CHAPTER
CARE TO BE TAKEN AT THE
absorbent mind
environment
;
so
of
is
it
IX
LIFE'S
BEGINNING
the child orients
itself
the
in
necessary to prepare the environ-
ment with much care. We must remember
that there are different periods
development in the life of the child. One period soon after birth, and this is so important a period that of
is
impossible to deal with
feel
that
in
specialize in
it
in
a book as short as
be people
this.
who
is it I
the
future there
this
type of study, at present there are only
will
will
very few. If
we
provided
study the animals special
protection
we to
shall see that nature
the
mammals,
has
giving
Nature has arranged that themselves from the rest of their species
special care at this period.
mothers isolate just before
the time
when they
give birth to their
little
ones and they remain isolated for some time before coming back. This is very evident in animals who live in herds or packs. Horses do this, cows do, elephants, wolves, deer, dogs,
all
do
this.
During
this
time the
138
THE ABSORBENT MIND new-born animal has time
little
to
itself
adapt
to the
new
environment, alone, except for its mother's love watchful guidance and care. In this period the babyf
animal gradually expresses the behaviour short period of isolation there
this
During
of
is
kind.
its
a continued
psychological reaction on the part of the little one to the stimuli of the environment, and that reaction
all is
according to the special features of the behaviour of its So that, when the mother returns to the herd with kind. her its
the
baby,
own
special
established.
It
or a
speaking,
one
little
enters
the
community with
preparation for living there
a
either
is
wolf, or a
little
little little
horse,
already
psychically
cow, psychically not
merely physically. The child has no fixed behaviour, but he has to take in the
care
born
necessary to take special which surrounds this new-
environment, therefore of
environment
the
This care
it
is
utmost importance in order to aid the absorption of the environment, so that the child may feel attracted towards it instead of repelled, and child.
is
of
does not develop phenomena
of regression.
The
progress,
growth and development of the child depend on his love for the environment we must therefore take care that he ;
can absorb
it
with interest.
into great consideration. details
we can
Science nowadays takes this
Without entering into too
enunciate certain principles.
should remain as
much
many
The
child
as possible in contact with his
mother and the environment must not present obstacles, 139
THE ABSORBENT MIND such as great differences of temperature from that to which the child has been accustomed before birth. Not too
much
light,
not too
much
noise, for the child
has come
from a place of perfect silence and darkness. Today, in the modern Nursing Homes, the mother and child are placed in a glass-walled room where the temperature is easily controllable, so that it may be gradually assimilated to that of the normal temperature outside.
The
glass
is
blue so that the light entering the room is very subdued, and the air also is regulated. Care should also be taken in the
way how
been customary
the child
is
handled and moved.
to handle the child as
without feelings, and
it
was plunged
if it
into
It
has
were an object a low bath and
and roughly dressed (roughly in the sense that any handling of a new-born child is rough, because it is rapidly
so delicate a thing, psychically as well as physically ), Today science has come to the conclusion that the new-
born child should be touched as
little
as possible, and
should not be dressed, but rather kept in a room the temperature of which is sufficient to keep the baby warm and free from draughts of cold air. The way of transporting the baby is also changed he is carried by means :
of a soft mattress, something like a
hammock, so
that
he
remains in a level and horizontal position, similar to his He is not lifted up or down but pre-natal position. treated as
we
treat
wounded people who need
Sick people today are not cart
and drawn along
;
there
great care.
up and then taken to a a stretcher which is at the
lifted is
140
THE ABSORBENT MIND same
as the bed, and the invalid
level
is
carried very,
very carefully, so that there are no bumps and jumps. This is done for adult people. The tendency today is to give the
same care and
the
baby
even more refined and
This
perfect.
consideration, only
is
more than merely
hygienic care, because hygiene is something else again. Today the nurses of the child have a cloth in front of their
mouth and nose, so
them
that microbes from
may He is
not enter the environment of the new-born child. protected from them.
two organs
child are con-
one body which are in communiThe adaptation to the environment then takes
sidered as cation.
successfully
place
Nowadays mother and
mother and child
of
and naturally for the child, since have a special connection with each
considered as a kind of magnetism. There are certain forces within the mother to which the child is
other.
It
is
accustomed and these forces are a necessary aid child during the
can say that the to the mother.
first
difficult
child has
He
is
whereas before he was
They
are
still
in close
days
changed
now
for the
of adaptation.
his position in relation
outside the mother's
inside,
We
but the rest
communication and
is
this
body
the same.
magnetism
that goes from the mother to the child remains intact.
This
is
how
modern was done
these things are considered in our
times, but only a
few years ago the
first
thing that
was to separate The child was taken away the mother from the child. and bathed and then brought back to his mother. The at birth,
141
even
in the best
Nursing Homes,
THE ABSORBENT MIND treatment
have described above
I
is
the
the scientific treatment of the child. Nature this special care
is
*
word
last
'
in
shows us that
not necessary to the child during the
whole period of childhood. Just as, after a time, the mother cat brings her kittens out and does not hide them any more, so after a little time the human baby and mother can come out of
their isolation into to the social
world. Usually, as soon as a
baby
is
born,
all
the relatives "
How baby. They pat him and say beautiful he is, he looks just like the father (or mother, or both !) ". They kiss it and caress it. This should be
go and see
this
The
stopped.
they often
:
richer
an
heir
baby out on in
It
is
more unhappy
to the throne, the king himself took the
this
The little one was wrapped and shown to the people who
to a balcony.
assembled
Imagine
the
unhappiest of all are perhaps the In olden times, when the queen gave
a bundle of clothes,
were
children
are, the
king's children. birth to
the
in
and how
the it
square
outside
would give
the
palace.
rise to regressions
!
interesting to note that the social questions of
the child are not the
same as
those of the adult.
We might
say also that the economic position has a bearing upon the child which is the reverse of that which it has upon the adult, for
who suffer
we
suffer,
most.
find that while
among the
amongst the children It
is
among
it is
adults
it is
the poor
often the rich
who
the rich that the mother gives
the child to a nurse for care, while the poor mother follows
142
THE ABSORBENT MIND the proper method of keeping her child with her.
The
children of working mothers also usually receive
more
substantial food from their mothers, because the mothers
and produce more milk which
are healthy
substantial quality than
need
to
work and
and poor
in
that of rich mothers,
This
a more
who do
not
and so their milk is scarce one of the main reasons
are often inert
quality.
of
is
is
given to a nurse. The mother does not feed the child owing to unsuitable milk, and in olden times the
why
a child
is
baby was given
woman
peasant
not
therefore in
world
the
a
to
*
wet
nurse,'
who was
with plenty of good milk.
a
question
general
rich
There
is
and poor
;
things and values change
children
of
of
a healthy
altogether.
Once
passed the child adapts himself happily to the environment without feeling any repugnance. Then he begins travelling on the path of this
first
independence that
is
period
we have
described, on which the child,
we
might say, opens its arms to the environment, receives the environment and absorbs it to the extent of making his
own, the customs
environment
of the
in
which he
lives.
The might
first
call
activity
in
a conquest,
Owing
to the lack of
of the
psyche taking
this is
the
development, which activity
of
the
we
senses.
in its
completeness bony tissues, the child is inert, without movement of limbs, so his activity cannot be that of movement. His activity is purely that
143
in the
impressions of the senses.
THE ABSORBENT MIND The
child's
in
clear
eyes are very active, but
our minds that (as science has described in
modern times) the on its eyes. The
child
is
child
not merely struck
he,
in
the environment.
the child,
who
is
This
if
we
all
certainly
an active researchthe
is
new
seeks these impressions
a victim of impressions that are strike him, but he seeks them.
Now,
also
the light
by
He
not passive.
is
receives impressions, but he
worker
we must have very
idea
he
;
;
is
it
is
not
around him and that
look at the animal species,
we
see that
they have a type of apparatus in the eyes similar to that which we have, a sort of photographic machine. But these animals are specialized in their use of
they are attracted towards certain things more than others so that they are not struck by the whole of the environment. They have a guide in them that makes them follow it
:
and through their eyes they follow that guide So they direct themselves towards of their behaviour. From those things for which their behaviour is made. certain lines
the very beginning there
is
a guide
;
the senses perfect
themselves and are then used always following
this guide.
dim
light of the
The eye
of the cat will perfect itself in the
night (as does that of other nocturnal prowlers), but the cat, although interested in the darkness, is attracted by moving things
moves rest of
and not by in the
still
things.
As soon
as something
darkness, the cat pounces upon
the environment
it
pays no attention.
it
;
to the
There
is
not a general awareness of the environment, therefore,
144
THE ABSORBENT MIND but an instinctive
same way,
move towards specialized things.
there are insects
In the
which are attracted by flowers
of special colours, because in the flowers of those colours
they find their food. Now, an insect just emerged from a chrysalis could not have any experience along that line it has a guide which directs it and the eye serves to ;
follow that guide.
realized.
the species
is
victim
his
of
guide the behaviour of individual, therefore, is not the this
Through
The
neither
senses,
the senses are there
is
and work
it
in
dragged by them
;
the service of their
owner, following a guide. The child has a special faculty. His senses are not limited like those of animals, but his senses also are in the service of a guide.
The
cat
move in the environment, it is The child has no such limitation. surroundings
tendency
is
and
is
limited to things that
attracted only
by them.
The child observes experience has shown us that
his
He
does not merely camera-like eye, but a kind
to take in everything.
take them in by means of his
his
psycho-chemical reaction takes place so that these impressions form an integral part of his psyche. We might make this observation which is an impression and not of
a
scientific
statement
that
the
person
who
is
merely
dragged by his senses, who is the victim of his senses, has something wrong within him. His guide may be there, but instead of acting it has become enfeebled in
some way and so senses.
145 10
Therefore
the person it is
of the
becomes the victim
of his
utmost importance that the
THE ABSORBENT MIND guide which
and kept
is
within each child should be taken care of
alive.
To make
what happens in this absorption of the environment, would like to make a comparison. There are certain insects who resemble leaves and others resembling sticks. These insects can be quoted as analogies to what takes place in the psyche of the child. They live on sticks and leaves and resemble them so closely that they have become as one with their environment. clearer I
Something like that happens in the child. He takes the environment in and transforms himself accordingly like leafvery interesting indeed The impressions that the environment gives to them are so great that some biological or psycho -chemical trans-
insects or stick-insects.
This
is
!
formation makes them resemble their environment.
become
like
the thing they love.
They
This power of taking
and transforming accordingly, is now discovered to exist in all types of life, in some physically as in the insects mentioned and in some other animals, in
the environment
but psychically in the child. of the greatest activities of at things as 44
How
we have
we
do. "
beautiful
!
It is life.
to
be considered as one
The
child does not look
We
may look at a house and say and then we see something else and
but a vague
:
memory
of those things afterwards.
But the child constructs himself by means of the profound way in which he gathers them especially in the first period of
life.
It is
in infancy,
by
virtue of the unique
infancy, that the child acquires the
human
powers of
characteristics
146
THE ABSORBENT MIND such as language, religion, racial Thus he constructs the adaptation character, etc. In that environment he is happy to the environment. that distinguish him,
and develops taking does not refuse food in his
own
new
environment.
adaptation
becomes
?
if
word
food
for
differs
from that
constructs an adaptation to each
What does
means
It
the
He
country.
He
in its customs, language, etc.
it
mean
to
build
to transform oneself so that
up one
suited to one's environment, so that this environ-
ment forms a
part of oneself.
We
must therefore observe
these facts as the child absorbs his environment.
The
child
in
is
need
of
an environment
in order to
Having accepted that, the next point what are we to do ? What sort of environment must
develop himself. is,
be prepared to
him
? It is
for the child
so that
it
may
be of assistance
a very embarrassing question.
If
we were
dealing with a child of three years, he might be able to should have to put flowers and beauty in tell us. we should have to provide those the environment
We
;
motives of activity which belong to his path of development. We could easily find out that certain motives of
would have
activity offer
an opportunity
to
be
in the
environment
in
order to
for functional exercise to this child.
But when the baby has to take
in the
environment in
order to build up adaptation, what sort of environment can we prepare for him ? There can be but one answer to this
:
the environment for the baby-child must be the
world, the world that
147
is
around him,
all
of
it
!
It is
THE ABSORBENT MIND evident that
if
the child
be among people be able to do so
who ;
if
is
to acquire language, he
speak,
he
is
otherwise he will not
to acquire
any powers or
who
habitually use
he must be among people
faculties
and
those powers
faculties.
must
If
the child
to take in
is
customs and habits he must be constantly among people who themselves follow them. That is why we find that the child
who
is
among
cultured people
words and many many more words and many more
who
use
many
small refinements of behaviour, acquires little
refinements than
the less fortunate child.
This really is a strikingly revolutionary statement. It is a contradiction of what has happened in the last few years, since, as a consequence of hygienic reasoning,
people have come to the conclusion or misconclusion What has happened that the child should be isolated !
is
that the child has
been placed
in
When it was
a nursery.
discovered that the nursery, hygienically speaking, was not good enough, the hospital was taken as a model and the child
was
as possible progress
left
like
undisturbed and
made
to sleep as
a sick person. Let us realize that exclusively hygienic care
this
it
is
if
much this is
a social
danger. If the child is kept in nurseries, in a sort of prison,, with as his sole companion a nurse who obstructs more or less the
development
of the child,
because no expressions
of truly maternal sentiment or feeling are child, there
development
shown
to the
are serious obstacles to normal growth ;
serious retardation
and
dissatisfaction,
and one 14ft
THE ABSORBENT MIND might say psychic hunger on the part of the child, is bound to result with harmful effect. Instead of staying with his
who
him and with
whom
a special current of communication, the child has a nurse who does mother,
not speak
loves
much
to
there
the child because
How
habit of covering her mouth.
is
of the hygienic
then can he learn the
language ? He must be protected from the sun or cold so a hood is put up over his perambulator and he sees only the face of the nurse or the hood and is shut away from other
all
parts
of
the
children the worse their for
them.
The
environment.
lot,
because
richer
this is life in
the
a prison
Instead of nice beautiful mothers they have
sometimes very experienced, but then old and
nurses,
ugly and the more aristocratic the family, the more formal it
and the parents see
is
still
cause
of the child.
Many
moment once a week
families see their child for a '
less
be-
knows how to deal with the child/ "I do not deal with him ". After that
the nurse
Mother says
:
period, they put the child in a boarding school
The
treatment of the child
is
really
a
!
social question
and today more and more we begin to realize that it must be changed. Once this has been understood people begin to worry very much as in America which is awake
now
to the
need
They study how
for
this
new
sort of aid to the child.
the child should be treated,
and
there
is
a growing conviction that as soon as the child can come out of doors, one should bring him along in the midst of one's
149
work and allow him
to see as
much
as possible.
THE ABSORBENT MIND Then
the perambulator
is
built
very high, because the
The
higher the child the better he can see.
has undergone a transformation.
It
nursery also
conforms as
rigo-
rously to the requirements of hygiene as a hospital
room, of pictures and the child lies on a
but the walls are
full
stand which
high up, so that a view of the whole of the environ-
is slightly
command
he can
ment and not for
the child.
child
sloping
and
of the ceiling only.
The
must be placed
fitted
This
is
the
throne
first
idea has been understood that the in
a position to see everything.
The
absorption of language presents a more difficult problem especially to nurses who themselves belong to a social
environment different from that of the
Here
child.
another side to the question. The child must be brought with us when we converse with our friends. also there
Usually
comes
is
when we go
in
our
on a
is
friend
taken
and can hear the conversation.
He
does not
register
it
he sees the people round him talking, he receives a sub-conscious impression that he
consciously, but eating, etc.,
when a
friend or
away and put back in If we want to aid the child we must put midst so that he can see how we do things
to see us, the child
the nursery.
him
to call
if
takes in and this will help his growth.
Also when
take him for an outing what will he like
?
We
we
cannot
say so definitely, but we can observe him. Here again mothers and rightly prepared nurses, when they see the child interested in something, will stop
examine and inspect
it
and
as long as he likes.
let
the child
The
nurse,
150
THE ABSORBENT MIND instead of dragging along a cart with something in
it
as
she used to do in the old days, considers the child and the little face lights up with interest as he is allowed to
examine what
what
How,
attracts him.
indeed, can
we know
going to be of interest to the child on any particular day ? must be at his service. Our whole conis
We
ception
is
therefore
and
revolutionized,
this revolution
must be brought about among adults. The adult world must realize that the child constructs a vital adaptation to the environment
and must
therefore
contact with the environment, for construct this adaptation, first
order.
due
to
we
if
have
full,
the child
is
complete unable .to
face a social problem of the
All the social problems
we have today
are
a lack of adaptation on the part of somebody, either in the moral field or in others. This is a fundamental
problem, a question of fundamental importance. This conclusion, of course, points to the fact that the education
become
small child will in the future
of the
the most
and important consideration of society. Then how is it possible that we knew nothing of it before ? Our grandparents and great-grandparents knew nothing of these things and yet children grew up and basic
existed.
humanity usually
comes
new
This
into the
is
mind
the
sort
of
of a person
statement that
who
hears some-
"
Humanity is very old and I have grown up myself my people must have lived. children have grown up and yet we had no such theory thing
!
They say
:
;
before.
151
In spite of the lack of such preparation, people
THE ABSORBENT MIND have acquired their language and in many countries certain customs have become so strong that they have has that taken place ? How that without any such preparation I have become
become is
it
one
my
of
How
prejudices.
race
" ?
Let us consider
most
the
of
behaviour of
question for a
this
interesting
studies
human groups
West with our ultra-modern tries
we
One
while.
study of the
the
at different levels of civiliza-
Every one seems more
tion.
is
little
intelligent
ideas
!
than
we
in the
In most other coun-
see that children are not treated as disastrously
as by the rich ultra-modern Westerner.
most countries the
We
see that in
accompanies his mother everyThe mother and child are as one body. Wher-
where.
child
ever the mother goes the child goes with her. In the street she talks and the child listens. The mother has an
some tradesman about prices, Whatever the mother does the child
altercation with
the child
is
sees
present.
hears,
and
for
whole period
how
long does that last
of breast-feeding.
her child and so
and
During the The mother has to feed ?
she goes to work or goes out she cannot leave the child. To her it is not merely a question of feeding the child, it is really a question of attraction between the mother and child. " I do not like to leave the child, because I love him/' she would say. Nature sis
has arranged that milk and love solve the problem of adaptation to the environment on the part of the child.
So
here
is
the picture
:
the mother
and
child are but
one 152
THE ABSORBENT MIND person divided into two.
Where
civilization
has not
destroyed the possibility, the mother loves the child and takes him about with her, everywhere. She says, and " I do not trust anyone with my child." Is this rightly :
mother a gaoler then ? No She goes everywhere and so does the child. The child hears the mother speaking in a normal way to many people. She speaks whatever !
she has to say and the child takes part. People say that mothers are loquacious yes, because they have to aid ;
the development of
environment.
If
the child
and
his adaptation to his
the child were to hear only the
that the mother addresses to himself, he
much. tion.
words, It
is
it
is
its
construc-
not language consisting only of disconnected language taken from the people who speak.
really marvellous that the child
is
would not learn
Instead, the child learns language in It
words
is
able to absorb the
language of the environment in which he can only happen if he lives among people. stress the necessity of the
lives,
but this
Therefore
I
child being brought out into
the world.
Again,
if
we
study the different
human
groups,
races or nations, there are other characteristics to observe the
fashion
of
transporting
the
child
characteristics. Ethnological studies are
is
:
one of these
made and people
go about observing these and other customs and there One of the are many interesting things to be seen. greatest interest
They 153
is
to see
how women
usually lay the child
carry their children.
on a bed or
in
a bag and do
THE ABSORBENT MIND not carry him in their arms. fastened to a piece of the
when
mother,
people
some countries the child is wood and put on the shoulders of In
the mother goes to work.
on
the child on the neck, others
tie
Certain the back,
But each race has found some
others
use a basket.
means
of carrying the child along.
There
always the
is
question of breathing to consider. The child is usually carried with his face against the back of the mother, there is
the danger of suffocation to be considered,
The Japanese put
precautions are taken. in
such a
way
that the
neck
the shoulder of the person first
traveller
who went
and so
their children
comes above carrying it, and the
of the child
who
is
to Japan, called the
Japanese
two-headed people, on account of this habit. In India the child is carried on the hip, and the Red Indian straps it on the back
;
the child
is
in a sort of cradle
and
is
fastened
mother back to back, so that the child sees whatever is behind her. Each country has different to
the
and customs, but the child never leaves the mother. It never enters the head of the mother to leave the child behind any more than she would leave her hair behind. habits
In Africa
among
a certain tribe there
nation ceremony for
a queen.
To
was
to
be a coro-
the surprise of the
who
witnessed the ceremony, the queen had her child along with her. It never entered her head
missionaries
to leave the child at
these people
is
a long period.
home.
Another curious
fact with
that the period of breast-feeding lasts for
In
some
countries
it
lasts
one year,
in
154
THE ABSORBENT MIND others one
and a
half or
up
two
to
not neces-
It is
years.
because the child has the necessary means now to eat anything. In fact he does eat a great many things
sary,
besides drinking his mother's milk, but since the mother continues to feed him, it means that she takes the child
along with her and so involuntarily ensures the proper aid of a full social environment during this important The mother says nothing to the child but he has period.
The mother
eyes and he goes about.
his
carries
him
comes to know people in the street and the He sees all these things withmarket, carts and buses. out anybody telling him anything. And when mothers go to market and fix the price for fruits, if you look at the
and the
child
face of the child she carries, sity
of interest there
is
in
it is
curious to see the inten-
his eyes.
expressive in her face but the child
Another
interesting factor
being carried about never
Sometimes the
Among
the
child
is
is
asleep,
enormous quantity
of
is
un~
intensely expressive.
who
that the small child
cries, unless
falls
The mother
he
is
ill
or
is
wounded.
but he never
cries.
photographs taken
in
The photocourse, to show
these countries, you never see a child crying.
graphs have been taken of the mother, of her customs, but incidentally we notice that one feature of
them
is
that the child does not cry,
whereas what
people complain about in Western countries "
" is
:
My
what do you do when a always crying," and " What can one do ? Crying is the problem child cries ?
child
in
is
Western
155
countries.
Today
the answer of psychologists
THE ABSORBENT MIND is
this
ing
:
and
vation.
the child cries
and
is
agitated, he has
tempers
He
,
because he
suffers
of cry-
from mental
mentally undernourished.
is
He
prison with a restricting guardian over him.
remedy is this him to go into :
to take the child out of prison society.
What
treatment of the child which
many
fits
'
'
races.
is
star-
kept in
The only and allow
nature shows us
is this
unconsciously followed in This treatment has to be understood and
applied consciously by us as
is
we
use our observation
and
intelligence.
156
CHAPTER X
ON LANGUAGE LET
us consider the development of language in the In order to understand language, we must reflect child.
on what language well call
it
the
is.
It is
basis of
men
so fundamental that
normal human
life,
we
might because
form a group. It brings about the transformation of the environment that we
through
it
join together to
call civilization.
There it
is
are.
come
a central point that distinguishes humanity : not guided to do this or that fixed task as animals
We
is
never
know what man
will do,
hence men must
harmony with each other or they will never do anything. In order to come into accord and to take into
intelligent decisions together,
is
not sufficient to think,
were geniuses. What is necessary This underthat we must understand one another.
not even is
it
if
all
of us
standing one another age.
Language
is
is
the
possible only
by means
of langu-
instrument of thinking together.
Language did not not exist on the earth until man made his appearance. Yet after all, what is it ? A mere breath, 157
THE ABSORBENT MIND a
series of
sounds put together not even
logically, just
put
together.
Sounds have no
logic, the collection of
occur
when we say
What
gives sense to these sounds
*
have
'
plate
in
sounds that
themselves no is
logic.
the fact that
have agreed that those special sounds
men
shall represent
Language is the expression of agreement among a group of men, and it is only the group who has agreed on those sounds who can understand them.
this special idea.
Other groups have other sounds to represent the same idea. Language is a sort of wall that encloses a group
men and
from other groups. That is why language has become almost mystical, it is something that unites groups of men even more than the ideas of
of
separates
Men
nationality.
it
are united
by language, and language
become more complicated as man's thought has become more complicated it has grown with man's
has
;
thought.
The
curious thing
is
that the sounds used to
com-
pose words are few, yet they can unite in so many ways to make so many words. How complicated are the combinations of these sounds
!
Sometimes one
is
placed
before another, sometimes after another, sometimes softly,
sometimes with etc.,
etc.
It
force,
with closed
lips,
needs a great memory to
with open
lips,
remember them
and the ideas represented by these words. Then there is the thought itself, as a whole, which must be expressed and this is done by a group of words which we all
158
THE ABSORBENT MIND The words must be placed
a sentence.
call
in
a special
order in that sentence so as to conform to the thought of man and not just to string together a number of things in
There
the environment.
is
therefore a set of rules in
order to guide the hearer as to the intentional thought of If man wishes to express a thought, he the speaker.
must put the name of the object here and an adjective near it and another noun there. The number of words used If
is
not sufficient, their position must be considered.
we want
to test this, let us take a sentence with a clear
meaning, write separate words
make
out,
it
cut the written sentence into
and mix them
;
the sentence will not
sense, yet there are exactly the
here also there must be agreement
same words.
among men.
guage therefore might be called the expression intelligence. is
On
first
after further thought It
consideration
a faculty with which
is
a
we
we
are
we
it
is
So Lan-
of a supra-
feel that
endowed by
realize that
supra-natural creation
its
language
nature, but
above nature.
produced by conscious
Around it there grows a sort of network that extends and increases and there is no limit to the extension and increase, so that there have been languages so complicated, so difficult to remember for ever, that they have died. They extended so far and gradually became so complicated that it was impossible And if one to retain them, and they disintegrated. collective intelligence.
Latin one would study for eight years, ten years, and even then one would not
wished
159
to study Sanskrit or
THE ABSORBENT MIND succeed
in
language completely and in
this
speaking
its
perfection.
There
nothing more mysterious than the under-
is
do anything, men must come together in agreement and to that they must use language, this most abstract instrument. lying reality that to
This problem is always worrying humanity, but it mast be solved, because language has to be given to the
new-born
Attention
child.
to
this
people to consider and realize that
The
in language.
very great
it is
has led
the child who takes
reality of this absorption is
something
and mysterious which men have not sufficiently
considered.
It is
said
" :
This
ment indeed
when one
especially
!
among people who
Children are
speak, so they speak".
plications.
problem
is
a very profound stateconsiders the
Yet people have gone on
years to think of
it
for
com-
thousands of
so superficially.
Another thought has entered men's minds through their
be
study of
difficult
this
problem
of language
and complicated
;
a language might
for us to learn
and yet
it
has
been spoken once by the uncultured people of the country Latin is a difficult language, even to which it belonged. for those who speak the modern languages that have developed from Latin, but the language that the slaves of imperial
Rome
spoke was
this
same complicated and
And what
did the uncultured peasants speak as they laboured in the fields ? This complicated And what did the children of three years speak Latin difficult
Latin
!
!
160
THE ABSORBENT MIND Rome
They expressed themselves in this complicated Latin and understood it as it was spoken to them. It is probably the same in India. Long ago, the in imperial
?
people
who worked
spoke
Sanskrit.
in the fields
To-day
and the
curiosity
result
and roamed
this is
mystery
that
in the jungle
has
aroused
the development of
language in children is receiving attention and, let us remember, it is development, not teaching. The mother does not teach language to her little one. Language develops
what
one
strikes
is
laws and
certain
that
in
whether the language
Even
children
ment
in
difficult
who their
live
are
there
among among them
be simple or com-
some
very
simple the
certain primitive people
There
syllables are
is
spoken
;
same developchildren with a more
attain the
language as the
language do.
when only
epochs that development This is true for all children
of their race
today
languages spoken
language develops following
certain
reaches a certain height.
plicated.
And
a spontaneous creation.
as
naturally
;
a period for all children then words are spoken
and grammar is used in its The differences of masculine and feminine, perfection. of singular and plural, of tenses, of prefixes and suffixes, The language may be com* all are used by children. plicated and with many exceptions to the rules, yet the child who absorbs it learns it all and can use it in the
and
finally
the whole syntax
same time as
the African child learns the few
his primitive language.
161 11
words
of
THE ABSORBENT MIND we
we
look at the production of the different sounds also find it follows laws. All the sounds which comIf
pose words are
made by
putting into use certain
mechan-
Sometimes the nose is employed together with the throat, and sometimes it is necessary to control the muscles of the tongue and cheek, etc. Different parts of the body come together to construct this mechanism. Its construction is perfect in the mother tongue, the language taken by the child. Of a foreign tongue, we
isms.
adults cannot even hear
all
the sounds,
let
alone re-
We
can only use the mechanism of our own language. Only the child can construct the mechanism of language, and he can speak any number of
produce them.
languages perfectly if they are in his environment. This construction is not the result of conscious work, but takes place in the deepest layer of the sub-conscious of the child.
He
begins this work in the darkness of
the sub-conscious and fixes itself as
it
is
there that
it
a permanent acquisition.
develops and It
is
this that
lends interest to the study of language. We, adults, can conceive only a conscious wish to learn a language and must however have set about to learn it consciously.
We
another conception of a natural, or rather supra-natural mechanism that takes place outside of consciousness, and this
mechanism, or
series of
mechanisms,
is
fascinating.
take place in a depth not directly accessible to adult observers. Only the external manifestations can
They
be seen, but these are very
clear in themselves
if
we 162
THE ABSORBENT MIND observe
them properly,
they take place in
since
all
the fact that the sounds
is
humanity.
Especially striking
of
age after age another that complications are taken in as easily as
any language keep
curiosity
is
No
simplicities.
mother tongue,
their purity
*
becomes tired' of learning his mechanism elaborates his language
child his
;
in its totality.
There comes
my mind
a sort of comparison to this absorption of language by the child. My idea has nothing to do with the various factors of the phenomenon, nor with
reality,
we can
that
to
but
it
gives a picture of something similar
experience.
If,
draw something, we take a but
we can
a
also take
for instance,
pencil or colours
we
wish to
and draw
it,
photographic picture of the
and then the mechanism is different. The photograph of a person is taken on a film. This film does not have to do much work, and if there were instead of one a group of ten people to be photographed, the film would have no more work than before the mechanism works It would be just as easy to take a instantaneously. thousand people if the camera were large enough. If we thing
;
photograph the of that
book
effort is the
title
filled
same
of a book, or
we photograph
if
a page
with minute or foreign characters, the for
the film.
So
the
mechanism
of
the film can take in anything, simple or complicated, in
the fraction of a second.
man men 163
it it
we have to draw a we have to draw ten
if
some time, and if take more time. If we copy the
will
will
Whereas,
take
title
of a
book
THE ABSORBENT MIND it
and
minute
of
more
it
come
if
we have
characters
foreign
too, the
darkness
in
then
time,
it
to
copy a page take
will
is
it
fixed,
photograph
is
taken in darkness and
undergoes the process of development, still in darkness, and finally it can
and
to the light
is
So
unalterable.
with the
it is
psychic mechanism for language in the child.
It
deep down
is
oped and it
is
that
darkness of the sub-conscious,
in the
and then it is seen openly. Certain some mechanism does exist, (whether I have
standing of language
or not) so that this under-
may be
Once one has
realized.
mysterious activity, one wants to find out happens so there is today a deep interest in the
envisaged it
begins devel-
fixed there,
made a good comparison
how
much
time.
Then, still
some
also take
will
this
;
investigation of this mysterious feature of the
deep sub-
conscious.
This however tion that adults
is
only part of the activity of observa-
can perform
;
the other part
the external manifestations, because external manifestations that
are engaged in
this.
proof
Nowadays
watch
only of these
is
we can have
must be exact.
observation
it
to
is
;
but this
several people
Observations have been carried out
day by day from the date of birth to two years of age and beyond what happened on each day, how long the development remained at the same level, etc. From these :
observations
They have
certain
things
stand out
like
revealed the fact that there
is
milestones.
a mysterious
164
THE ABSORBENT MIND inner development that
very great, while the corresponding external manifestation is very small, so there is evidently a great disproportion between the activity of the inner
and the
life
that stands out in festations
Another thing these observations of outer mani-
external expression.
all
that there
is
is
is
not a regular linear develop-
ment, but development manifests
itself in jerks.
There
the
conquest of syllables, for instance, at a certain time and then for months the child emits nothing but is
there
syllables
he says a word
is ;
no progress externally. Then suddenly then he remains with one or two words
a long time. Again there seems no progress and one feels almost disheartened to see this slow external
for
It
progress.
seems so
that in the inner
life
sluggish, but the acts reveal to us
there
is
a continuous and great
progress.
After society
?
If
all
is
we
this
not illustrated also in the actions of
look at history,
turies lived at the
same
we
see that
level, primitive, stupid,
but this incapable of progress manifestation seen in history. There
tive,
man
;
for
cen-
conserva-
is
only the outer
is
an inner growth
going on and on, until an explosion suddenly comes And then another period of placidity and little progress externally and then another revelation !
!
So it is with the child and this language of man. There is not merely small steady progress of word by word, but there are also explosive phenomena, as psychologists call
165
them, happening without reason or teaching.
At the
THE ABSORBENT MIND same period cataract three
of
of
life
in
each child comes suddenly
words, and
child
and
prefixes,
all
and
In
com-
the
verbs.
All
end of the second year for every So we must be heartened by this action of the and wait. (And at the sluggish epochs in history
happens
child.
perfectly.
months the children use with ease
plications of nouns, suffixes this
pronounced
all
this
at the
we may hope
same
perhaps humanity is not so stupid as it appears, perhaps wonderful things will happen which will be explosions of internal life.) These explosive phenomena and eruptions of expression confor the
tinue after the
;
age of two years
the
;
use
of simple
and compound sentences, the use of the verb in all its tenses and modes, even in the subjunctive, the use of subordinate and co-ordinate clauses appear in the same sudden explosive way. So is completed the expression of the language of the group (race, social level, etc.,) to
which the child belongs.
This treasure which has been
prepared by the sub-conscious consciousness,
and and
the child, in
is
full
handed over
to the
possession of this
new
talks, and talks, till the adults say power, talks, " " For goodness* sake can't you stop talking After this great landmark at two and a half years, :
!
which seems to indicate a border-line
man
of intelligence
when
formed, language still continues to develop, without explosions, yet with great vivacity and spontaneity. This second period lasts from two and a half to four and
a
is
half or five
years.
This
is
the period
when
the child
166
THE ABSORBENT MIND number
takes in a great
rendering of sentences.
of
words, and perfects the
Certainly
environment of a few words or of those words only, but cultured speech it
and
he
if
*
slang
',
he
is in
will
use
the child will fix
very important, yet
is
an
an environment of
lives in
rich vocabulary,
The environment
all.
the child
if
in
any
vocabulary will come about* Great interest is being taken in this fact. In Belgium scientific observers discovered that the child of only two
an enrichment
case
and a
half years
time of five years
and
all this
acquisition.
child to
of
knew two hundred words, but by the he knew and used thousands of words,
happens without a teacher After he has learnt
come
to school
and say
;
all
this,
" :
it is
I
a spontaneous we allow the
will
"
alphabet
We
teach you the
!
must keep clearly
has been followed
:
in
mind
this
double path that
which
that of the sub-conscious activity
prepares the language, and then that of the consciousness gradually coming to life and taking from the sub-conscious
what
MAN well, all
it
has to give.
And what
the child of five
knows and
uses
all
have
we
who can speak the rules.
He
The
his
is
child has created
end
?
language
does not
the sub-conscious work, but in reality he
has created language.
at the
realize
MAN who it
for
him-
and did not spontaneously acquire language, there would have been no work possible in the world of men and no civilization. self.
We 167
If
the child did not have these powers
see, therefore,
how
important
is
MAN
in this period of
THE ABSORBENT MIND his
life
tion
he constructs
would not
So we him
:
to
all.
exist, for
If it
were not
for
he alone constructs
him, civiliza-
its
foundation.
should give him the help he needs and not leave
wander
alone.
168
CHAPTER
XI
THE CALL OF LANGUAGE WHAT
I
want
sympathy,
little
adults
illustrate
am
I
we
think
is
because
afraid,
interesting
will
arouse
we human and
live
in
however are these wonder-
Mechanisms
mechanisms.
a fact that
above mechanisms
are
How
the abstract. ful
to
are
basical things, they
are material facts.
Material things are not only flesh All know that in the blood, but also mechanisms.
and mechanism
of
the nervous system there are the sense-
organs, the nerves
The
and
nerve-centres,
and the motor organs.
a mechanism concerning language goes somewhat beyond such material facts. It was towards the end of the last century that the brain-centres which deal fact that there
is
with language were discovered.
two
There are
in the cortex
of the
brain
one
the centre for heard language, auditory receptive
is
special centres dealing with language
:
speech, and one the centre for the production of language, If we consider the that is of spoken, motor speech. question from the physiological point of view, there are also
169
two organic centres
:
one
for
hearing the language
THE ABSORBENT MIND and one for speaking the language (the mouth, throat and nose, etc.), and these two centres develop The separately, both psychically and physiologically. (the ear)
receptive or hearing centre
ous side of the psyche
in
is
in relation with that mysteri-
which language
the deepest part of the sub-conscious, the motor centre It
is
is
manifested
is
and
when we
developed
in
the activity of
speak.
evident that this second part, which deals with
movements necessary for the emission of language, is slower to develop, and is manifested after the other. the
Why
?
Because
is
it
the sounds heard
prot)oe those delicate
by the
child that
movements which produce sound.
humanity does not have a pre-established language (which it does not, considering
This
very logical, because
is
if
own), then it is necessary that the child first hears the sounds of his group's created language Therefore the movement before he can reproduce them. that
it
creates
its
reproducing sounds must be based on a sub-stratum of impressions on the psyche, on those sounds, because it for
is
on the sounds which have been
felt
(impressed on the
psyche) that movement depends. This is easy and logical to understand, but
come because
"
first
How
logic,
And what
nature.
one
of
but because of a mechanism in
and
they are
!"
after seeing
and
" then,
directing intelligence behind the facts intelligence
has not
logic is there in nature ? In nature
notices facts
logical
it
which acts
".
them, one says
:
There must be a
The
mysterious
in the creation of things
is
much 170
THE ABSORBENT MIND more
here in the psychic phenomena than it is in flowers even with all their beautiful colours and shapes. visible
t
It
is
two
clear that at birth, these
heard and the spoken language do not is
What does
What
sound and
of all heredity yet capable of taking
Nothing
there.
free of all
exist.
yet at the same time everyexists are these two centres, centres
exist then ?
thing
activities of the
exists,
and of elaborating the movements necessary for its emission. These two points are part of the mechanism for developing language in its totality. Going more deeply into the matter we see that both a sensibility and
in language,
an
exist
ability
it
It is
easy to see
the elaboration of language begins after birth,
also that
since
which are centralized.
depends on the hearing
of
language and before
cannot hear anything. Activity must come afterwards. It is marvellous that all is prepared so that, when the child is born, it can start on its work. birth the child
Now ism.
us study the organs as well as the mechan-
let
Certainly the creation of this
vellous, but all creation
is
mechanism
marvellous. Is
it
is
mar-
not marvellous
to think of the creation of the ear (the organ of heard
language) before the child
born
is
>
There, in that
mysterious environment, this very delicate and complicated instrument has developed spontaneously.
How
marvellously is built
it
171
A
constructed, as
if
some musical genius had
musician, yes, because the central part of
a sort of harp, with the possibility of vibrating sounds according to the length of the different
the ear
with
up.
it
is
THE ABSORBENT MIND 4
strings
The harp
'.
in our ear
has sixty-four
f
'
strings
f
all
placed in gradation and as the size of the ear is so small they have been arranged in the form of a snail's shell.
What
intelligence
up
building
who on
that
is
necessary
for
of
limits
space, yet musical sounds. And
going to play on these strings ? For if no one plays the harp may remain silent against the wall for years.
is
it,
We
all
Respecting the
!
see a
drum
in front of the harp,
and when something
touches that drum, one or more of the harp strings vibrate so the drum plays the harp and we hear the ;
music of speech. Not all the sounds of the universe are taken in by the ear, because there are only sixty-four strings, but quite a complex music can be played on it.
By means
of
it
a language, with
all its
And
complications, can be transmitted.
cated instrument has created pre-natal
life,
why
else
is
his
environment
shall
created,
should
i.e.,
it
itself
be that
delicate
in
if
and
this
the
fine
compli-
mysterious
after birth
something
the language that the child finds in
and
must
create
for
himself
?
We
see.
For the lous she
is,
moment let us look at nature how marveland how quick Even if the child is born at ;
!
seven months, all is complete and ready. Nature is never late How does this instrument transmit the sounds it !
receives through the nervous fibres to the brain,
where the
special centres are located to collect these special sounds
That
The
is
also mysterious,
curious thing
is
?
but these are facts of nature.
that psychologists,
who have
studied
172
THE ABSORBENT MIND new-born develop
is
that of hearing.
the child
is
deaf.
and
child
most sluggish to even seems that
children, say that the sense
there
They say
it
made round
All sorts of noises are
no
is
reaction.
This
is
because these
and
seems powerful mechanism responds and acts the spoken word to these special sounds
centres are centres for language, for words,
as though this
the
it
only in relation so that thus, in time, will be produced the mechanism of
reproduce those same sounds. special isolation of the centres were not pro-
movement, which this
If
will
imagine what would happen to man ? If the centres were free to take anything, then the child who
vided
for,
was born on a farm would be impressed only by the " " sounds of the farm, and would say Moo, Moo and grunt and cackle. The child born near a station would only make the sounds of the whistling and puffing trains. :
It is
because nature has
built
and has
isolated these centres
man
can speak. There have been cases of wolf -children, children who, for one reason
specially for language that
or another,
have been abandoned
in the jungle,
some wonderful means have managed children, although they
have
to live.
and by These
lived in the midst of all
kinds of bird- and animal-sounds, those of water and of
have nevertheless remained entirely dumb. They produced no sound whatever, because they did not hear the sounds of human speech, which alone provoke
falling
the
mechanism
show 173
leaves,
that there
of is
spoken language.
All this
I
relate to
a special mechanism for language. This
THE ABSORBENT MIND distinguishes humanity, to possess language,
it
possesses this mechanism
;
not
but to possess this mechanism for
own
language characterizes humanity. Words are the result of a sort of elaboration performed by the child, but the child himself is not a mechanism, far from it. creating
its
Let us imagine the ego
in this
mysterious period, just
This sleeping ego suddenly
after birth, as a sleeping self.
wakes up and hears a delightful music. If this mysterious " I have entered the world, ego could talk, it would say and they have welcomed me with music, a music, so :
divine, so soul-penetrating, that
my whole being, my very No other sound reached
have begun to vibrate to it. me, because this reached my soul and I heard no other " And if we remember the great sound but this divine call propulsive powers which create and conserve life, we can fibres
!
see
how
lasting.
born
music produces a thing that remains ever-
this
What
child
takes place in the
now,
remains
for
mneme
ever.
of the
new-
Every group of music and its own
humanity loves music, creates its own Each group responds to its music with movelanguage. ments of the body and this music attaches itself to words, but those words have no sense in themselves, it is we
who
give the sense. In India there are but music unites all. The impressions child
have remained.
many languages, on the new-born
There are no animals that make
music and dance, but all humanity does it wherever it is. These sounds of language then are fixed in the sub-conscious.
What
goes on inside
we
cannot see, but 174
THE ABSORBENT MIND the outer manifestations give us a guide. fixed
and
this is
We
might
call
then words,
an
integral part of the
self
an alphabet. Then syllables come, spoken as a child will read sometimes
just
intelligently the child
a
is
little
who make
syllables
and
does
at
!
it
all
means.
But
Inside the child him-
one of the old-fashioned
the child recite the alphabet, then
finally
the
works
like
teacher,
teachers
it
mother tongue.
it
from a primer, without knowing what
how
Sounds are
words.
Only
the
wrong time when the
human
teacher
child
already
possesses his language. The teacher inside the child does things at the right time, so the baby fixes sounds,
then syllables. the language.
It
is
a gradual construction as logical as
Afterwards words come and then
enter the field of grammar.
come
first.
That
is
why
it is
Names
we
of things (nouns)
so illuminating to follow the
teachings of nature, because nature
is
a teacher, and
it
teaches the child the most arid part of language. It is a It teaches nouns and adjecreal school with methods. tives, conjunctions and adverbs, verbs in the infinitive,
then the conjugation of verbs, the declensions of nouns, then prefixes and suffixes and all the exceptions. Then there
is
the examination
;
he shows he can use them.
We
then see what a good teacher there has been and what a diligent pupil, because he uses them all quite correctly in Isn't he clever ? One should applaud the examination.
Much later him, but no one takes any notice of him. when he is at the school we adults have chosen for him, 175
THE ABSORBENT MIND he
he has
miracle :
say
"
What
a clever teacher
".
But
child
we
given a medal and
is
the small
is
it
This
!
a pupil
what
is
who
child
who
is
really
the teacher should
a living
see in the
has learnt in such a fashion that the
teacher herself could not learn better.
two years he
In
This is a deep mysterious fact. has learnt everything Let us then follow the manifestations the child gives in !
two
these
what
years, because thus
we
ness
and
will
be easier to follow
On examining these
the child has done.
tions,
it
manifesta-
and ever-awakening conscioussuddenly, this consciousness becomes
see a gradual then,
predominant and wishes
(some say
and
earlier,
1
to
am
master
all.
At
four
months
inclined to agree with
them)
the child perceives that this mysterious music that sur-
rounds him and touches him so deeply, comes from the human mouth. It is the mouth (the lips that move) which produces a baby
it.
we
seldom noticed, but if we watch see with what intensity he watches the
This
is
already seen taking a hand in the matter, for consciousness takes a propulsive part in the
Consciousness
lips.
work.
Certainly,
pared,
all
is
movement has been unconsciously
the exact co-ordinations of minute fibres
pre-
have
not been achieved consciously, but consciousness gives interest,
enlivens
and makes a
series
of
keen,
alert
researches.
After
two months
the child produces his
of this observation of the
own sounds
(at six
months
mouth, of age).
176
THE ABSORBENT MIND All of a sudden, this baby,
who
has been unable to say
anything except an occasional interjectional noise, one morning wakes up (before you) and you hear him saying :
*'
"
Ma-ma-ma ", etc. It is he who invented He now goes on for so long a time Papa* and Mama with these syllables only that we say he cannot do any Ba-ba-ba
",
*
*
'.
After a great effort he has reached
more.
member,
it
is
discovery and
who
the effort of the ego is
Let us
this.
re-
who has made a
conscious of his powers
;
a
little
man
no longer a mechanism, but an individual using mechanisms. We arrive at the end of the first year of is
but before that, at ten months, the child has
life,
made
that this language from the mouth of another discovery When we It is not merely music. people has a purpose. :
"
say
Dear
:
realizes
" :
how sweet you are meant for me" and so he begins to
little
this is
Baby,
some purpose
in these
there
is
Two
things therefore have
!",
he
realize
sounds addressed to him.
happened by
the
end
of the
in the depths of the unconscious he has underyear on the heights of consciousness he has created stood
first
:
:
language, though at the moment it is only babbling, just repeating sounds and combinations of sounds.
At one year
age the child says his first intentional He babbles just the same, but it is intentional, words. and intention means conscious intelligence. What has of
happened within ? Having studied him we know that he has much more within him than is shown by these unMore and more the child has obtrusive manifestations. 177 12
THE ABSORBENT MIND round
realized that language refers to the environment
him and he goes on to the conscious mastery a great struggle arises within the sciousness against mechanism.
man, this
I
the
is
it
can use
child, It
is
war between the
first
my own
experience.
I
of
Here
it.
a struggle of con-
the
first
struggle of
To illustrate know many things,
parts
!
them to an English-speaking I only know audience, but I do not have the language. a little English and my words would be a useless babI know that my audience is intelligent and we bling. I
want
to
express
could exchange ideas, but, alas, I only babble. epoch when the intelligence has many ideas and
This
knows
people could understand them, but cannot express these ideas through lack of language is a dramatic epoch in the
life
of the child.
It
gives the
first
disappointments
had no translator, what could What can the child do ? He goes to school in conscious, and his desire spurs him to learn. of
life.
If
I
conscious impulse
makes
this
to
hurried
I
do
?
his subIt is
the
be able to express himself that of
language possible. Imagine his attention to language at this time acquisition
!
A
who
so desirous of expressing himself, needs to go to a teacher to give him the words clearly.
being
is
Are we any use as such teachers ? No we don't help him at all we merely repeat to him his own babbling. If he did not have this inner teacher, he would learn nothing It is this inner teacher who makes him go to at all. ;
;
adult people
who
are talking to each other, not to him.
178
THE ABSORBENT MIND The impulse
forces
we do
ness, but
him
to take the language with exact-
not give
Yet
it.
he could indeed go to school
where
after
one year of age
one
of our schools
to
;
people talk to him
intelligent
people have understood
this difficulty of the child
one and two years, and the importance of learning
child the opportunity
days before
wrote
I
from Ceylon
in
this,
now
between
of giving to the
exactly.
a few
Just
received a communication
I
which someone wrote
are that there are
Some
intelligently.
"
How
:
we
glad
schools in our country for our
They have understood the need there. So " What a pity we have no besides those who say " " there are also those who say How glad University
small child
!"
:
!
we
:
are to have these schools for small children
" !
We
knowledge we can talk to him grammatically and help him with the analysis of sentences. The new teachers of children between the ages of one and two years should must
realize
know
the development of language.
it,
as
it
scientific
is
that since the child has grammatical
important,
fashion.
Mothers must know
and teachers should know
Then
it
in
a
need not go about
the child
to find people talking to others, not to himself, in order
We
to receive the aid he needs.
become
the servants of
nature that creates, and of nature that teaches, and a
whole syllabus and method What can I do with something that self-control,
179
I
is
is
my
babbling
very important
may become
for us.
ready ?
I
may
if
1
want
not have
agitated, enraged,
to
tell
much
and begin
THE ABSORBENT MIND what happens to the child of one or two years. He wants to show by one word what he wants ua to know, but he cannot and hence tantrums. Then people That
to cry.
"
say
(What
man's
See
:
man
a
in
!
is
there in this child of for
no reason
for
him,
makes is
we
at
"
innate
coming out The origin of war
perversity
one year !) is one year, who gets angry and violent of
all,
we think. We we do things
as
dress him,
these naughty scenes
all
!
And
yet this poor being
"
We
care
say
:
for
him, yet he
Poor
".
working towards independence
stood
!
little
man who
To be so misunderwho has no language !
and whose only expression is one of rage, has yet the power of making his own language. The rage is merely an expression that comes after the obstructed effort to try to make words, and he Joes make some sort of words. There is another period at about one and a half years
when
the child has recognized another fact
that each object has a it
means
that
among
name. all
the
This
is
namely, marvellous because ;
words he has heard, he has
been able to pick out nouns, especially concrete ones. There was a world of objects, now there are words for these
objects.
Unfortunately,
with nouns alone one
cannot express everything, so he has to use one word to express a whole idea. Psychologists therefore give
words that are meant
special attention to these
sentences,
and they
call
them
to express
*
fusive
words or one-word-
sentences.' Let us suppose porridge is eaten with milk, the " " " Mother child then may call out pa meaning :
Ma
:
180
THE ABSORBENT MIND am
He is expressing hungry, I want some porridge ". one whole sentence in a word. Another feature of this I
fusive speech, this forced language of the child,
there are alterations in the words themselves
instead *
4
*
4
of
paletot *
Spanish baby will use which means overcoat
f
*
*
'
'
that
there are
;
A
abbreviations.
often
is
;
to
and
*
espalda which means shoulder \ This is a modification, an abbreviation of the words We use, and for
palda
sometimes they are so
different that
we
might say that There is a child*
the child uses a foreign language. language ', but very few take the trouble to study it. Teachers of children of this age, should study this in
order to help the child and bring calm to his torment-
ed
soul.
These two child-words
'
'
to
and
manifestation of a mental conflict in
'
'
palda were the a child, and the
was so enraged and agitated that many people did The mother of the child not know what to do with it. was carrying her coat over her arm and the child was screaming, screaming. At last, at my suggestion, the mother put on her coat and immediately the screaming " To ceased, the child was calm and crowed happily " That is right a coat is meant palda ", meaning to say to be worn over the shoulders/* So you see another fact, child
:
:
that this mysterious language of
;
the
child
can reveal
the psychology of the child at this age, his urge and need for order and his distress at disorder. coat was not
A
meant 181
to
be carried carelessly over the arm
;
it
was
the
THE ABSORBENT MIND for
wrong place
it,
and the disorder was more than the
child could bear.
have another instance, an incident that reveals that a child of one and a half years can understand a whole I
conversation and the sense of
Some
it.
five
people were
and demerits of a child's story-book. They had been discussing for some time, and the con" versation ended with the remark It all ends happily." discussing the merits
:
Immediately the to shout
" :
who was in the room, began The people thought it wanted
one,
little
"
Lola, lola
!
and was calling her by her name. But no It became more agitated and cried in distress and rage, not yet self-controlled, and then at last it managed to get hold of the book and turning to the back cover pointed to the picture of the child about whom the story was " " The adults had written, and said again Lola, lola taken the end of the printed story as the end of the book, but for the child the last picture, which was on the back cover, was the end, and in that picture the child was cry" " how could they say it ended happily ? It had ing
its
nurse
!
:
!
:
knew it was about that book, and had understood what was said and that a mistake had been made by these adults. Its understanding was complete and detailed, but its speech was not followed the whole conversation,
sufficient.
for
cries
could not even pronounce the correct word which is llora in Spanish, so it said lola *.
It *
*
The one word 44 You are wrong
'
*
*
lola ;
it
',
was used
'
to
these
tell
does not end happily
:
he
adults
:
cries."
182
THE ABSORBENT MIND This
illustrates '
why
I
say that
it is
necessary to have
'
a special school for children of the age of one and one and a half years. Mothers, and society in general,
must take special care that the children have frequent Let the child come experiences of the best language. with us when we visit our friends and also when we
go
to
meetings,
especially
where
emphasis and clear enunciation.
183
people speak with
CHAPTER
XII
OBSTACLES AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES NOW wish to deal with that we may understand I
child.
We
represent
that
may
the hidden tendencies of the
might compare
this
mind
analysis of the invisible I
certain inner sensitivities, so
a sort of psycho-
to
of the
child.
In Fig. 9.
the language of the child,
by symbols
and
clarify the idea.
For the symbolic representation of the nouns (names of things) that children use, I have used a black triangle
;
for the verbs,
a red
circle
;
and
different
symbols
for other
These symbols are shown in Fig. 10. So if we say that the child uses two to three hundred words at a certain age, represent this by symbols
parts of speech.
I
in
order to give a visual impression of
sufficient to
age and
it
It
it.
is
then
have eyes to see the development of langudoes not matter whether we speak English,
Gujarati, Tamil, Italian or Spanish,
because the symbols
speech are the same. All the nebulous patches at the
for the parts of
diagram represent the first
efforts
of
left
hand
the child
exclamations, interjections, etc.
side of the
to speak, his
Then we
see two
184
THE ABSORBENT MIND sounds come together and syllables are formed, and then three sounds together and the first words are spoken.
A
we
further to the right of the diagram,
little
see a group-
ing of words,
some nouns
word phrases
(a sentence with diffused meaning), just a
few words
mean
to
children
number
to
Then
lot.
there
is
a great
an exact representation of words that psychologists have found This
At one
use.
we
explosion
of
a
quite
explosion into words. the actual
that children use, then two-
is
side
of
this
of
picture
see a patch of words which are nearly
the all
nouns, then next to that, different parts of speech in a
confused combination, but soon stage
is
represented,
and
words
i.e.,
So
explosion of sentences.
the second explosion
after
the
in
first
because the
his thoughts.
As
had
to
integral part of the
life
for this. it
is
It is
hidden,
not a hypothesis,
One can realize the make in order to express
their inability
inner wealth
All the efforts which
not crowned with success, will
if
known fact that the deaf and quarrelsome. The explanation lies in
agitation.
are often
This agitation forms an
of children.
the child will carry out,
185
words
do not always understand what this stage there is the rage and
means, at agitation I mentioned before.
dumb
of
adults
child
produce
is
results indicate efforts.
great efforts the child has
the
secret
is
it
explosion
of thoughts.
is
There must be a preparation a secret, but though
two years the next There is an order.
It
is
a
to express their
and
richness
which
thoughts.
There
tries to find
is
an
expression
;
THE ABSORBENT MIND it
does so
ordinary child, but amidst great
in
the
is
a period of
diffi-
culties.
There
into consideration
and by
the child's
cult period of
difficulties
which
we must
take
caused by the environment limitations. This is the second diffi-
difficulties
;
own
adaptation, the
first
was
that of birth
when
was suddenly called upon to function for himself, We saw whilst his mother had hitherto done it for him. then, that unless great care and understanding were shown, the child
birth
terror
affected the
and caused
child
regressions.
Certain children are stronger than others, certain others
have a more favourable environment, and these go straight to independence, the path of normal development, with-
A
out regressions.
The conquest
of
parallel situation
language
is
is
seen at
this period.
a laborious conquest towards
a greater independence, and
it
ends
in the
freedom
of
language, but there are parallel dangers of regression too. must also remember another characteristic of
We
every impression and the result of has a tendency to remain permanently registered. This Children taking true for the sounds and for grammar.
this creative period, viz., it
is
in
knowledge now
also will
if
there
retain
every epoch of creation.
life,
may
for the rest of their life
are obstacles at
remain permanently.
obstacles,
it
produce
this
This
A
is
so
period their effect the characteristic of
struggle,
effects that
;
fright
remain
or
other
for the rest of
since the reactions to those obstacles are absorbed like
everything else in development. (In the
same way
if
there
186
THE ABSORBENT MIND is
a spot of
above,
light
on the photographic
the prints of that film will
all
In this epoch therefore
the
of
film
character,
we have
but
also
we mentioned
show
that spot.)
not only a development
a development of certain
deviated psychic characteristics which children as they
fest
grow
older.
Knowledge
will
of the
mani-
mother-
tongue and the faculty of walking are acquired at
epoch
of the child's
life,
this
during the creative period which of two and a half years, but
goes beyond the age is then less strong. The acquisition of these two faculties takes place now, but their growth and development continue afterwards. So also it is with any defects and obstacles acquired
so
many
they remain, and grow
;
epoch
difficulties
of their
that
in psycho-analysis,
These
repressions,
refer to this
sions
and
life.
mar normal development
included in the term repression,
used
;
defects that adult people present are attributed
to this distant
The
now
may
but also
(this in
now known
term
is
are
particularly
psychology generally).
to
the general public,
age in childhood. Examples of these represbe given in connection with language itself,
many more having a relationship with other human activities. The mass of words that explodes must have/reecfom of emission. Also when the explosion though there are
of sentences occurs
and a
child gives regular
form to
his
thoughts there must be freedom
emphasis
is
of expression. Great laid on freedom of expression, because it is
not only connected with the immediate present of the 187
THE ABSORBENT MIND developing mechanism, but also with the future life of the There have been certain cases where, at the individual.
when
age
explosion should
the
take place,
nothing half or than and a three three occurred at more years the child still used only the few words of a much earlier ;
age and appeared as a dumb child, although his organs of speech were perfectly normal. This is called psychic *
*
mutism
and
psychic
illness.
it
has a purely psychological cause, it is a This is the epoch of the origin of psychic
and psycho-analysis (which is really a branch of medicine) studies them. Sometimes psychic mutism dis-
illnesses
appears suddenly well
like
a miracle
and completely, with a
;
full
a child speaks suddenly, grasp of grammar, as he
already prepared inwardly, only the expression had have had children been hindered by some obstacle.
is
We
in
our schools of three and four years of age
never spoken and then suddenly spoke.
even spoken the words
dumb and
of
who had
They had never
the two-year old, they were
then
suddenly they spoke. By allowing them free activity and a stimulating environment, they suddenly manifested this power. Why does absolutely
this
happen
?
opposition has forth the
Because
either
impeded the
a great shock or persistent child hitherto
from giving
wealth of his language.
There are adult people also who speaking they have to make a great ;
find difficulty in effort
and they
they were not sure what to say, there is a hesitation. There are different reasons for this hesitation
look as
if
:
188
THE ABSORBENT MIND (a) (b)
they do not have the courage to speak, they do not have the courage to pronounce the words,
(c)
they have a difficulty
in
using sentences,
they speak more slowly than a normal person " " and say er, um, ah etc.
(c/)
find a
They
in
difficulty
and remains throughout
life
;
themselves which represents
it
a
is fatal
state of
permanent inferiority in the person. There are also psychic impediments which prevent an adult speaker from articulating words clearly cases This is a defect that has of stuttering and stammering. ;
had
when
during the period
birth
selves
were
epochs
of acquisition
First
So
being organized.
occur at those epochs period
:
the
mechanisms themthere
are
different
and corresponding regressions may :
Mechanism
of
words
is
acquired,
Corresponding regression
stammer-
ing
Second period
:
Mechanism
of sentence (expression
of thought) is acquired,
Corresponding regression in the
formulation of thoughts.
These regressions are related child
;
as he
so also he for
him.
is
is
The
to the sensitivity of the
sensitive to receive, in order to produce,
sensitive results
remain as a defect 189
hesitation
for
to
obstacles that are too strong
thwarted sensitivity then It is because this the rest of life.
of
this
THE ABSORBENT MIND the child
sensitivity of
is
imagine that these things take place. Let us then study these obstacles.
who
is
we can
greater than anything
It
is
an adult
responsible for these anomalies, an adult
Non-
acts too violently in his dealings with the child.
violence must be exaggerated, because
be violence
We
adult
for the
is
what
who
may
not
often violence for the child.
when we are violent to children, so we must study ourselves. The preparation for education is do not
realize
a study of oneself
who
is
to
life
help
preparation,
it
;
and the preparation of a teacher is more than a mere intellectual
a preparation of character, a spiritual
is
preparation.
The but to
some
sensitivity of the child presents various aspects,
things are
shocks at
this
common
period.
calm but
sensitivity to the
One is a Another common to
cold,
all.
determined
sensitivity
feature
is
effort of the
" You adult to prevent outer manifestations of children " " Those who have It is not done ". mustn't do this :
!
the
good fortune
(!) to
have what
is
called a well-trained
nurse for their children should especially beware of this
she very often has it. That is why this type of impediment is so frequent among aristocrats, they do not lack physical courage, but when they speak
tendency
in her
;
they stutter and stammer.
I
wish to
stress this question
must be understood from the child's point of view, and we must be very delicate in our behaviour. It has happened to me to be violent to children of
violence.
It
190
THE ABSORBENT MIND and
have given an example
I
in
one of
my
books.
A
1
child put his pair of outdoor shoes on the nice silk coverlet of his
on the
bed.
floor
removed them very determinedly, put them and brushed the coverlet vigorously with my I
hand, to demonstrate that For two or three months
saw a
pair of shoes, he
looked round
The answer lesson, was "
say
:
Do
for
some
it
was not
after that,
the place for shoes.
whenever the
their position
changed
child
and then
coverlet or cushion to clean.
silk
my
too vigorous (violent) not a crude, rebellious spirit. He did not of
the
not talk,
child
I
to
will put
my
shoes where
I
like
!
",
but an abnormal development. The child is so often non-violent in his reactions. 1 wish he were not, rebellion
would be
The
better than taking the faulty path to anomalies.
child with tantrums
himself
and may
arrive at
how
has found out
defend
normal development, but when
a child responds by changing his character, whole life. Yet people take no notice of worry about tantrums There is another
to
this affects his
they only
this,
!
4
nervous
'
fact
habits which
:
we
certain senseless fears find in adults
to violence to the child's sensitivity. less fears
remaining
in
can be traced
Some
concern animals, cats and hens
;
and
of the sense;
some concern
a room with the doors closed,
etc.
No
reasoning, no persuasion can help the victims of these once had a colleague, a Professor of Pedagogy I fears. in a University of Italy. 1
191
CL The
Secret of Childhood.
She was
forty-five years old
and
THE ABSORBENT MIND she
came
and
will
me one day and
to
said
" :
You
are a doctor
Every time I see a hen I am have to make an effort not to shriek.
understand.
terribly frightened,
I
nobody they would laugh at me/' Perhaps, as a tiny girl of two and a half years, she went to fondle a fluffy baby-chick and met the sudden agitated frenzy of I
tell
;
the watchful mother-hen.
The
feathered fury of that hen
gave her a shock which remained. These kinds of unreasonable fears are included under the name phobias ;
some
are so
common
that they have special
names such
as claustrophobia (the fear of closed doors, of a confined
examples could be given if we medicine. 1 mention them to illustrate
Many more
space).
entered the
field of
the mental form of children of this age.
Our naughty child.
action child,
is
not reflected merely in a sweet or
but in the adult
Therefore,
I
repeat, this
who
epoch
will result
from
of the child's
this
life is
very important for the rest of his life and for humanity This study is very important, but it it must be studied. ;
It is necessary to embark on this hardly exists as yet. It is necessary to try path, which is a path of discovery.
and penetrate
into the
mind
of the child, as the psycho-
analyst penetrates into the sub-conscious of the adult. It
is
difficult
language, or
they
give
to
because if
we the
do,
we we
often
do not understand
their
don't understand the
words they
use.
meaning Sometimes it is
necessary also to know the rest of the life of the child it is a sort of research work or detective work, but a ;
192
THE ABSORBENT MIND work
research
of
great
because through it we period. We need a translator,
utility
bring peace to this difficult
an
interpreter of the child
state of mind. tried
to
been curious
myself have worked
I
become
his language,
and
this
allow us to understand the child's
will
interpretation
and
in this
the interpreter of the child
to see
how
sense and
and
it
has
the children run to this inter-
because they realize there is someone who can help them. This eagerness of the child is something entirely different from the affection of the child who is preter,
petted or caressed.
The
who
interpreter
is
to the child a great
open to him the path of discovery when the world had already closed its doors.
hope, someone
This helper
is
tionship that
is
will
taken into the closest relationship, a relamore than affection because help is given,
not merely consolation. In a house where to
rise
early
in
the
I
was
living
morning,
and working
before
the
rest
I
of
used the
and work. One day a little child of the family, not more than one and a half years old, came in at I this early hour. thought he had got up because " he was hungry and wanted food, so I said What " " I want worms ". I was would you like ? He said " " said Worms ? Worms ? The child startled and realized I did not understand, but was trying to do so, so he gave me some more help and added " Egg." I " This can't be a breakfast that he wants thought " what does he want ? Then he added another word family,
:
:
:
:
:
;
:
193 13
THE ABSORBENT MIND "
Nena, egg, worms
".
came
Light
my
to
mind.
I
remem-
bered a fact (and that is why I say you must something of the circumstances of the child's life).
day
previous
his
Nena, was
little sister,
up the oval This little one had filling
drawing with coloured pencils. wanted the pencils and the sister had defended
inset,
and
told
child),
him
to
Now,
go away.
he did not oppose
know The
mind
(see the
his sister, but
herself
waited
of the for his
I chance, and with what patience and determination. gave him the pencil and the inset. There was a great
on the face egg \ so I had
light 4
made sister
of the child, but
to
the oval, he
make filled
had used the usual
it it
for
he could not
him.
Then
up with wavy
straight lines, but
make
after lines.
I
the
had His
he thought he '
made wavy lines, worms He had waited till he knew everyone was asleep but his interpreter, then he came to her for he felt she would knew something
help him.
ence that
It
is
better, so
he
'.
not tantrums, violent reactions, but patithe real characteristic of this age in all
is
patience to wait for their opportunity. Violent reactions or tantrums express a state of exasperation, children
;
when he cannot
attain his expression.
This interpreter of words can give penetrate into the
mind
of the child.
given one can see that the the activities followed
by
little
light in
From
order to
the example
child tries to carry out
older children.
If
one
intro-
duces the child of three years to an activity, the child of one and a half also wants to do it. Probably he will be 194
THE ABSORBENT MIND impeded and stopped from doing it, but he will try, A small child in our house wanted to copy his sister of The three, who was learning her first steps in dancing. teacher had wanted to know how to teach so young a child to dance ballet, etc. We said " Never mind, you what does it matter whether she learns or not try it :
;
you
;
receive your salary."
will
Knowing
working to help the child, she agreed to ately the one and a half year old, said
that try.
we were Immedi"
"
Me, too " The teacher said Absolutely impossible ", and when " we said Try it ", she said it was derogatory to her dignity as a teacher of ballet to teach a baby of one and :
!
:
:
a half years. pocket, so at
We
suggested she put her dignity in her last she came to the house, somewhat
disgruntled, threw her hat
on the sofa and began
to play
one was immediately furious, and " shrieked and would not move. The teacher said You
The
a march.
little
:
you
see,
can't teach
one so small
".
But the child was
he was having a disHe did cussion with the hat, addressing it with fury.
not distressed about the dancing
not use the
name
of the hat
itself,
;
nor that of the teacher
;
used two words which he repeated with concen" " " This hat Hat-rack Hall trated fury meaning
he
just
!
:
must not be here on the " hall life,
!
He had
he had
his
sofa, but
on the hat-rack
forgotten the dance
in the
and the pleasures
of
duty to perform of changing disorder into
order before anything hat-rack, his fury
195
:
!
else.
When
the hat
went and he was ready
was on
to dance.
the Till
THE ABSORBENT MIND then the fundamental need for order erased everything
study allows us to penetrate into the mind of the child to a depth where psychologists generally do
So
else.
this
The
not go.
and the passion which
for order
difficult
is
it
a picture
and understand. If together with that which I men-
take these pictures, tioned above of the child
who
and disagreed with
happy ending
second make
in the
example
first
for us to realize
we
versation
my
patience of the child in
to the
understood a whole conthe final opinion of the
we
story,
see that there are not
only the facts represented on figure 9, but a whole mental life, a whole psychic picture usually hidden from us
by our own
blindness.
Every discovery of the mind of the child at this age must be made known, and not as knowledge to be gained for ourselves,
as the knowledge of Sanskrit for instance,
but in order to help the child to adapt himself to the environment around him. must be a help to life all
We
the time, even
as an
if it
interpreter.
means we have The task of
to
spend great energy teacher of small
the
belongs to a science that will develop in the future, and will help mental development children
and it
is
very noble.
It
we must
carry
avoid those defects that
make
the growth of character.
out so that children
may
Above
We
certain individuals inferior to others. if
nothing 1 .
else, that
we must
That education
realize
must remember,
:
in the first
important to the whole
all
two years
of
life is
life.
196
THE ABSORBENT MIND 2,
That the child is endowed with great which we cannot see.
3.
That he has an extreme
sensitivity
intelligence
which
may
(under any violence) bring forth, not re-action only, but defects incorporated in his personality.
197
CHAPTER
XIII
MOVEMENT AND TOTAL DEVELOPMENT necessary to consider movement from a new point of view. Because of some misunderstanding, movement is considered less noble than it is, especially the moveIT
is
ment is
In education as a whole
of the child.
sadly neglected and
movement
importance is given to the Only physical education which up till recently
brain.
all
held a very inferior place considers movement, although disconnected from the intelligence.
Let
us in
system
all
nervous
consider the organization
of
the
First of
all
we have
its
complexity.
the
then the senses which take the images which are to be passed to the brain and thirdly we have brain
the
itself
;
But what
nerves.
where do they go
movement
is
the
aim
of
the nerves
and
Their purpose is to give energy, This complex to the muscles (the flesh). ?
organism, therefore, consists of three parts (1) the brain Move(the centre) (2) the senses and (3) the muscles. :
;
ment
is
and the purpose
the conclusion
system.
speaks of
all.
If
we
we
cannot speak of an think of a great philosopher he
Without movement
individual at
of the nervous
his meditations or writes of
them, and so must
19S
THE ABSORBENT MIND he does nothing with his meditations, of what use are they ? Without the muscles, the exuse his muscles.
If
pression of his thoughts If
we
turn to
would not
exist.
animals, their behaviour
is
only ex-
pressed through movement. Therefore, also if we wish to consider the behaviour of man, we must take man's
movements
into
The muscles
consideration.
are part
of the nervous system.
The nervous system
environment
relationship with his
called the
System
in all its parts puts
of Relation.
It
;
that
puts
why
is
man
man
into
it is
also
into relation-
ship with the inanimate and animate world and therefore
with other individuals
without
his environment.
other organized systems of the selfish
paratively
at
clusively
their
in
aims,
the service of the
would be no
there
it
between an individual and
relationship
The
;
body
are
com-
because they are ex-
body
of the individual
and
They merely allow one to live, or to nothing else. hence they are called the systems vegetate as we say of
;
and
organs of the vegetative
difference
life.
So
there
is
this
:
The
vegetative systems serve only to help the individual in growing
The nervous system relation
and
vegetating,
serves to put the individual in
with other individuals,
it
is
a sort of
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The
maximum 199
man
enjoy the comfort and purity of body and health hence
vegetative
systems help
to
;
THE ABSORBENT MIND we go
to places with
we
only
to
is
we
If
;
give
us the
most beautiful impressions and
and continuous
uplift to loftier levels.
nice to be pure in this field also, but
lower the nervous system to the
to
vegetative
of
hotels, etc.
good
the
purity of thought It
air,
nervous system from a similar point of shall make a mistake even if we think it is
consider
view,
cool
life.
If
this criterion of
it is
level
a mistake of
merely
mere purity and
uplift
the individual is upheld, the individual is led to spiritual
selfishness.
It
The behaviour
is
the greatest mistake
one can make.
animals does not tend merely to be beautiful and graceful in movement it has a purpose of
;
So has man a purpose which is not Of course, man just to be purer and finer than others. can and should be beautiful and take only the finest things on the loftiest levels, but if that is his only aim, his life would be useless. What would be the use of this mass of brain then, or of these muscles ? There is nothing in this world which does not form and if we have spiritual part of a universal economy deeper than that.
;
richness, is
aesthetic
greatness,
it
is
part of the spiritual, universal
used
for
The
the universe.
but not personal wealth tion for the rest to enjoy
use
of,
and
in this
way
;
;
not for
ourselves,
it
economy and must be
powers are wealth, they must be put into circulathey must be expressed, made spiritual
complete the cycle of relationship.
content myself to become pure so that I may go to I should have left aside the heaven, I might as well die. If
I
200
THE ABSORBENT MIND greatest part of
my 44 I
my
and
life
the greatest part of the aim of
one should believe
life.
If
shall
have a better
life
in reincarnation
next time
if
and say
live well
I
now
:
",
We have reduced the spiritual to the vegetative level. We are always thinking of ourselves, of We are egotists for eternity. The ourselves in eternity.
this is
selfish.
other point of view must be taken into consideration, not
only in the practice of
must be completeness us with functions
life,
Nature has endowed
of function.
therefore
;
There
but also in education.
it is
necessary that they be
exercised.
Let us
make a comparison.
stomach, a heart, order to have the
is
it
health.
nervous system
?
we have
If
lungs, a
necessary that these function in Why not apply the same rule to
If
we have
a brain, senses and
organs of movement, they must function, and if we do not exercise every part we cannot even understand them with certainty. Even if we wish to uplift ourselves, make our brains finer for instance, we cannot do so unless we
Perhaps movement
use
all the parts.
will
complete the cycle.
the last part that
In other words,
through action. This from which to consider movement
spiritual
is
uplift
is ;
we can
obtain
the point of view it
is
part of the
nervous system and cannot be discarded. The nervous system is one, a unity, though it has three parts. Being a unity,
it
must be exercised
One movement 201
in its totality to
of the mistakes of
become
modern times
is
better.
to consider
separately from the higher functions.
People
THE ABSORBENT MIND think that the muscles are merely there
and have
used in order to keep better bodily health.
be
to
In order to
keep fit or as recreation we play tennis. If we do that we can breathe more deeply. What an idea Or we go !
a walk to ensure better digestion and sleep, forsooth This mistake is penetrating education. This is, physiofor
!
speaking, as though a great prince had been This great prince use of to serve a shepherd.
logically
made
the muscular system
has become a handle to turn
order to stimulate the vegetative system. mistake.
It
leads to separation
one side and mental since the child ly,
we must
life
on the
:
This
physical
The
other.
is
in
the great
life is
put on
result is that,
must develop physically as well as mental-
What
include physical exercise, games, etc.
do with physical pastimes ? Nothing. Yet we cannot separate two things that nature has put If we consider physical life on one side and together. mental life on the other, we break the cycle of relation, has mental
life
to
and the actions of man remain separated from the brain. The motor actions of man are used to aid better eating and breathing, whereas the real purpose is that move-
ment be the servant universal
economy
The motor
of the whole
life
and
of the spiritual,
of the world.
actions of
man must
be co-ordinated to
and put in their right place this is fundamental. Mind and activity are two parts of the same cycle and, moreover, movement is the expression of the superior part. Otherwise we make man a mass of
the centre
the brain
;
202
THE ABSORBENT MIND muscles, but without a brain. Something is out of place as with a broken bone and the limb does not serve any
Man
then develops his vegetative life and the relation between the motor part and the brain is left out.
more.
There
is
the brain apart from
a self-determination of
movement and
This
muscles.
is
not
independence
to break something that nature in her together.
"
If
mental development
Movement
>
There
no need
is
about mental growth
talking
is
for
of,
is
people say
movement
When
!
it
wisdom has put
spoken
"
;
they
:
we
are
think
of
;
mental improvement they imagine all are sitting down, moving nothing. But mental development must be connected with
new
movement and
is
dependent on
idea that must enter educational theory
Up
to the present
and
if
physical education only.
movement
What
do with it ? Our new conception
is
is
indulged
It
stresses
the
to
importance of
once
placed in relation to the centre.
is
it is
the individual supposed
as a help
to
in,
remains a part of
movement it
practice.
as a help to breathing, improving
acquire greater muscular strength.
to
This is the
most educationists have considered
movement and muscles the circulation, etc., or,
it.
the development of the brain,
Mental
development and even spiritual development can and must be helped by movement. Without movement there This is no progress and no health (mentally speaking). is
a fundamental fact which must be taken into con-
sideration.
203
THE ABSORBENT MIND might be asked to demonstrate these facts, but they are not ideas, nor even personal experiences. They are I
we
demonstrated whenever
and
observe nature, her
facts,
the precision given to this observation conies from
watching the development of the child. Watching him, one sees that he develops his mind by using his movements.
The development
of
language, for instance,
shows an improvement of understanding accompanied by an ever extending use of the muscles of production. and other examples the child, scientifically observed, shows that he develops his intelligence generalObservations made all over the ly through movement. world have shown that the child demonstrates that Besides
this
movement
helps psychic development, that development
movement and action. So it is a cycle, because both psyche and movement belong to the same unity. The senses also help. expresses
itself
in
its
Without opportunity intelligent.
ment
That
is
turn
by
further
for sensorial activity the child is less
why
of the small child
is
the examination of the developof
such great aid to the whole of
education.
Now by
muscles
(flesh), the activity of
which
the brain, are called voluntary muscles
that they are
moved by the
;
is
directed
means The will
that
will of the individual.
one of the greatest expressions of the psyche. Without that energy psychic life does not exist. Therefore, since
is
the voluntary muscles are the muscles depending on the will, they are a psychic organ.
204
THE ABSORBENT MIND The muscles
main part of the body. Take its flesh, what is left ? Skeleton,
are the
mammal and take off bones. What is their purpose a
so they also belong to
?
To
support the muscles,
Take them away
this section.
Very little. The main part which has been developed by nature has been taken away. And if we look at someone and say how beautiful he
What
then.
is,
left ?
is
or the opposite, the form
which we contemplate
is
given
by muscles attached to the bones. All animals endowed with an inner skeleton owe their form to voluntary muscles and when we see a camel in proud disdain or a lady walking gracefully or a child playing, we see merely form given to each by its own flesh (muscles). These muscles are interesting to study in form and number.
who
study medicine say that students must forget them seven times before they remember them and even then they forget Some
They
are in great quantity.
People
!
are
some
delicate,
have
different
bulky,
A
functions.
muscle functions
in
some
short,
curious fact
one direction, there
functioning in the opposite direction,
ous and refined refined the
one takes
exercise to put is
sition,
205
that
if
one
always another
and the more
vigor-
The exercise more harmonious movement is an resulting therefrom.
more harmony
in the opposition.
So what
not agreement, but opposition in agreement. child or person is not conscious of this oppo-
important
The
attain
is
is
long, they
play of opposite forces, the more
this
movement to
some
is
but nevertheless
it
is
the
way movement
takes
THE ABSORBENT MIND by
movement
In animals the perfection of
place.
The
nature.
of opposition
given
gracefulness of the tiger's pounce or the
down
running up and
is
of the squirrel
is
due
to a
wealth
put into play to attain that harmony,
like
a
complicated piece of machinery working well, like a watch with wheels going in opposite directions when the whole mechanism runs smoothly, we have the correct ;
So the mechanism of movement is very compliIn man cated and more refined then one could imagine.
time.
this
mechanism
is
not pre-established before birth
and so
must be created, achieved through practical experiences on the environment. The number of muscles in man is so great that he can achieve any movement, so we do
it
not speak of exercise of movement, but of co-ordination
movement. This co-ordination is not given, it has to be created and achieved by the psyche. In other words the child creates his own movements and, having done so,
of
them.
The
has a creative part in this work and then achieves a development of what he has
perfects
child
created through a series of exercises. is
It
are
not
them.
really
limited
marvellous that
and
fixed,
man's
movements
but that he can control
Some
or to run
;
animals have a characteristic ability to climb these are not man's characteristic movements,
but he can do both very well. characteristic ability
to
burrow
Certain animals have a in
the earth
;
it is
not a
man, yet he can go deeper than any of characteristic is that he can do all movements
characteristic of
them. So his
206
THE ABSORBENT MIND and extend them further than any animal he can make some of them his own. So we might say that his ;
characteristic
dition
and
is
universal versatility, but there
He
he must construct them himself.
:
create
by
and repeat the
will,
is
one con-
must work
exercises
for
co-
ordination sub-consciously as to their purpose, but volun-
So he can conquer all. As however, no individual conquers all his
as to his initiative.
tarily
a matter of
fact,
muscles, but
Man
are there.
all
is
like
very wealthy people, he is so wealthy that he can only use part of his wealth he chooses which part. If a man is a professional ;
gymnast, to
him
it is
nor
;
is
not that special muscular ability
was given
a dancer born with certain refined muscles
he or she develops them by will. Anyone, no matter what he wants to do, is endowed by nature
for
dancing
;
with such a wealth of muscles that he can find
them what he needs, and
his
create
Nothing
any development.
everything
by
is
among
psyche can direct and is
established,
possible, provided proper direction
is
but
given
the individual psyche.
man
do the same standardized thing as in animals of the same species. Even if the same thing is done by some, it is done in a different manner. We all write, but each has his own handwriting. Each It
has
his
is
not in
own
We
to
path always.
see in
movement
as
it is
developed the work of
the individual, and the work of the individual ing his psychic
207
life
;
it
is
the psychic
is
life itself.
expressIt
has
THE ABSORBENT MIND a great treasure of movements, so move-
at its disposal
ment
life.
psychic
even
in service of the central part,
developed
is
If
man does does
he
of those
not develop
of the
his muscles,
all
some
develop
i.e.
are only
for
rough work. So man's psychic life is limited in as much as his muscles only develop for rough action, not for refined action. that
is
It
limited also
accessible or chosen.
is
who do no work
by
The
life
psychic
We
in great danger.
is
the type of
work
of those
might say that
though all muscles cannot be put in motion, it is dangerous for the psychic life to go below a certain number. If the number of muscles in use is not sufficient, then there is
a weakness of the whole
life.
were introduced
games, etc., muscles were being
The psychic also
shall
have
That in
is
why
education
left aside.
life
must use more muscles or
in
using these muscles
Some forms of modern movement just because there is a things.
write
direct purpose in social
well
another
This
is
we
because he
life
;
activities.
The
not to learn certain
is
*
tain
else
follow the double path of ordinary
to
education alternating physical and mental
purpose
;
gymnastics, too many
*
education develop desire to serve a cere.g.
one child must
going to be a teacher and going to be coalheaver so he must shovel well.
narrow
and
is
direct
training
does not serve the
Our purpose must be that co-ordination of movements necessary to enrich the practical and executive
purpose or aim of movement.
man
develop the
for his psychic
life
;
208
THE ABSORBENT MIND side of psychic
Otherwise the brain develops apart from realization through movement and cannot fulfil its life.
movement and that brings only revolution and disaster in the world. Movement then works by itself, undirected by the psyche, and so brings As movement is so necessary to the human destruction. directive function regarding
of relations with
life
on
is
of
service
and other men,
movement must be developed, be first It is not work to whole. that
level
this
the environment
the
it
in
in
one's art or profession.
The towards the
real
exist
it
;
principle
and idea today
are too
self- perfection, se//-realization.
aim
of
movement
must expand
If
much directed we understand
this self-centralization
cannot
immensity of space. We mind what might be called the
into the
must, in short, keep in
philosophy of movement '. Movement is what distinguishes life from inanimate things. Life, however, does not 4
move
in
a haphazard fashion,
and according
to laws.
it
moves with a purpose
In order to realize this fact
us just imagine what the world would be like quiet, without
movement.
Imagine what
it
if it
let
were
would be
like
stopped living, if the movement within There would be no more fruits, nor the plant ceased. The percentage of poisonous gas in the air flowers. would increase and cause disaster. If all movement if
all
the plants
stopped, if
if
the birds remained motionless on the trees, or
ground and remained still, if the prey did no longer move through the
insects fluttered to the
wild beasts of
209 14
THE ABSORBENT MIND or
jungles,
what a
the
terrible
stopped swimming world it would be is
impossible, the world
movement ceased
if
the oceans,
!
Immobilization
a chaos
in
fish
or
if
would become
living beings
moved
Nature gives a useful purpose to each Each individual has its own characteristic
without purpose. living
being.
movements with world
the
activities
its
own
fixed purpose.
The
creation of
a harmonious co-ordination of
is
all
these
with a set purpose.
And
if it
imagine what a society of men would be like were without movement The movement of humanity !
shows
Think what would happen if all men stopped moving for even one week only. Everyone would die. Work and movement the
intelligence
of
are one, the question of
a personality.
movement
is
a social question.
not a question concerning individual gymnastics. If the whole society of men all over the world did nothing It
is
but performing some physical jerks, humanity would die in a short time. All its energies would be consumed for nothing.
Society
each of his
is
whom
own
formed by a complexity of individuals, moves differently from the other, following
The individual moves purpose. The basis of society
individual purpose.
order to carry out this
in is
formed by movement with a useful aim. When we speak about behaviour ', the behaviour of men and This animals, we refer to their purposeful movements. *
behaviour
is
the centre of their practical
life.
It is
not
210
THE ABSORBENT MIND confined to the practical
life
in
a house, cleaning the
rooms, washing clothes, etc. This is important of course, but everyone in the world must move with a larger pur-
everyone must work not
pose, for
others.
It
is
for himself alone, but also
work must also be this were not so, his
strange that man's
work in the service of others. If work would have no more meaning than gymnastic exerAll work is done for others as well. cise. Dancing is perhaps one of the most individual movements, but even dancing would be pointless without an audience, without
a
The dancers who perfect
social or transcendental aim.
movements with so much
their
for
others.
Tailors
not possibly wear
trouble
who spend
all
and
fatigue,
their lives sewing, could
the clothes they make.
ing, like gymnastics, requires
dance
many
Yet
tailor-
trained movements.
we have
a vision of the cosmic plan in which every form of life in the world is based on purposeful movements, having their purpose not in themselves alone, If
we
shall
work
211
be able
better.
to understand
and
to direct the children's
CHAPTER XIV
INTELLIGENCE AND THE
HAND
THE
study of the mechanical development of movement is considered to be very important, because it is a complicated machine, each part of which is of great value.
That
why
is
the
movement
studied with great attention
but
all
of small children has
and as nothing
manifested outwardly,
is
it
is
been
hidden,
can be very clearly
followed. In figure 12, the development of
movement
is
shown
by the two lines with various triangles standing on it. These lines are guides to different forms of movement, the blue triangles mark every six months and the red-topped ones every twelve-months. The lower
line represents the
development of the hand and the upper line represents the development of equilibrium and of walking, therefore the diagram represents the development of the four limbs,
two by two. animals the four limbs develop in movement together, but in man the one pair of limbs develops differThis clearly shows that their ently from the other pair. In
function
all
is
different.
The
function of the legs
different from the function of the arms.
is
quite
Another thing
212
THE ABSORBENT MIND which stands out equilibrium
is
is
so fixed in
We
biological fact.
development of walking and all men that one might call it a
that the
man
might say that after birth
will
men will do exactly the same thing with feet, but we do not know what the individual man do with his hands. We do not know what parti-
walk and their
will
cular
all
activity
of
possible in the past
hands
is
It
;
is
possible
or has been
So the
their function is not fixed.
movement have a
types of sidering
hands
the
different
meaning when con-
or feet.
certain that the function of the feet
is
biological,
connected with an inner development in the yet brain. At the same time only man walks on two limbs, all is
it
mammals walk on
four.
Once a man achieves
the art of
walking on two legs he continues to walk on two legs only and to keep the difficult state of erect equilibrium This equilibrium is difficult to attain, it is a constantly. real conquest.
on
It
demands
that
man
the ground, whereas most animals
put his whole foot
walk on
tiptoe,
as
a small resting place is sufficient when using four legs. The foot used for walking can be studied from a physiological, biological and anatomical point of view it has ;
connections with If
the
all of
them.
hand does not have this biological guide, because
actions are not fixed, then with
what
is it
connected
?
If
not connected with biology and physiology, it must have a psychological connection. The hand then depends on the
psyche
213
for
development, and not only on the psyche of
THE ABSORBENT MIND an individual ego, but also on the psychic epochs.
We see that the development
of different
life
hand
of the
is
con-
nected with the development of the intelligence in man and r if we look at history, it is connected with the development
We
might say that, when man thinks, he thinks and acts with his hands and almost as soon as of civilization.
man appeared on by
his
hands.
the earth, he
left
In great civilizations of past ages there
are always samples of his handiwork. find it
;
work done
traces of
In India
we can
work so fine that it is almost impossible to imitate and in Ancient Egypt there are also traces of very delicate
fine
work.
If
refined type, then the
the
civilization
was
handiwork remaining
of
a less
also of a
is
rougher type.
The development by
of the
hand
therefore goes side
development of the intelligence. Certhe refined type of handiwork needed the attention
side with the
tainly
and guidance Middle Ages intellectual
of the intelligence to carry
it
out.
In the
Europe there was an epoch of great awakening and at the same time they covered in
with beautiful illuminations the writing that conveyed the
new
Even
thoughts.
the
life
which seems
of the spirit,
so far from the earth and the things of the earth, was nevertheless affected, for we see the result in the temples
where the people worshipped, and wherever there is spiritual life. St.
the
Francis
simplest
of
Assisi
whose
and purest once said
this
is
spirit
" :
to
be found
was perhaps
You
see these
214
THE ABSORBENT MIND mountains
these are our temples
;
and from these we
must seek inspiration." Yet when once asked to build a church he and his spiritual brethren being poor used the rough stones that were available.
They
all
carried
stones to build the chapel and why > Because if there is a free spirit it needs to be materialized in some the
kind of work and the hands must
come into use. Everyhand of man, and in these
where are the traces of the traces we can read the spirit
man and
of
the thought
of his time. If
its
we
talk of Christianity,
may be
it
influence demonstrable, but
difficult to
when we
make
see countries
covered with churches, with works of art and beautiful cloth of all kinds, with hospitals and educational insti-
we can realize its spiritual and cultural effect. And if we look into the dim past, of which not even
tutions,
bones are
left,
what gives us knowledge
and
their times ?
into
these
sort of
works
prehistoric
race
".
of art
of art
How
see there the rougher :
they got there.
and we say do we know
"
:
man
?
tell us.
hand has followed the
Elsewhere
we
see finer
Here was a more refined No man of them is left, So
that
we can
see that
and emotions, us the traces of man.
intelligence, spirit
and touching all these, has left Even if we do not take the psychological 215
look
based on strength the statues and are formed from huge masses of stones and
but the works of the
we
times,
When we
art.
civilization
we wonder how works
Their works of
of the peoples
point of view,
THE ABSORBENT MIND we
still
see that
all
changes
been made by the hand
of
in
man's environment have
man.
that the purpose of having intelligence
hands, because
if
would se$m was almost to have
Really,
the intelligence of
it
man had
built
merely
spoken language in order to communicate with others, nothing would have been left behind when that race of men died out. They would have stated their
up
his
wisdom by mere
breath.
accompanied the
intelligence that civilization
built
It
we can
up, therefore
is
because the hands have has been
and
well say that the h
organ of that immense treasure given to man. The hands therefore are connected with psychic In fact those
who
intuition that the
that
it
is
study the hand show that there
history of
a psychic organ.
man
is
the
is
life.
is
an
printed in the hand,
Therefore the study of the
psychic development of the child must be closely linked up with the study of the development of the hand. The child has clearly shown that his development is connected
with the hand which reveals express
it
this
way
:
this
psychic urge.
We
the intelligence of the child will
reach a certain level without the use of the hand the hands
it
reaches a
can
still
higher level,
and the
;
with
who So we see child
hands has a stronger character. that even the development of character, which seems so
has used
his
completely within the psychic field, remains rudimentary, if it has no opportunity of practising on the environment
(which means through the hand). The child has shown us most clearly that if (through circumstances in the
216
THE ABSORBENT MIND environment) he cannot use his hands, his character remains on a very low level, incapable of obedience, of initiative, lazy and sad, whereas the child who has been
work with
able to
and firmness
hands shows
his
also a
development This reminds us of an inter-
of character.
esting point in the Egyptian civilization
the
hand was present everywhere,
when work
with
in the fields of art, of
we
read the inscriptions on the burial places of that time the highest praise accorded to any man was that he was a person of character. The
construction, of religion
;
if
development of character was important to them and they were people of great works carried out by the hand. This
is
one more instance
of the fact that the
movement
hand follows through history the development character and civilization. It shows how the hand of the
of is
connected with the individuality. And if we examine how all these people walked, we always find of course
walked on two legs, erect and with equilibrium. Probably they danced and ran a little differently, but they always used two legs for ordinary locomotion. It is therefore clear that the development of moveone part is biological and the other, ment is twofold that they
;
though using the muscles, the inner
life.
If
we
two developments from that
is
study the child :
we consequently study
the development of the
hand apart
and walking. In figure 12 we one and a half years any connection
of equilibrium
see that only at
between the two takes place. 217
nevertheless connected with
It is
when
the child wants
THE ABSORBENT MIND heavy things that his legs must help him, otherwise there is no connection. These feet that are able to walk and transport him to various parts of the to transport
him there so that he can work with his hands, man walks and walks and gradually covers the face the earth and through this invasion by walking he lives
earth, take
A of
and
9
but he leaves behind him the trace of his
dies,
passage in the work of his hands.
When we
language we saw that speech is connected especially with hearing, whereas in the development of movement we see this is connected with studied
we must have eyes to see where to put our feet, and when we work with our hands we must see what we do. These are the two senses
sight
;
first
specially sight.
because
of all
connected
with development
In the development of children
:
first
hearing and of all there is
observation of the environment, because he must the environment in which he has to move.
vation
is
carried out before he can
orients himself in
it
;
know
This obser-
move and then he
so the orientation in the environment
and movement are both connected with psychic development. That is why the new-born babe is immobile at first,
when he moves he follows the guide The first development in movement is
of his psyche*
that of grasp-
hand grasps something the consciousness is called to this hand which has been able to do so. Prehension is unconscious at first and then conscious. The hand calls for the attention of
ing or prehension
;
as soon as the
218
THE ABSORBENT MIND consciousness whereas the feet do nothing of the sort. When the consciousness is called to this fact, prehension is developed, so that what was instinctive prehension be-
comes
intentional prehension,
shows
child
the
observation
interest of the
intentional
it is
at six
months that
At ten months development. environment has awakened the
this
the
of
and
child
and he wants
prehension
is
to catch hold of
accompanied by
it
;
and
desire
mere prehension ceases. of the hand,
There
it
After this begins the exercise begins to change the places of objects*
a vision of the environment, there is a desire and the hand begins to do something in the environment. is
Before one year of age the child carries out many actions with his hand that are ever so many types of work. He
opens and closes doors, drawers, puts stoppers in bottles, puts objects on one side and then puts them back, etc*
It
is
through these exercises that the child acquires
ability.
What
has happened to the other pair of limbs > Neither intelligence nor consciousness has been called
There
forth.
is
something anatomical happening how-
rapid development of the cerebellum, the It is as though a bell rang and director of equilibrium.
ever
:
the
up and attain equilibrium. The environment has nothing to do with it the cerebellum orders it and the child, with effort and help, sits called
an
inert
body
to get
;
up and then gets up by gets up in four periods. 219
itself.
Then
Psychologists say, the
baby
turns
man
on
his
THE ABSORBENT MIND tummy and walks on
when he begins crawling, you will make the feet go one in Before
his toes.
and
four limbs,
if,
during this time fingers,
he
front of the other, but
on
give him
two
even with the help of two
this,
fingers,
he would not walk, the cerebellum and not the environ-
ment
is
responsible.
When
he stands by himself, he rests his whole he has attained the normal erect foot on the ground at last
;
man and can walk
position of
(mother's
After a
skirt).
The tendency now two is
and
legs,
attained,
off
for
I
"
go
little
to say
is
if
he holds on to something while he can walk alone. "
:
Goodbye
Another stage
!
of
I
;
have
my
independence
the acquisition of independence
is
the
beginning of doing things by oneself. The philosophy of these steps of development tells us that independence
and development of man is attained by effort. To be able to do without other people's help is independence, it
is
not comfort.
If
independence
progresses very rapidly
very slow. the
way
guide.
always
of
We fall
So
if
;
if
we keep
it is
to
is
mind we know and it is a useful
this picture in
are taught not to
him
the child
not there the progress
dealing with the child,
on
there
is
help
help him, him.
whereas
The
child
we who
capable of walking alone must walk by himself, because all development is strengthened by exercise and all acquisition confirmed by exercise. When a child of is
even three years
development
is
is
carried,
as
I
have often seen,
not helped, but hindered.
his
Immediately
220
THE ABSORBENT MIND the child has acquired independence the adult
who should
continue to help him becomes an obstacle to the child. It
therefore clear that
is
permit
him
we must child
walk, and
to
not carry the child, but
hand wants
his
if
him motives
give
his actions
by
we must
factor at
visible
goes to greater conquests
one and a
the development of the hands
This child
strength. is
now
a strong man.
is
of inde-
a very important
age in both
half years of
and
The
of the feet, this fact
has acquired agility and ability His first urge in doing anything is
maximum effort not merely to exercise, make the maximum effort (so different from
adult).
admonish about,
;
This " :
is
who
to use the to
work,
of intelligent activity.
pendence. It has been noticed that there
and
to
but the
brought about by nature which seems to
is
You have
now become
the possibility
strong or
it is
of
and
agility to
no use."
It is
go
now
that the contact of
hands and equilibrium takes place.
Then what do we
see
?
The
child instead of merely
Man walking, likes to walk far and carry heavy loads. is destined not only to walk, but to shoulder his load. The hand
that has learnt to grasp
must exercise
itself
by sustaining and carrying weight. So we see the one and a half year old with a large jug of water, adjusting his equilibrium and walking slowly. There is the tendency also to break the laws of gravity and overcome also
them.
walk 221
Having ?
No
!
learnt to walk,
He
why
not be satisfied to
must climb and to do so must grasp
THE ABSORBENT MIND something with his hand and pull himself up. This is no longer a grasping to possess, but grasping with a desire to is
go up. whole a period
there his
It is
an exercise
of strength,
Again
man must
exercise
Then what
strength.
there
of this exercise of strength.
the logic of nature here, since
is
and
follows
next
?
The
child,
capable of walking, sure of his strength, seeing the actions of men around him, has a tendency to imitate them. Nature's first task for him is to take in, to absorb the
So
actions of the humanity of his period. imitative period in
because someone
tells
them, but because of an inner urge. only seen if the child is free to act.
1
is
an
which the child imitates the actions of
his surroundings not
logic of nature
there
him
to imitate
This imitation
We
is
then see the
:
To make man stand erect. To make him go around and acquire strength. To make him take in the actions of the people
.
2. 3.
around him.
There action.
a preparation in time that precedes the First he must prepare himself and his instru-
ments,
then he must get strong, then look at others and
doing something.
start tells
him
steps.
things
want
is
While he does
that, nature also
by gymnastics, to climb chairs and Then only comes the stage when he wants to do " I have prepared myself and now I by himself.
to
to prepare
be
"
No psychologist has taken thank you account that the child becomes a great
free,
into sufficient
!
222
THE ABSORBENT MIND walker
who
need
Usually we carry him or put him in a perambulator and so the poor child is
can only walk it
in
in imagination.
He
can't walk,
for
him
inferiority
223
:
of long walks.
we
carry
him
on the threshold
complex.
;
of
he can't work life
we
give
;
we do
him an
CHAPTER XV
DEVELOPMENT AND IMITATION IN the last chapter
and a
half years
terest
and
is
education.
It
;
we
this
one
the child at the age of
left
age has become a centre of
in-
considered of the greatest importance in may seem strange that this period should
seem so important, but we must remember that it is the point where the preparation of the upper and the lower limbs
coincides.
Also
appear natural if we that epoch is on the eve of the
it
consider that the child at
will
disclosure of his fullness of
manhood
for at
two years
he reaches a point of completion with the explosion of On the eve of that event, at i years, he is language. I
already making efforts to express what is
an epoch
of effort
and an epoch
is
within him.
It
of construction.
something has been disHumanity is covered, everybody at once sets to work. generous, but ignorant, so when they learn of some-
Once
the importance of
themselves,
usually
thing
they
much
enthusiasm, and so also in this instance.
precipitate
phers, psychologists, sociologists their interest
on the
child of
1
and
others
with
too
Philoso-
have centred
J to 2 years of age.
This
224
THE ABSORBENT MIND an epoch
which special care must be taken not to destroy the tendencies of life. If nature has given us such clear indications that this is the period of is
maximum
of
development
in
we must
support this effort. This is a general statement, but those who observe become more exact in the details they give. They state that at this epoch effort
show an
the child begins to in
itself,
is
not a
new
instinct of imitation.
discovery, because at
This,
all
times
people have said that children imitate, but hitherto this was a superficial statement. Now it is realized that the
human
must understand before it imitates but it had not occurred to anyone before. child
logical,
old idea
would
;
was
that
we
follow, there
for the adult.
this is
The
only had to act and the children
was
hardly any further responsibility Of course it was also said that we had to
This sets forth the importance of all adults, especially teachers. They must set a good example if there is to be a good humanity. Mothers also
set
a good example.
were specially included. The feeling was that children who have bad examples will grow up badly. The adult therefore stressed that he had set a good example for his children to imitate
on the heads
and the
was thrown surrounding him, it was their
real responsibility
of the children
they did not profit by the good example the adults so generously gave to them. The result was unhappiness fault
if
everywhere,
for
although
ought to become from it. We wanted a
children
were
models
of perfection, they
perfect
humanity and thought humanity was
225 15
far
to
be perfect
THE ABSORBENT MIND by
fusion
!
imperfect
Nature has not reasoned
another in
we were
imitating us, but
;
what a con-
we, she has reasoned she does not bother about perfection
way adults. What ;
is
like
that
is
important
in
order to
do so. It is this preparation that matters and it depends on the efforts of the individual child. The example offers a motive to imitate,
the child has to be prepared to
imitation,
not the aim.
is
it
It is
the effort of imitation
which develops, not the attainment of the examples given. In fact the child once launched on the part of this effort often surpasses in perfection
and exactitude the example,
which served as an incentive.
want my child to be a Some people think "If pianist, let me (or a teacher) be a pianist and the child I
:
But
will imitate ".
of us
know
it
is
not as simple as that and
to gain the necessary agility enabling
him
on the pianoforte. Yet we follow in matters which are on lofty levels.
We
child stories of heroes imitate.
It
One does
may
many
that a child has to prepare his hands in order
His
become
not
do anything
simple reasoning
read or
and think the
saints
not so easy.
is
furnish
and
this
to
spirit
tell
the
child will
must be prepared.
by imitation. An example and interest, the instinct of but even then one must have
great
inspiration
imitation spur the effort,
a preparation to carry this out and, in education, nature has shown that without preparation no imitation is possible.
aims
The
effort
does
not
aim
at creating in oneself the possibility
at imitation,
of
it
imitation, of
226
THE ABSORBENT MIND Hence the transforming oneself into the thing desired. value of indirect preparation in all things. Nature does not merely give the power of imitation, but that of trans-
forming oneself to become what the example demon-
And
we, as educationists, believe in helping we must see which are the things we must help. If one observes a child of this age, one sees that
strates. life,
if
there are certain activities that the child sets out to do.
To He
us they
may seem
absurd, but that does not matter.
must carry them out completely. There is a vital urge to carry out certain things, and if the cycle of this
deviation and lack of purpose. The possibility of carrying out this cycle of activity is considered important now, just as the indirect preparation
urge
is
broken, the result
is
considered important
is
;
it
is
an indirect preparation.
through life we prepare for the future indirectly. In the lives of those who have done something in the world, there has always been a previous period of some-
Even
thing lines
all
worked
for
;
it
may
not have been on the
as the final work, but there
is
same
intense effort on some
which gives a preparation of the spirit, and this effort must be fully expanded, the cycle must be completed. So if we see any intelligent activity in the child, even if it
line
seems
to us
long as
we must
it
is
absurd or not according to our wishes (as not dangerous to life and limb of course !),
not interfere, because the child must complete Children of this age show many his cycle of activity. interesting forms of carrying out this cycle of activity ;
227
THE ABSORBENT MIND one sees children below two years of age carrying big heavy weights far beyond their strength, and for no apparent reason. In a house of a friend of mine were very heavy footstools, and a child of one and a half years carried
them with much
of
all
effort
from one end of the
room to the other. Children will help and carry large loaves of bread in front they cannot even see
doing these
feet.
They
them so
that
continue
will
adult's usual reaction
have
to
is
him and
the child's effort, they go to help
for
sympathy
The
tired.
own
of
carrying things back and forth,
activities,
they are
until
their
to lay the table
weight from him, but psychologists have recognized that such help which is an interruption of the child's own chosen cycle of activity, is one of the greatest
take the
f
*
,
repressions of this age. '
children are traced
cult
of activity.
Another
to climb up a
The
deviations of
back
many
*
diffi-
to this interrupted cycle
effort is to
climb staircases
difficult staircase is
an aim, but not
;
for
us
for the
Having accomplished the climbing he is not satisfied, he must come back to the starting point to complete the cycle and this too they repeat many times.
child.
The wooden playgrounds is
or
concrete slides
offer
not the coming
we
opportunities for
down
that
is
see
in
children's
these activities
important,
it is
;
it
the joy
of going up, the joy of effort.
people who do not interrupt that all the psychologists ask for places where children can work uninterruptedly, and hence the schools for It
is
so
difficult to find
22ft
THE ABSORBENT MIND very important and the most are those for little ones from J years. All
children
little
very
important of
all
are
1
sorts of things are created in those schools
in
trees
house
is
small houses
with ladders to climb up and go down. The not to live in or rest in, but a point to reach so
that you can go is
:
up
there
and come down again
effort
:
the purpose, but the house gives a centre of interest.
We
notice
it
with our
own
material
:
if
the child wants to
always chooses either the brown stairs So too or the cylinder blocks because they are so heavy. the climbing instinct which is so apparent in children is carry something,
merely an
it
pull himself up,
effort to
he looks
for difficult
things in the environment to climb on, like a chair.
a staircase
But
a very great joy, for there is a tendency in I have seen a child who was climbing the child to go up. is
a very steep staircase from one floor of a house to the other the steps were so steep that they reached to ;
the child's middle
and he had
to use both
hands
to pull
up and then put his legs round in a most difficult position, but he had the constancy to reach the top, 45 steps. Then he looked back to see what he had himself
achieved, overbalanced and went head over heels back-
wards down the
They were thickly carpeted and when he had reached the last bump and was at the bottom again, he was facing right round into the room. stairs.
We 44
thought he would cry, but he laughed as if to say How hard to go up and how easy to come down
just
229
what
I
wanted
" !
:
;
THE ABSORBENT MIND Sometimes these fine
are efforts of attention
efforts
not merely efforts of
co-ordination of movement,
One
strength.
to go
child of
knew, who was free a store-room where there
1 years
1
round the house, came
to
and
I
were twelve large napkins, starched and ironed, ready to be put away. The baby took the top one with both hands, happy to see that
came away from the
it
along the corridor and laid
it
on the
pile,
went
floor in the farthest
Having done that he came back for another and put that in the same place he did this for all the twelve napkins and each time he took one, he said "One". Having put them all in the corner, from our As soon as the standpoint the work was finished, but no last one was in the corner, he started from there and brought them all back in exactly the same way, saying : " one ", each time, and left them where he found them. The attention and the tension of the child during the whole time was marvellous to see and his face had a delighted expression as he went away at last on further business of his own. These examples of cycles of activity have no outer
corner.
;
;
!
purpose
in
themselves,
but the child
exercises giving fine co-ordination of his
And
what has he done thereby
himself to
imitate
certain
things.
carrying out
own movements^
He
has prepared There must be an
?
object in these exercises, but the object
they obey an inner urge.
is
is
not the real aim
;
When
he has prepared himself, he can imitate, and the environment affords inspiration,
230
THE ABSORBENT MIND The
dusting of the floor or the making of bread he sees being done, serve him as an inspiration to do likewise.
Walking and Exploring Let us consider the child of two years and
walking which
for
sider.
It
human
walk, he
to
faculties
can walk
for
climb, so
much
is
child
man and
preparing
The
the better.
We
;
is
it
do not
A
different
all
child of
difficult
must
need con-
should show the
a mile or two miles and,
the child
to
the
are being built.
are the interesting ones.
means
psychologists
natural that
is
tendency
most
this
if
essential
two years
he
likes to
points in a walk
realize
what walking
The
from our idea.
idea that he could not walk for any distance came because we expect him to walk at our rate. That is as sensible as
we were
if
when we became
and
to tie ourselves to a horse
if,
keep up with him, he Never mind, you get on my back and we would say The child does not want to get will both get there ". there ', he wants to walk, but his legs are disproportionate tired trying to
"
:
'
and disproportionate to the size of his own body (cf. Fig. 7), so we must not make the child follow The need to follow us, we must follow the child. is clearly demonstrated here, but we must the child in size to ours
'
*
remember
all fields.
in if
that
we want
it
The
is
the rule for
education of children
own laws of growth and, him grow, we must follow him, not
child has his
to help
impose ourselves on him. 231
all
The
child
walks with
his
eyes
THE ABSORBENT MIND as well as his legs, and
the interesting things in the
it is
environment that carry him along. lamb eating, he is interested and ing sits
;
He sits
walks and sees a
down by
watch-
it,
then he gets up and goes further, he sees a flower down by it and sniffs at it then he sees a tree, ;
walks up to
and then
and round and round it down and looks at it.
it
sits
four or five times
In
this
way he
they are walks full of resting periods and at the same time full of interesting information, and if covers miles
there is
is
something
a boulder
difficult like
Water
the height of his happiness.
attraction.
"
;
Water
Sometimes happily and
he
will
sit
in the
way, that
another great
is
down and say
:
you can see is a tiny stream So he has an idea of walking falling drop by drop. different from that of his nurse, who wants to arrive at a ",
all
spot in the quickest possible time. She takes him to a in a perampark for a walk or a so-called airing '
'
hood up, so
bulator, the
that he
cannot see too
many
things.
The
habits of the child are like those of the primitive
tribes of the
Paris
",
earth.
Paris
They
was not
there.
us catch a train to go to their habit
was
to
walk
till
.
.
.",
"
Let us go to " Nor did they say Let
did not say
:
:
there
were no
trains.
they found something interest-
ing that attracted them, a forest that might supply
a place
to
sow
crops,
So
and so
on.
So does the
wood,
child pro-
a natural fashion.
This instinct of moving about in the environment, passing from attraction to ceed,
it
is
232
THE ABSORBENT MIND attraction forms part of nature
itself,
and
of education.
Education must consider the walking man who walks as an explorer. This is the principle of scouting which is
now
a relaxation from education, but should form part of education and come earlier in life also. All children guided by attraction and here that education can give help to the child
should walk it
is
by
giving
in
this fashion,
;
him a preparation
in
school,
e.g.
by
intro-
ducing him to the colours, the shapes and forms of leaves,
and other animals, etc. All these give points of interest to him when he goes out. The more he learns, the more he walks. He should explore and that means to be guided by an intellectual interest which we must give. Intelligent interest leads man to walk and to move about. the habits of insects
Walking
is
a complete exercise
other gymnastic efforts.
and has
body
all
He
the advantages
interesting to pick
up and
wood
a
to fetch for
fire,
is
no need
of
breathes and digests better
we
ask of sports.
formed by walking, and
is
there
;
if
you
classify, or
Beauty of
find something
a trench to
dig, or
then with these actions accom-
panying walking, the stretching
of
arms and bending
of
the body, the exercise is complete. As man studies more he has many interests calling him, and his intellectual
body. If the child is capable of following these interests, he finds other things he did not know, and so his intellectual interest grows
interest
augments
his activity of
.
The path 233
of education has to follow the path of evolution
;
THE ABSORBENT MIND walking about life
of the child
made man
see more things, so should the
expand and expand.
This must form part of education, especially today r when people do not walk, but go in vehicles, and there a tendency towards paralysis and sloth. It is no good to cut life in two and to move limbs by sport and then move the head by reading a book. Life must be one
is
whole, especially at an early age construct
himself
when
the child must
according to the plan and laws of
development.
234
CHAPTER XVI
FROM UNCONSCIOUS CREATOR TO CONSCIOUS WORKER
WE
have been dealing with a part of the development of the child which we have compared to that of the embryo. This type of development continues till 3 years of age. It is full of events because it is a creative period. Yet although it is a period in which the greatest number of events take place,
forgotten period of
dividing line
impossible to begins.
it
may It
life.
is
nevertheless be called the
as
if
nature had traced a
on one side there are events which it is remember on the other side remembrance ;
The
;
forgotten
period
is
the psycho-embryonic
and may be compared to the physioembryonic period before birth which nobody can remember. period of
life,
psycho-embryonic period, there are developments which come separately and independently, such as language, the movement of the arms, the moveIn this
ment
of the legs,
etc.,
and
there are certain sensorial
developments like that of the eye in which the muscles are not needed. Like the physical embryo in the prenatal period, which had organs unfolding one by one,
235
THE ABSORBENT MIND each separate from the
embryo develops
other, so in this period the psychic
and we remember
faculties separately
no unity of the personality. Everything is developing, one after the that can come other, so there cannot be unity as yet This
nothing of either.
is
because there
is
;
only with completed parts.
When it
the
as though
is
age life
years has been reached, began again, for then the life of conthree
of
sciousness begins fully and clearly. These two periods the unconscious psycho-embryonic period and the later
period of conscious development by a very definitely marked line.
seem
The
memory was not developed in only when consciousness comes is there scious
and
sonality
therefore
Psychically construction the
and
pre-natal
development of
be separated
faculty of con-
the
first
before
three
years there
creation (as in the physical
period),
and
after
back
to
its
Certainly
years there The border line
is is
is
it
very
difficult to
of age, tried
still
by
all
to bring the consciousness of the individual
own
history,
individual could ordinarily
back than three years situation,
in
Lethe of Greek mythology, the
river
Forgetfulness,
is
embryo
three
of the faculties created.
means
;
unity of the per-
remember what happened before three years more before two years. Psycho-analysis has sorts of
period
memory.
speaking,
compared with the river
to
because
it
to
and
of age. is
the
beginning,
reliably
This
during this
remember is
but no further
a very dramatic
first
period that
236
THE ABSORBENT MIND is
everything
created, starting from nothing
of the individual
memory
who accomplished even the memory
not recall anything, not man who is the result of this creation.
and yet the all this
can-
of the adult
This sub-conscious and unconscious creation
this
seems to be erased from the memory of man and the child coming to us at three years of age seems to be an incomprehensible being. The communi-
forgotten
child
and us has been taken away by we have to know the period or to know
cation between him nature, so either
nature herself. If
we do
not take into consideration the natural
laws of development and if children take a form of life that departs from its earlier part, the adult must know this a danger that the adult destroys what nature would have made. If therefore, because of former
life
or there
is
development or the way of civilization, man abandons the natural path of life, there is a great danger
social
since the natural provisions are taken in
the development of
civilization
away. As humanity has given protection
only to the physical and not to the psychic part of man, If civilization is not the child finds himself in a prison. given the necessary light regarding the natural laws of
psychic development the child very likely lives in an
environment
full
of obstacles
to
must be remembered that during
normal expression. this
period the child
entirely in the care of
the adult, because
provide for himself, and
we
237
adults,
if
it
It
is
cannot yet
not enlightened by
THE ABSORBENT MIND the
wisdom
of nature or science, will present the greatest
obstacles to the
After
life
of the child.
has acquired certain faculties which allow him to defend himself,
special
this
period the child
because he can speak for himself. If he feels the oppression of the adult, he can run away or have tantrums. Nevertheless, the aim of the child
is
not to defend himself,
but to conquer the environment and in his
development.
by means
the
it
means
for
In this later period he must develop
the environment,
of exercises in
exactly must he develop the previous period.
?
but what
That which he has created
So the period from
in
three to six
years of age is a period of conscious construction when a He has child takes consciously from the environment. forgotten the things and events of the epoch before three years
of
then, he
but,
age,
using
the
can now remember.
faculties
he created
The powers he
created
are brought to the surface carried
out in
experiences are
by the experiences consciously the environment by the child. These not mere play nor are they haphazard,
they are consciously brought about by work. The hand, guided by the intelligence, does a sort of work. If then in the
first
period, the child
was a
sort of
contemplative
psychic being, observing the environment in apparent passivity
and then taking from
construction,
i.e.,
it
what he needed
for his
constructing the elements of his being,
second period he is following the will. At first it was as if a force outside his will led him now it is the in the
;
238
THE ABSORBENT MIND child's
own ego which
now he shows though this child who
guides him, and
the activity of his hands.
It is
as
before received the world through his unconscious intelligence,
There
now
it
takes
by
his
hands, using his hands.
therefore another sort of
is
perfecting
former
acquisitions.
development
The
:
that of
development
of
language for example continues spontaneously to four and a half years, but we have seen that at two and a half years
is
it
already complete in
all its details.
Now
he acquires enrichment and perfection. Yet though this is a period of perfectionment, the child
retains the
still
embryonic power
The absorbent mind
fatigue.
hand and
absorbing without
of
continues, but
now
his
experiences help him to develop and enrich
its
further his acquisitions.
The hand becomes
the direct
organ of prehension to the intelligence so while the child previously absorbed the world and developed his intelli;
gence merely by walking about, now he must develop by working with his hands further psychic development ;
has
life
;
He
merely because he he must have an environment in which to ex-
takes place this way. press his work.
see that he
If
lives not
we watch
the child of this age
we
continuously at work, happy, lighthearted, but always busy with his hands. It is called the blessed Adults have always noticed this, though age of play is
*
'
!
only lately has
it
been
and America, where the trend humanity
239
In
scientifically studied.
of civilization
farther from nature, society offers
Europe
has taken
any number
THE ABSORBENT MIND of toys to correspond to the activity of the child.
means
stead of the
to create the intelligence,
he
is
In-
given
only mostly useless toys. At this age he has the tendency to touch everything, the adults let him touch some
and
things
him touch all
men
is
Where
it,
make
bring
it
there
no sand, compasIf there is no sand
is
to rich children.
be allowed, but not too much because the child gets wet, and water and sand
or only a of
at will
only real thing they let sand, play with sand is stimulated
over the world.
sionate
The
forbid others.
dirt
little,
water
may
which adults have
to
wash.
Toys and Reality
When
the child tires of sand, he*
given small copies
is
and houses, toypianos, etc., but these in a form which render them useless " Children want them ; The adults say to the child. they see us working so they want to do the same ", But the the things they give them to work with are useless copies of fruits are stone fruits, they cannot prepare them of things used
by
adults
toy-kitchens
:
:
;
nor eat them.
It is
a mockery.
The child is lonely, so human figure, the dolL
given a mockery of the These dollies are more real than father and mother,
he
is
all
sorts
of presents are given to
etc.
We
the
child
he can
know perfects
freely
talk
that his
to
up
to
it
four
in clothes, jewels,
and a
yeara
the
only being his dolly, and dolly cannot
language, yet is
half
answer him.
240
THE ABSORBENT MIND The
toy has become so important in the West, that people think it is a help to the intelligence. It is certainly better than nothing, but if we watch the child, we see he
always wants new ones, he breaks them, he develops nervous and moral complaints. People who study the child superficially say that as he breaks the toy, he seems to find delight in taking everything apart
This
due
in destroy-
developed characthe circumstances which deprive the
ing everything. teristic
an
and
to
is
artificially
He
not even quiet with his toys or not for more than a few minutes. It is Nurse who loads the perambulator with toys, and takes them out child of the
right things.
is
When
they arrive at the park, the child is often not interested. Very often the child deliberately takes
for the child.
and then smashes
on the ground. Those psychologists who study phenomena and not their cause, say that the child has an instinct of destruction and another observation that has been made by these superficial a look at
observers
any
it
is
that the child does not fix his attention
are true, but superficial, the cause of this behaviour
The
investigated.
real trouble
real interest in these things,
them.
It
led to this children real
life.
;
the
is
life
this
The
on
Both these criticisms of the child
these toys.
of
it
is
that children
because there
is
no
is
not
have no reality in
misunderstanding by the adult that has of lack of attention
useless
life,
on the part
a mockery of
life
of the
instead of
child cannot exercise the energies that
nature has given him to perfect his individuality, they
241 16
THE ABSORBENT MIND wasted and worse than wasted. So the result is that the child cannot develop normally and the longer he lives in this environment full of toys, the less capable he becomes of adapting himself to the real environment, and are
It is gradually his personality is completely deformed. here and now that he seriously and consciously tries to
perfect himself through imitation of his elders.
His con-
sciousness develops through the experiences of life these are denied to him, so of course he is deformed.
and
which have not developed such a toycivilization for children, you find children greatly different from those of the West. They are much more calm, healthy and cheerful They take their inspiration from the In countries
activities
beings.
they see around them. They are normal human They take the objects of the adults and use
When
mother washes, or makes bread or chappaties the child does it too, if he has suitable things. It
them.
is like
imitation, but
intelligent, selective imitation,
it is
finds real inspiration in those for the
environment
There are
development
The
first
in
around him
which he
clearly
;
he
is
it
preparing
lives.
two periods
in this early
phase of
:
period
:
to 3 years
;
the child absorbs the
environment.
The second period the environment
:
3 to 6 years
by the work of
his
the child realizes
of his hands.
This fact cannot be doubted things for purposes
;
own.
;
the child must handle
When,
as lately in the
242
THE ABSORBENT MIND West, toys are made which are in proportion to the child so that he can be active with them as the adults are active, then the child
calm,
ren do
These
and
serene not
and becomes This shows that child-
his character
changes
attentive.
merely play, but are
active.
intelligently
however, are performed in order to fill a psychic need of the child, not for the need of the environment. This activity has superficially been attributed to an activities,
Instinct
of
Imitativeness
;
but
it is
more than
this.
One
sees that the child does not use objects that are not in his usual environment. is
Why
not
Because the
who
produce an individual
to
?
child's
suited to
is
work
his en-
vironment.
Once
has been understood, one can no longer speak of play with sand and imitation as the essential this
characteristics of the child, as
This imitation
is
if
were a monkey. learning what js in the
the child
but a means of
environment, and nature wishes to give joy
ment
of special things.
The new
to give children toys, but to furnish
trend
in the fulfil-
nowadays
is
not
them with an environ-
which they can perform the same We actions as the adults of their race and community.
ment
full
of things with
provide motives of activity with objects built in proportion to their strength
home have
or
and body
on the land,
their
it
is
own home and
;
and as we usually work
at
necessary that the children their
own
toys for children, but houses for them
land.
Not only
not toys for children, but land for them with tools to carry out work on
243
;
THE ABSORBENT MIND the land social
not dolls for children, but other children and a
;
and has
be
to
acts himself find
all
which the
in
life
child
is
not just seated on a chair
while the teacher acts, but where he
still
an environment where he can
;
the instruments necessary
for
act, talk
intelligent,
and con-
All these today substitute the toys of
structive activities.
the past.
When
public imagination,
Dewey
Prof.
which
this idea,
of
persuaded of
was
is
first
expressed,
this
professor,
taking hold of the it
caused surprise.
America, a famous educationist, was idea and set out to hunt for objects
He
proportionate to children. sity
now
just
went
to
himself, though a Univer-
New-York
the
all
stores to look
brooms, chairs, tables, plates, etc. He found NOTHING not even the idea of manufacturing them There were innumerable toys of all kinds ; existed.
for small
whole furnished houses
minute
of
carriages, nothing for the child.
cation of toys did one thing.
size, little
However, Dolls which
horses
and
the multiplistarted very
small increased until they were almost the size of a child
and as the they became
the objects for the dolls
dolls grew,
larger
a child to use
and
really.
larger,
but never large enough for
child
had spent millions him happy, and had succeeded adults
pensive mockery. little
bigger
We
and the
said
child
;
was now almost on the the door was yet closed. The and millions in order to make
The
threshold of fulfilment, but
grew
;
" :
in giving
Make
all
him an ex-
these things a
can use them as he needs to
244
THE ABSORBENT MIND So the step was taken and the dawn of a new world was realized there were real houses and real
use them."
;
objects for children to use in order to perfect the prepara-
had been made
tion that
the previous period from
in
was seen, these objects were made everywhere, and a new industry and a new source of wealth came into being. Prof. Dewey was so certain that in New- York he would find the things he was searching for that when he " failed to find them anywhere, he said The child has to 3
Once
years.
the result
:
been
forgotten",
But, alas, he
is
forgotten citizen,
thing for desert.
all,
He
and
"What
a
discovery!" forgotten in other ways too, he is the living in a world where there is every-
except
I
for
say,
him
wanders ambling
;
for
him only mockery, a
aimlessly, crying in tantrums,
destroying the mockeries provided, only seeking for the satisfaction of his soul.
And
standing in front of him
the adult could not see the real being of the child.
Once
was broken and the veil of unreality once the child was given real things, we
this barrier
torn asunder,
expected happiness, readiness to act with the objects, but The child this was not the only thing which took place.
showed a
was an
completely different personality.
act
of
independence, as
to be self-sufficient
;
keep your
if
The
he said
aid/' This
first
" :
I
result
want
has been one of
the revelations that the freed child has given.
The
child
has not become a wealthier being with bigger objects than when he played with toys he has become a man ;
245
THE ABSORBENT MIND seeking independence.
him,
wanted
be alone.
to
teachers.
He
all
refused
around
help,
he
ever imagined that
that of refusing assistance,
as he worked, nurses
that,
a surprise to
No one had
would have been
his first act
and
mothers,
nurses,
He was
and mothers would have
be observers only. This environment was not merely proportionately constructed, it was one of which he became master.
to
Social
life
and development It
taneously.
is
in
environment. conscious
life
came spon-
not the happiness of the child that
aim, but that he
pendent
of character
become
function,
This
is
the constructor of
the
man, inde-
worker and master of his
the the
is
light
of the individual
that the
beginning of the
reveals.
246
CHAPTER
XVII
THE NEW TEACHER THE
problems
countries
like
facing
what happened
is
in
very surprising to fortunate
happened but
education,
especially
in
India, the primitive circumstances under
which such work
were
village
started,
might be something similar to
the beginning of all.
I
enough
which was
my work
believe that the facts which to
witness
not have
would
for certain circumstances.
the world has recognized them, because
No one if
we
Prof.
else in
Dewey,
had found the objects he was seeking in the New-York and had been able to organize a children with all these activities, nothing would
for instance,
stores of
house
for
have happened, as nothing happens in so many schools which are richly endowed. Nothing would have
happened as objects
are not enough.
It
not lack of
is
as well objects alone that matters, but certain other things that obscure the real characteristics of children.
happen cannot be
will
what is needed is and not wealth, and that freedom
foreseen, because
freedom for the child we cannot understand unless
247
What
we
experience
it.
No
one
THE ABSORBENT MIND could have seen
it
my
in
experiment but
a chance
for
which gave the necessary conditions. They were 1. Extreme poverty and a social condition treme hardship. people rich I
among whom we
compared with
The
condition.
may
suffer
child
who
extremely poor from lack of food, but he finds himself
development
natural laws, greater
working
worked, those were
the parents of the children
natural conditions.
the
class of
of ex-
This extreme poverty was a favourable
had.
in
was not a
It
:
we
number
Now the
of
is
that
child
we
see that
directed
is
by
who has a conditions has much
see that the child natural
of
greater opportunities to reveal his inner wealth
than one living 2.
in rich, artificial conditions.
The parents of fore
the children
Were
unable to give help to
illiterate,
their
there-
children in
learning. 3.
The
were not teachers.
teachers
If
they
had
do not think these results would have been achieved. In America they been
real teachers,
I
never succeeded so well, because they looked for the best teachers. Who is believed to be a
good teacher studied child
;
>
It
means
usually one
who has
the things which do not help the such teachers are full of prejudices and all
ideas about the child which are not conducive to giving
freedom to the
child.
As
is
the case
248
THE ABSORBENT MIND with a
'
*
good
nurse
who
thinks she
must help
do everything, so these teachers think they must help the child's mind. It is this teaching, this imposition of the teacher on the the
child
child,
to
which hinders him.
Who
would have thought of imposing the three conditions mentioned above in order to have a successful experiment ? One would naturally have thought to give just the contrary.
The
great success which
we
obtained augurs well for similar attempts and experiments in India, because
one
of the complaints is the lack of
good teachers.
must take simple persons and make use
of them.
Indian villages also the parents are probably
much is
recognized
universally
development to give
up
leaders in
If
first
all
and
illiterate,
as to poverty,
In
so it
condition for the difficult to tell all
It is
might not work, but religious countries have renounced the world and
their riches,
for spiritual
as the
of spiritual qualities.
sought poverty. must not frighten assent.
And
the better for the children.
One
it
We us,
need not impose poverty, but it as it is the most favourable condition
development we can
we want
to experiment in
the child, the field of poverty
an easy experiment and sure
is
accepted with giving freedom to
find,
if
the best.
If
one wants
and work among them objects and an
success, go
We offer poor children. environment they do not possess. An object scientifically constructed, offered to a child who has nothing, is
the
249
THE ABSORBENT MIND taken
with
and
concentration
meditation.
caused great
this fact
been recognized basic factor
interest
passionate
in
surprise.
Forty-two years ago Concentration had never
children of three years, yet
because
means
it
of the environment, item of
and awakens mental
by
item,
them and dwelling on each
a
intense hold
take
to
is
it
exploring each one
Under the flits from one
them.
of
usual unsatisfactory conditions, the child
and concentrates on nothing, but that characteristic, it is forced on him by an un-
thing to another is
not his
satisfactory environment.
Also, in a small child of three years that mysterious
which
teacher
within him
;
the child to
urges
and when we speak
inner freedom)
we speak
of
work
is
still
of a free child
active
(i.e.,
with
a child free to follow the
These guides are
powerful guides of nature within him.
extremely wise, and lead the child to seek exactness, precision and the full achievement of what he undertakes.
The
child
details (e.g. to
attention
so that
by nature
led
dust the top, sides,
groves of a table). education.
is
This
What any
is
to
go into bottom and
what we want
all
the
all
the
for success in
teacher requires of his pupils
is
and concentration on what the teacher does, they can carry out exactly any instruction and all
done completely. This is the maximum any teacher can expect in order to have success. The surprising
is
revelation that the children
natural behaviour
when a
have given us child
is free.
is
that this
is
the
Given freedom
250
THE ABSORBENT MIND and no
interruptions
by
the teacher, he
performs
full,
complete, concentrated work. At this age of three years, he does not receive with facility from others, because he is
Too many
constructing himself.
to put so
teachers are inclined
him
things before the child, to interrupt
many
continuously and teach continuously, instead of letting the
own
children have their
age,
therefore,
who
The
experience.
child of this
by spontaneous work,
develops
following the guides of nature, cannot develop in this
who
fashion with a teacher
teaches.
Also the teacher
do what the teacher thinks important, such as obeying her or him) and convinced that she must go from the easy to the difficult, aiming at success
(i.e.,
that the child
from the simple to the complex, by gradual steps, when instead a child goes from the difficult to the easy and with great strides such a teacher is not a help in our work, ;
and most teachers trained so.
Inevitable conflict
child
and such a
have
is
is
are like that, because they have been
would
arise
between the
Another prejudice such teachers If a child is interested in what he
teacher.
that of fatigue.
doing, he goes
on and on.
The
child
is
not fatigued.
When
however the teacher makes him change every few minutes and rest he gets fatigued. As the completed '
',
cycle of physical activity gives little
ones, so
do mental
added
activities
strength to the very
with the older ones.
These prejudices are so impregnated cated rid of
251
in
in teachers
edu-
the usual type of Training Colleges, that to get
them, you would have to
kill
the teacher.
No new
THE ABSORBENT MIND vision of the
mind would
get rid of them.
It is
the
same
with some of the prejudices of society, nothing short of a
bloody revolution can help. Some of the most modern Colleges have this prejudice of the need for rest so badly that they have interruptions
an hour or
of
The
result is
and
rest
every three quarters
an hour on a carefully graduated plan. extreme indifference in the minds of the
half
people educated.
Interest
and enthusiasm only can pro-
duce anything of value and these are automatically killed. Modern pedagogy sees things from a superficial and erroneous point of view, because it takes no notice of the inner life. The guide of the psychic activities is completely ignored. Also the pedagogical world (or is
ruled
by human
logic,
but
human
logic is
it
leaders)
one thing and says we must
the logic of nature another. Human logic distinguish between mental and physical activities, for mental work we must be immobile in a class room and for physical It
the mental faculties are not required.
When
cuts the child in two.
his
he thinks he
may
not use
when he uses his hands his head is not Thus we get men with a head and no body
hands, and
considered. at
work
one time and with a body and no head
Consequently sorts
for
there
the teacher.
at another.
problems and trouble of all Yet nature shows that the child
are
cannot think without his hands and that the hands are the instruments of intelligence.
hands and us that,
interest the
when
mind.
Objects must occupy the Our experience has shown
the child thinks, he
is
continually moving.
252
THE ABSORBENT MIND So indeed
men
great
often give us the thoughts they
gained as they walked about, meditating
What do
pathetic school of philosophy).
philosophize do
They go
?
into convents
the peri-
(cf.
people
who
and walk hours
alone under trees, meditating. In this period between three and six years, it has been clearly revealed that
movement and mind go
yet many think it is impossible to have schools where children study and contogether
;
tinuously walk about.
From (in
we can
this
the usual sense)
The
realize that a well-prepared teacher
the worst teacher for the child.
is
greatest effort in our
method
is
that of trying to free
the teacher from the prejudices he or she
and
the greatest success
herself or himself
they succeed prejudice.
and "
there
So is
the teacher
how
who can
The measure
from them.
seen in
is
is
may
far
they are
best free
how
of
well
cloaked by
still
education of a great number
possess
is
envisaged a scarcity of teachers, what can we say but
Thank God The new
if
:
" It is
!
one
of the best conditions.
teachers found
among simple
folk
must
understand certain fundamental things which, however, are not
difficult.
4
'
teacher
In
my
first
experiment
(who was the daughter
them child
and
and then
alone with them and not to interfere.
as she was, she
was
able to
do
instructed the
of the door-keeper of
the tenements) to take certain objects in a certain fashion to the child
1
to
present
to leave the
Uneducated
this exactly.
A
full-
fledged teacher would probably have been unable to
253
do
THE ABSORBENT MIND that.
In the
place he might have thought
first
his intelligence and,
have done
it
even
he had done
if
He would
so simply.
it,
it
below
he would not
have launched a
verbose attack of explanations on the class, whereas anything beyond the necessary and sufficient causes *
4
and confusion. My uneducated teacher did exactly what she was told and, to her surprise and mine, the children worked and worked with these objects distraction
with wonderful
results.
She was so surprised that she
thought there were angels or some spiritual agencies at work. Then the children exploded into writing when she had taught them nothing of writing and when visitors " came and asked the children Who taught you to " write ? ", they would say No one taught us to write ". She would add in an awed manner " No, I haven't :
:
:
taught him to write frightened, to say
".
" :
She would come
Madame,
the child started to write
" !
at 2
to
me,
half-
o'clock yesterday
She could not understand
how in
he could write at 2 o'clock, and perfect sentences beautiful handwriting too, when he had not written
anything in his
had given them
life
even up to
before,
the
cursive
letters,
they might find reading easier of the print-type, but before the children
need
them.
that these
they occur.
if
1
o'clock.
then
we
thought
we gave them
we had them
We letters
prepared,
were already reading books and did not
Now,
after
forty-two
years,
we know
and can understand why These incidents, however, happend before
explosions occur
254
THE ABSORBENT MIND we knew the
child
the
that
endowed with an absorbent mind which
is
from
takes
Now we know
reason of them.
the
environment without
so that
fatigue,
properly prepared and presented, can be taken as the mother tongue is taken, with the greatest ease.
culture,
The
if
only
thing
necessary
a material,
to construct
is
which can be handled by the children. Then a great many items of culture can be brought
scientifically exact,
down
to the period of three to six years of age.
Experience has shown that the teacher must with-
draw more and more, have
to train
therefore the task of those
these teachers
is
not do anything, but prepare
work."
It
Tell
easy.
them
for the children
Our
task
:
they will
;
brings into actual fact a great truth
renunciation can bring great truths."
who Do
"
is
"Self-
:
to teach
We
where he or she intervened needlessly. call the method of non-intervention*. this part of our work The teacher must measure what is needed and limit her the teacher
'
work
to that, like
a good servant carefully prepares a
drink for his master and then leaves
it
for his
master to
complete the work, i.e., drinking it. He does not force his master to drink, that is not his business. His business is
only to prepare.
children.
It
So must
the teacher act towards the
might be good to send teachers to study
with a good servant so that they might learn to be humble not to impose themselves on the child, but to be ;
and prepare all for the disposal and leave him.
vigilant his
255
child
and then put
it
at
THE ABSORBENT MIND People
who
are in charge of children of this age
have to serve the psychic needs of the children. It is If we say not indispensable to know them scientifically. to a
"
mother
:
Carry the child of one year always with
you, so that he may see the world, and take him where people talk so that he may hear his mother tongue *\
very easily. to carry a child
and the teacher can explain Also the teacher can tell the mother not when he is old enough to walk, not to be
afraid of letting
him carry heavy things
the mother can understand it
if
he wants to do
All these things are easy to understand
so.
the
if
mind
not encumbered with prejudices. It is difficult perhaps to understand the psychological reasons for all this, but the practical things themselves are
is
not
to
difficult
seed
or to understand, just as putting
tell
a
the ground or looking after a plant does not
in
require the effort of studying vegetable biology in the must distinguish between the practice University.
We
of nature,
and the science Practice
practice.
is
that
easy.
man
has built round that
All the marvellous results
always come from the expenditure of the spontaneous energy of the child which is usually impeded in ordinary schools.
Let
he
illiteracy
of
the
parents.
brings about other conditions of ignorance,
Illiteracy
so that
the
consider
us
when
can wash
clever he
his
" is
!
the
child
comes home and shows how
hands, the mother thinks
and the
child
is
uplifted.
" :
How
Also when the
256
THE ABSORBENT MIND whose mother and
child first
adoring admiration again brings
their
word,
father cannot write, writes his uplift to
the child, whereas the richer parents will probably say 44
Oh
and
ah
!
!
yes
the child
!,
is
:
"
but do they teach you art at school ? Or if a child chilled and loses interest.
dusts something the better-class mother
kills
the joy of the
one, because she says it is sweeper's work and she did not send her child to school to learn that. Or if it is
little
mathematics he learns, she is afraid he will get brainfever and wants to stop the work. So either the child gets
an
and
thinks
The
real
and
inferiority-complex it is
a
or
superiority-complex
not necessary for him to
problems are with the
do
literate,
certain things.
cultured parents
they are pedagogues themselves, so worse, because then they think they know education.
A
if
Social
The
much all
the
about
Problem Solved
conditions, therefore, which
experiment, are really good. to the children, 4
experimental
it
we
think
Success will not
will influence the parents.
House
f
of Children
doing exercises of practical
life
when
bad
for
an
limit itself
In
my
first
they had started
and were
interested in
would tell their mothers that they must not have spots on their dress and must not 4< You do it like this", so the mothers began spill water.
the details of them, they
to care for their dress
power 257
and appearance.
This shows the
the child has of transforming the environment.
It
THE ABSORBENT MIND is
the
lead
my
parents in
do
'
how
House
first
to read
and
is
write,
who
the only force
educate
persons to
illiterate
learn
who
child probably
themselves. *
of Children
because
came
to
their children
will
The
me
to
could
In dealing with children of this age one handles
it.
almost a magic wand in social life. First there is the marvel of the transformation of the child himself, secondly there is the touching marvel (it causes emotion) that the
do much more than one had expected,
able to
child
is
and
this
rouses in
reverence for the
the
spirit of
spirit
of
the adult a sort of
childhood, hence
it
achieves a
transformation and an education of the adults.
one envisages a social reform on a large scale and plans according to the old method, one has to make a plan covering many years (the Sargent Scheme covers 40 If
years).
If
one has
to prepare teachers with
judices of psychology
how
long
it
will
all
over the world,
take to train them.
with children of seven
we can
the pre-
calculate
These teachers begin
who have passed
and being faced with
all
the sensitive
dead-weight (the children do not possess the enthusiasm natural to the little ones
stage
this
same things) they force and force and the children become more and more bored. The child who, before, had at least a relative freedom, now finds himself under a teacher who fusses and tells him to do this, that and the other. It will take forty, eighty, a hundred years, two centuries perhaps before the work is completed. If, on for the
the contrary,
we
consider these psychological facts which
258
THE ABSORBENT MIND easy to practise, then things are not so difficult, because we tap and make use of natural energies which
are
necessary to understand the child at different ages, certainly, but then practically all is done. exist.
always
Such
It
is
memory than the when remembered, make
facts as the smaller child's better
older
for
one's,
instance,
things quite simple.
We
see that the child learns better than with the
methods
old
and
that the
whole
of education
is
shifted
downwards, towards birth, from eight to four years. Thus so many years are saved and as the absorbent mind and the sensitive periods are functioning at this age, which means that all things are taken with interest and enthusiasm, the wish to continue is present and education does not have to be imposed. What about the teacher ? She will work long hours with the children since the children do so, but in a very different way. Once a teacher has become a good teacher in this sense, she is happy. A newspaper-man in America once visited his cousin, a Montessori teacher, and found her lying on a deck-chair and thought she had vacation. She told him to be quiet and not to disturb the children.
He
any children, but looking through a window he found them all working quite happily without any noise on the lawn. Children educated could not
in this
she
is
scale
259
is
or hear
always work, also without the teacher if or away. The possibility of a reform on a large
way
late
see.
will
much more
rapid
and easy
to attain in this
way.
THE ABSORBENT MIND In
my
experiment I used to give instructions ta the teachers once a week and after ten months there was first
the explosion into writing.
Today
our observations have
made it plain to us how these miracles happened, but when they happened we did not know the reasons, so it is not indispensable to know them. If we put a plant in the earth, we must know how much soil and water it wants, and then water it regularly. Then, one day, we shall see the flower coming. We do not need to know the anatomy
of the
flower or the acidity of the
etc.
soil,
We
only have to wait in patience and look for the flowers. So with the education of children, all that ia necessary are adults, simple and of good In
all
countries
where children
will.
live
in
a simple r
way, in so-called backward countries, where education seems to present the greatest problems, the natural
great miracles of our early experiments will easily
be
lepeated and a great and urgent problem solved. Simple teachers are perhaps better than others and all these children will lead the rest of the world.
little
work must not be afraid of the what must be kept in mind are not the difficulties
feel the
task
:
Those who
appeal of
of the theories
this
we have
given, but the vision of the
first
experiment before any of these theories were developed.
260
CHAPTER
XVIII
FURTHER ELABORATION THROUGH CULTURE AND IMAGINATION THE ing
;
period between three and six years it
3 years).
follows the period of the spiritual
The passage between
very marked. period from
The
first
these
most
interest-*
embryo (0
two periods
is
to
not
Usually only one period is considered, the 6, but it is really divided into two parts.
part concerns the creation of the psychic
the second part fixation.
is
is
life,
and
a sort of period of perfectionment or
Certain faculties developed in the
are rendered secure.
Also
first
period
in the first period there is
a
prevalence of the unconscious part, whereas in the second period consciousness guides development. It is, therefore, not only a period of fixation, but of greater perfection. no longer have the embryo, but man who is com-
We
The second
period shows a special form of activity, because consciousness falling upon the world grasps the world and handles it, and in this handling the pleting himself.
conquests that were not clear before, become clear and The child not only takes in the environment, perfect.
261
THE ABSORBENT MIND This
but realizes himself.
conscious individuality
is
the period in which the
is
established
and
this
done
is
spontaneously. It is still a period forming part of creation and is still closed to outside influences such as an adult mentality trying to impose or transmit something directly.
The
child,
therefore,
cannot be educated
in the ordinary
sense of the word by a teacher, but education must come through the natural bases. The natural laws of develop-
ment compel
the child of this age to experiment on the
environment by the use of
and other matters.
Only
life.
the
itself
the passage from nothing to
become known, before then the child was buried under the
of
life
of
humanity to him.
Now
who
did not
suddenly known to those It
was
hands, both in cultural
recently this has
whole psychic
indifference
is
It
his
the
it
know
explosion into writing that
of
first
the attention of the public to the child's psychic is
made
has
it.
caught
life.
It
not an explosion of writing only, the writing was like
the
smoke out
human
self
in
of
a pipe, the real explosion
the child.
He
was
of the
might be compared to a
be solid and eternally the same r but contains a hidden fire. One day there is an explosion
mountain which seems
and out comes
the
to
fire
through the outer heaviness.
It
an explosion of fire, smoke and unknown substances, from which those who can see, will be able to tell ua
is
what the earth contained. Our explosion was similar and it happened because of circumstances which, as I explained in the previous chapter, were the least favourable
262
THE ABSORBENT MIND (apparently) for such
came
a revelation.
on bases which 'were
also
These revelations *
The
non-existent/
and ignorance, the lack of proper teachers, We found syllabus and rules were basic nothings nothingness, and because there was nothingness, the soul was able to expand itself. The obstacles had been poverty
4
'.
removed, but no one knew obstacles were. in It is
It
is
time) what the
that
(at
well to understand
this,
because
a great energy a latent cosmic energy. is important for us to know this, because if we know it there and wait for its flashing revelations, we are on the the child
lies
road to success.
was
It
not a
method
of education
which caused these explosions, because the method did
when
not exist
the explosions occurred.
The
following
up of psychology and the building up of the method came as a result of these volcanic revelations of the children. The explosion came as the result of a discovery not of a method. The Press spoke of it from the first as of a discovery of the human soul.' From it sprang *
the
new
science which followed step
by step
the revelation
of the children. I
these
will explain
phenomena a
They
little.
are
they should not be attributed to intuition, but to I have described what I saw. The facts perception.
facts,
seen are the foundation of the
can be found
Two revelations,
263
in
my
one
is
science
;
these facts
previous books. of
groups
new
facts
that
the
are
important
mind
of
the
in
these
child
is
THE ABSORBENT MIND of acquiring culture
capable
at
a period of life when possible, but can only
nobody would have thought it take it by his own activity. Culture cannot be received from another, but only through the work and increased realization of oneself.
of the
powers
from three to
of the
facts
all
from
we know this possibility to take in The other important group early age.
of the character has pre-occupied education
educators have agreed that the age to six years is not the age to influence
times, but
three
character in real
the period
deals with the development of the character.
Development at
aware
are
six years,
culture at a very of
Nowadays, when we absorbent mind during
all
a systematic fashion.
discipline
for
children
discipline
be imposed.
the adult
who had
No one
so young
Also
it
only later can
;
was thought
that
to influence the character of
people and the problem of changing
an eternal problem.
thinks of
We
were wrong
evil into :
this
is
it
was
young
good
is
the time
developing character, but the child must develop his own character according to the laws of growth. We have already seen a great deal of how the mind is
for
formed, but the
it
is
interesting to dwell in
some
detail
on
contents and working of the mind at this period
and we
shall deal with the
formation of character in
another chapter.
The
child
is
especially interested in
and concentrates
on those things he has already in his mind, those that were absorbed during the previous period, for whatever 264
THE ABSORBENT MIND has been conquered has a tendency to remain and the
mind dwells on it. writing was due conquest
of
So, for instance, the explosion into to the special sensitivity for, and
As
language.
the
ceases
sensitivity
at
was clear that writing could be achieved with such joy and enthusiasm only and a
five
half to six
years,
it
before this age, while older children of six or seven were not capable of doing this and did not feel the same
enthusiasm. tion It
of
the
So our method came from children,
was seen
that
from
the
the observa-
observation
had prepared
children
of
the
facts.
organs
necessary for writing previously, so indirect preparation was adopted as an integral part of the method. Thus certain bases of the
method could be
fixed.
that nature prepares indirectly in the
We had seen
embryo
;
she does
not give orders until she knows that the individual has the organs which enable him to obey. That is why the child
cannot do anything by mere imitation and obedience it must be provided with the means to be obedient. ;
Both mind and character were helped by the observation
was thought that all that was needed was good example by the adult and good will from the child, but the adults lacked a wisdom that nature possesses, i.e., that the means must be prepared for the command to be obeyed, and this is not done To receive frequent and successive commands directly.
of these facts.
Earlier
it
does not create obedience directly
265
by
;
inner preparation.
obedience
is
attained in-
Obedience
to arbitrary
THE ABSORBENT MIND commands of The child has
the adult
guide him, that
evident that frequent and ill-founded the adult is not a help, but an obstacle to
interference
cannot achieve development. in himself such a fountain of wisdom to
by
it is
development. The necessity of a prepared and well organized environment for the child and freedom for the
his
child
to
expand now.
clearly
within
soul
its
it
stands out very
we
found, the child again takes up the conquests of the first period in order to elaborate them in the as
If,
second
period, the
method
of
period can furnish us with a guide for the second period which follows the same first
development. Let us take language in the first period we have seen that the child follows a method he successively absorbs which is almost grammatical :
:
and uses sounds,
verbs,
conjunctions, that
we
syllables,
nouns, adjectives, adverbs,
prepositions,
etc.
We
then
know
should help the child in the second period
following
The
same grammatical method.
the
by
first
It seems absurd to our teaching is that of grammar. usual way of thinking, that teaching should begin with
grammar at knows how If
we
three to
years of age, and that before
read or write, he should learn grammar.
stop to think of
it,
construction of a language
(and
the
therefore,
child)
we
he
speak,
give
however, what if
not
grammar
we speak
his
language
the basis of ?
When we
grammatically.
him grammatical help
age when he perfects
is
If,
at four years of
in construction
and
266
THE ABSORBENT MIND enlarges his vocabulary,
we
give a real help.
By
giving
him grammar, we allow him to absorb more perfectly the language spoken around him. Experience has shown us that these children were keenly interested in grammar
and
was
that this
the right time to give
In the
it.
first
period (0 to 3 years) the acquisition was almost unnow it has to be perfected consciously by conscious conscious exercise. Another thing we noticed was that ;
the child of this age acquires a large
was a
there
number
;
and interest in words and any number of new words.
special sensitivity
he spontaneously took in Many experiments were carried out and all
words
of
it
was seen
that
children considerably enriched their vocabulary at this
The words acquired were
age.
used
those
the
in
environment of course, so a cultured environment gave a child the opportunity to learn many words but in ;
any
was
environment the instinct
to absorb the greatest
had a hunger
possible
number
words.
In a cultured environment he can take thousands
and thousands at this age.
of
To
give
many
to
him
is
for
a help
effort
and
the help will consist in reducing the effort
;
detail in the
this
uncultured
words.
the child
;
order.
Another result
words
unaided he takes them with
If
without order
and giving
of
of
*
observation, *
teachers
method was established as a to
we had
give in
many our
words.
first
The
experiment
and they wrote words for the children^ They wrote as many as they knew, but presently they noted
267
this fact
THE ABSORBENT MIND came to a halt and they came to me and said that they had given all the words relating to dress, house, street, names of trees, etc., but the children wanted more words So we thought, why not give to the children at this age the words necessary for culture, e.g. all the names of the !
geometrical
figures
had
they
been handling
in
the
sensorial apparatus, polygons, trapezium, trapezoid, etc. The children took them all in one day So we went to !
scientific instruments,
we gave them 41
Do you
all
teachers complained that
we,
of
knew
course,
insatiable
when
names of do not know. the
and the power
"
?
they asked, and the they took them for a
all
the motor cars which
The
for taking
thirst for
them
while in the period that follows this
words
who had
early, recalled
they found them or even
12 or
words
is
inexhaustible,
not the case.
is
Other things develop then, but there is periods to remember strange words. our children
Then
taken in with enthusiasm.
not have any more
walk, they
etc.
botanical names, sepals, petals, stamens,
They were
etc.
pistil,
thermometer, barometer,
difficulty in later
We
found that
the opportunity of learning these
and remembered them
easily
later in the ordinary schools, at
14 years, while those children
met them for the first time found it them. So the logical conclusion names at this age, of 3 to 6 years.
difficult to is
to
when 8 or 9
who
then
remember
give scientific
They
are not given
mechanically of course, but in connection with specially prepared apparatus, so that they are based on real
268
THE ABSORBENT MIND To
understanding and experience. are long, complicated
and
there
is
many
no difference
names
foreign
remember, yet the name with the utmost ease. In
foreign child says his Italian there are
us
difficult to
strange
names
for foreigners,
but
between these
for the Italian child
and other words like triangle. To help able thirst for words in the children we words of the various classifications in
this
remark-
give
them the
all
subjects,
etc., like the different parts
botany, zoology, geography, of a leaf, of a flower, of geographical features, are
all
easily represented
ment and
therefore
most
suitable.
difficulty was with these words and found was which.
The
In Kodaikanal
I
the teachers
child of this early
difficult
it
who were studying the name of a part
three years said
offer
who
to
no
difficulty.
did not
know
remember which
in the ordinary school,
puzzled
of the flower, a tiny child of
"
:
They
in the environ-
once saw older children of 14 years
of age,
over
and apparent
They
etc.
and ran off age does not take words pistil ",
to play.
The
indifferently as
any ordinary easy thing it is as if a light is lit in the child and he is profoundly interested. We showed to older ;
children of 7 or 8 years the classification of roots accord-
ing to the botany books and a small child came in and asked of an older child what were the new charts on the
He was
and
we
found plants pulled out of the garden, because the tiny ones were so interested that they wanted to see which roots those plants had. wall.
269
told
later
THE ABSORBENT MIND we gave
When we saw
their interest,
them and then
the parents complained that the children
pulled up the plants in their gardens, said they wanted to see roots.
I
this
knowledge
to
washed them and
What is the limit of the words the children will learn ? do not know Does the mind of the child limit itself in !
taking in objects and the facts about the things they can the child has a type of mind that goes beyond see ? No ;
concrete
limits.
has the power of imagining things.
It
This power of visualizing things that are not present to An object I can the eye, reveals a higher type of mind.
know, but when I have to make an image for myself (to imagine) it is more difficult. If the mind of man were restricted only to the things he could see, it would be very limited indeed. Man sees
see
is
an easy thing
without seeing
to
culture
not
made up
of the
knowledge an of things seen. example. If we Geography gives have never seen a lake or snow, we have to imagine ;
is
them, imagination has to be put into activity. Up to what point can children imagine things ? We did not
know, so we began with some experiments
starting with
We saw that they did the opposite we imagined. We had thought they would be
children of 6 years. of
what
but they were interested in the took the globe they knew the world, they
interested in big things, details.
We
had heard which no
of
;
it
so much.
*
The world
*
is
a phrase to
image corresponds, yet the child what it is, which shows that he has a
sensorial
forms an idea of
270
THE ABSORBENT MIND power
of imaginative understanding, of abstraction.
We
prepared special small globes. We covered the earth " " with star dust and the oceans with deep and bright " The children began to say blue. This is land ", :
"
This
is
water
" ",
This
is
America
" ",
This
is
India
".
They loved the globe so much that it became a favourite The mind of the child between object in our classes. 3 and 6 years fixes not only the functions of the in
gence
relation with
objects,
intelli-
but also those of imagi-
This means that the intelligence
nation and intuition.
must have a great and vivid power
at this
age beyond It has a that of merely absorbing through the senses. higher power, that of imagination, which enables the individual to see things he cannot see. This may seem *
'
an exaggeration
in relation to children of this age,
we
it,
think about
we
realize
it is
but
if
not such an exaggera-
psychology has always said that this is a Even the most ignorant people period of imagination. tell their children fairy tales, and they love them imtion,
since
they were anxious to use this great power of imagination. They call a table a house, a chair a
mensely, as
if
Everyone realizes that the child likes to imagine, but he is given tales and toys as the only help. If the child can realize a fairy and visualize fairyland, it
horse,
is
not
etc.
difficult for
him
to visualize
of only hearing vaguely about
general shape of America nation.
271
Imagination
is
is
America,
etc.
Instead
America, a globe with the
a concrete help to his imagi-
endeavouring to find the
truth of
THE ABSORBENT MIND a fact which
things,
often forgotten.
is
environment the word
*
*
America or
4
in the child's
If
f
World had never
been mentioned by anyone, then it might be difficult for him to show interest in it, but since he hears the word so often,
The mind
nation.
the
mind
never
enters his
it
of
still,
When
man
clothes
with imagi-
it
not the passive entity one imagines,
is is
mind and he
a flame, an all-devouring flame,
it is
but always active.
and came in
those children of six years had the globe
were talking about it, a child of three and a half " " " and said Let me see Is this the world ? Yes '\ said the older ones, a little surprised, and the child of " Now I understand, because I three and a half said !
:
:
have an uncle who has gone three times round the world. How was it round ? How did he go > Now I understand/* At the same time he realized this was only a
model taken
for it
We
he knew the world was immense
;
he had
from the conversation round him.
and a half, who also asked to see the older ones* globes and he looked steadily at one. The bigger children were talking of America, taking no notice of him. Presently the tiny one interrupted them : had a
child of four
"
41
The Where is New-York ? showed it to him. Then he said
older ones, surprised, ** "
Where is Holland ? more surprised, they showed it to him. Then, Still " Then this is the sea/* touching the blue part, he said The older ones were interested, so the little one said r :
44
My
father goes to
America twice a year
;
he stays in
272
THE ABSORBENT MIND New-York. After he has started, Mother says, " Papa is on the sea ". For many days she says it then she " Papa is in New- York ". Then after a while she says " " He is on the sea again and then one day she says "He is in Holland, and we go to meet him at says Amsterdam ". He had heard so much about America, that when the older children were talking about it, he was very eager to know about it and felt "I have discovered America ". And what a rest it must have been for him, for he had been trying to find an orientation in the mental environment as he used to do in the ;
:
:
:
:
In order to take the mental world
physical environment.
of his time, he has to take
words from the adults and
cloak them with images. This is the fact. Playing with toys and imagination through fairy
two needs
tales represent
of that special period of
life
:
place oneself in direct relation with the environment, to master the environment, and by this a
the
to
first,
The great mental development is acquired by the child. other reveals the strength of the imagination, so much so that he turns
on
it
his toys.
If
we
then give him real
a help to him and places him in more accurate relation with his environment too. things to imagine about, this
At
age children often want information.
this
know more
ask questions to well
known
questions.
that If all
that the child
273 18
is
is
the
child
of the truth of things. is
these questions
in
need
of
curious,
come
knowledge.
They It is
always asking
together,
The
it
means
questions of
THE ABSORBENT MIND children are also interesting
a
if
one consider them not as
mind seeking
nuisance, but as the expression of a
Children of this age are not able to follow long explanations, so we do not give him a long explanation of the world, but a globe. Usually people give too information.
A
exhaustive explanations.
The
the leaves were green.
why
intelligent his child
asked
child
his father
once
father thought
how
was, so he gave a long explanation
chloroplasm and chlorophyll and of the blue rays of the sun, etc. Presently he heard the child mumbling and of
listened
want
;
to
the child said
know why
" :
Oh, why did
age
understood
Sometimes
like
:
by
all.
Mamma, where
did
has reasoned to come to lady
this is
;
I
I
all this
!
and questions
imagination
?
"
characteristics of this
"
ask Papa
the leaves are green, not
about chlorophyll and the sun Play,
I
known by
the
all
this question.
three
and mis-
questions are
come from
who guessed beforehand
are
difficult
"
but the child
?
An
intellectual
would ask him the truth
that her child
question one day, determined to tell and when the child asked her the question at four years " of age, she said: The child, I made you'*.
this
My
answer was quick and short and the ately quiet.
child
After a year or so she told
now
was immedihim " am :
I
and when she went into the Nursing Home, she said she would come back with the child she had made. When she arrived back, she " Here is your little brother I made him as I said
making another
:
child
",
;
274
THE ABSORBENT MIND made you
By
".
"
this
time the child
was
six years old,
me really how we come into the world ? I'm big now why don't you tell me truth ? When you told me last time you were
so he said
:
Why
don't
you
tell
;
making a
Even
child,
telling
I
watched you, and you did nothing/*
the truth
is
not as easy as
needs a special wisdom on the part parents to
know how
it
seems, so
of teachers
it
and
to help this imagination.
The it
is
teacher requires a special preparation, because In no point on not our logic that solves problems.
which we have touched, does our logic help, we have to know the child's development and to shed our preGreat tact and delicacy is necessary the care of the mind of a child from three to six years,
conceived ideas. for
and an
adult can have very
of
Fortunately the child takes more from the environment than from the
We
little
it.
must know the psychology and serve him where we can.
teacher.
275
of the child
CHAPTER XIX
CHARACTER AND ITS DEFECTS YOUNG CHILDREN THE
was one of it was one
education of character
items in old pedagogy
;
the
IN
most important
of its
main aims.
At the same time no clear definition of what is character was given, nor of the way to educate it. Old pedagogy only said that mental education is not sufficient, praccharacter is needed, but tical education is not sufficient ;
an unknown quantity have some intuition of it, it is
X
.
for
the realization of the value of
These old educationists
what they really mean is man, but when you go to
these values, there also they are not clear. other things in education,
it is
vague.
certain things, such as the virtues
certainty of
one's
what
neighbours.
is
many
given to
courage, constancy, one ought to do, moral relations with In
:
the question of character moral
education plays a part. All over the world
me
Value
Like
we
It
seems to
a
different point of view,
find the
that this question
same vague
must be looked
and instead
ideas.
at
of speaking
from
about
276
THE ABSORBENT MIND we
ought to speak of the
the character, the
development of the
the education of the character of
construction
character in
and through the
demonstration of
A
effort of the individual.
this active creation of the character,
not
was shown by the children in my first school. Let me illustrate some points of this construction, which give a new idea to education. From the point of view of life, we could consider its
education from outside,
everything about character as behaviour in man.
have mentioned
before, the
life
we
deal in this book), 6
period form
12
two sub-phases.
In
last
I
of the individual from
18 years can be divided into three periods
(with which
As
6 years
:
12 years
and the
each again divided into considering each of these groups, 18 years
;
the type of mentality which each represents
is
so different
that they might appear to belong to different people.
As we have creation
it
;
is
seen, the
first
period
is
a period of
here that the roots of character are to
be found, although when the child is born he has no 6 years is therefore the The period from character.
most important part
of
life
regarding character too, since
Everyone has recognized that at this age the child cannot be influenced by outside example and pressure, so it must be nature herself that lays the
here
it
is
formed.
The
age has no understanding of or interest in what is good or bad he This is recognized, lives outside our moral vision of life. foundation of the character.
child
at this
;
because
277
we do
not call the child of this age evil or bad*
THE ABSORBENT MIND but naughty, indicating that this behaviour
We
book because those terms have a
morality in this
meaning
infantile.
not speak of evil and good or of
therefore,
shall,
is
at this age.
mention
I
this,
different
because people ask
kinds of questions as to the use of the good example of forefathers, of patriotism, etc. They are important, but
all
they do not concern (6
2 years)
1
of the
lies
age
in
;
the second period
the beginning in the child's consciousness of
problem
this
good and
evil,
own
not only in his
and among, other people too. The question good and evil comes into the light of consciousness as
actions, but in, of
a special characteristic of this age the moral conscience later it leads to social conscience. begins to form itself :
;
In the third period (12
patriotism, of belonging to
the group.
mention
I
this
not belong to the age of I
mentioned above
each period
is
comes the feeling a group and of the honour
18 years)
now
to
make
clear that
it
of of
does
6 years. that,
although the character of
so different that
it
seems
to belong to
different people,
yet each period lays the foundation for
the next period.
In order to develop normally in the
second period, one must have lived well period.
It
is
like the caterpillar
are so different to look at
and so
and the
in
the
butterfly
first
which
different in their habits
;
yet the fineness of the butterfly is attained by the true life of the caterpillar it was before, and not by imitating the
example
of another butterfly.
future one must attend
In order
to the present.
to
construct the
The more
fully
one
THE ABSORBENT MIND period is lived as regards the next period will be.
its
needs, the
more successful
Life begins at the conception of the individual
If
brought about by two pure beings, not by alcoholics or drug-addicts, etc., then the resulting indi-
conception
is
vidual will be free from certain hereditary taxations on
The
life.
right
For the
the conception.
of the
development
embryo depends on
rest the child
but only by the environment, If the environment mother.
A
i.e.
is
can be influenced,
during gestation, by the
favourable, the result
is
a
worth considering is that this conception and gestation have an influence on the nervous system of the child (that is the reason why, if
strong healthy being.
fact
a shock or accident happens, he may become an idiot), so what happens after birth is due largely to the period of gestation.
conception,
The
important thing in life then birth. gestation,
first
then
mentioned the shock rise
to regressions
serious, illness
;
at
birth
and
is
therefore
We
have
that this might give
these characteristics of regression are
but not so serious as alcoholism or hereditary (as epilepsy, etc.).
This shows us
that, as
we go
on, the danger of the obstacles grows less and less, but the characteristics are always of a psychic kind. They influence the individual either in the direction of regression or in that of independence.
After birth
come
the three important years
which
we
During these two or three years, there are influences that can alter the child and alter
have already studied.
279
THE ABSORBENT MIND character
his
in
some shock
or
cholic child.
The
after-life,
the
if
e.g.
child
has had
met too great obstacles during this time, phobias may develop or we may have a timid or melancharacter, therefore, develops in relation
to obstacles or freedom from obstacles during this period. If
during
conception,
gestation, birth
and
this
period
the child has been treated scientifically, then at the age of three years the child should be
This ideal of perfection
never
a
model
individual.
fully attained as,
amongst other reasons, during these developments the child has met with many accidents. At three years we meet with one or
fifty
or a million children with different characteristics.
We have and
is
so
many
different results of different experiences
these different characteristics are of different import-
ance according to the seriousness of the experience. If the characteristics are due to difficulties after birth, they are less serious than those of the period of gestation,
and
these in their turn are less serious than those of concepIf they are due to the post-natal age, they can be tion.
cured between 3 and 6 years, because then perfection-
ment is attained and defects are adjusted. If, however, the defects are due to shock at birth or earlier, then they are very difficult to correct. So there are certain imperfections that
may
perfectionment of
post-natal
paralysis, etc.,
appear, but there
and life
the is
which
cured by any help
erasure
possible,
may even
we can
give.
an active period
is
of
but
certain idiocy,
of
defects epilepsy,
be hereditary cannot be It is
interesting to
know 280
THE ABSORBENT MIND that if
all
but these organic
these
difficulties
can be cured, but
developed from
defects,
3
years,
are not
now by
treatment at the age of 3 6 years, they will not only remain, but will be increased by the
corrected
wrong treatment during the period from 3 6 years. Then, by the age of 6 years, there may be a child with the defects of the period from
and with from 3 influence
the
newly acquired 6 as well. These
3 years strengthened,
difficulties of the
in their
sub-phase
turn will
have an
over the second period and the development
good and evil. All these defects have a reflection on the mental and on intelligence. Children are less able to learn
of the conscience of
life if
they have not met with good conditions of develop-
ment
in
the previous period.
age, therefore,
child of six years of
an accumulation
of characteristics that
not be really
his,
circumstances.
If
but are acquired under the influence a child has been neglected from
may
not have the moral conscience that
may of
is
A
3 to 6 years, he
develops from 7 to normal intelligence.
1
2 years or he then have
We
moral character and no
may
not have the
a child with no
more troubles a man with scars due to the ability
to learn,
added, and he is difficulties he has gone through. are
In our schools (and in
we keep
many
modern
a record of the biological details of
in order to see
how
to treat the child.
troubles of the different periods,
281
other
we can
If
schools)
each child
we know
the
orient ourselves
THE ABSORBENT MIND how
as to
ask the parents
therefore
we
and how
serious they are
if
there
is
hereditary illness,
enquire after the age of the parents at the birth of the
make
child,
tactful enquiries as to the mother's life during
the period of gestation, whether she if
We
to treat them.
had
Then,
falls, etc.
the birth has been a normal one, whether the
baby was
well or suffered from asphyxia. There are the questions regarding the home life of the child, if parents have been
severe
or
the
if
child
has had shocks.
If
we have
problem-children or naughtly children, we try to find a reason for it in the life the child has led previously to that time. When they come to us at three years, almost all of
them
curable.
show
We
strange
can
characteristics,
consider the
briefly
but they familiar
are
types
of these deviations.
All these manifestations which are faulty
and not
what is usually called character. All children are different and the general idea is that each child must have a different treatment to cure his normal, enter the
defects,
we
but
field of
distinguish
two main groups
of faulty
one belongs to the strong children who and overcome obstacles and the other group to the
characteristics, fight
weaker ones who succumb
to adverse conditions.
Defects of the Strong Children Violent tantrums, anger, acts of rebellion and aggression.
One
of the
and another
is
most common features
destructiveness.
Then
is
disobedience
there
is
the desire
282
THE ABSORBENT MIND for
possessions
we have
so
;
latter
not manifesting
have
what
common
itself
other children
in children)
to co-ordinate the
and envy (the but by trying to
selfishness
passively,
Inconstancy (very
have).
incapability of attention
;
movements
of the
inability
;
hands so that they
drop and break things a disorderly mind and strong imagination. Also they frequently shout, shriek and make ;
loud noises
and
;
they interrupt and they tease and torment
often are cruel to the
weak and
to animals.
These are a few
quently too they are gluttons.
Fre-
of their
troubles.
Defects of the
Weak Children
and have negative defects such as sloth, inertia, crying for things and wanting people to do things for them they want to be amused, are easily bored. They have a fear of everything and
These are
of
a
passive type
;
Then
cling to adults.
too they have the fault of lying (a
passive form of defence) and of stealing (a passive form of grabbing other's possessions,)
There are
and many more.
certain physical characteristics
concomitant with these
difficulties
;
i.e.,
which are
these physical
defects have a psychic origin, but are confused with real
physical illnesses.
and due there
which
283
of appetite
loss
to
One
gluttony
are
;
;
of these
is
the refusal of food
the contrary defect
is
indigestion
both are of a psychic origin.
nightmares,
fear of the dark,
Then
agitated sleep
in their turn affect the physical health
and then
THE ABSORBENT MIND anaemia
forms of anaemia and liver
Certain
results.
trouble are due to psychic facts.
There are neuroses
All these have a psychic origin, as
too.
shown because no
is
medicine can cure them. All
these
what
characteristics enter into
moral problems and behaviour.
Many
is
called
of these children
felt
as a blessing in
the family, the parents try to get rid of
them and hand
(especially the strong type) are not
them over
with their parents
body. ness.
and they become orphans
to nurses or schools
are
They
living.
This leads to the depression of
They to
solve
their
own
life
with a healthy called naughti-
want to know Some ask questions, some try to
are problems
do with them.
what
ill
and
their parents
Some adopt
problems.
severity con-
you stop them at once, they will be cured, these defects checked as soon as they appear will not vinced that
if
means are used slapping, bed to without food, but it is scolding, sending them found that they become more ferocious and bad, or develop the passive equivalent of the same defect. Then the persuasive line is tried, we will reason with them " and their affection is exploited Why do you hurt Mummie," or one washes one's hands of the whole thing, and leaves them alone. Discussions start " My sister's " children do what they like and see what they are develop, they think.
All
:
:
:
!
"
What about your who beats them ". they are
"
children "
>
And
Oh,
are they "
just like their father
"
I
tell
good
?
their father, " "
Oh, no,
!
284
THE ABSORBENT MIND Then
who
there are the people
leave their children
These children usually belong to the passive type, they do nothing, and the mother thinks her boy good and obedient, and when he clings to her, she says
alone.
how much he
much that he will not go to sleep without her. But somehow she finds he is slow and retarded in speech and he is too weak to "
walk.
He
loves her
is
of everything
him
He
want
doesn't
because
I
so sensitive, he
is
have
to
to eat either tell
him
he must be a saint or a poet
eat,
thinks he
is
and the doctor
ill
These psychic
cine.
he loves her so
healthy, but he
!
spiritual child
;
illnesses
is
he
;
stories to " !
afraid is
a
make
Finally she
called to give medi-
is
make
a fortune for the
child's doctor.
All these problems can be understood if
we know
the
of
construction
the
cycles
of
the
of
activity
personality
;
and solved
necessary if
we
for
realize
men and see the actions of own experiences. We know
the children's need to hear
men and that
carry out their these troubles are due to faulty treatment in the
all
they have been startled mentally, their mind is empty because they had no means of constructing This starved mind (of which psychology takes much it. earlier
period
notice
now)
;
another cause
by
285
is
main cause
of
these
defects
and
the lack of spontaneous activity guided
the constructive impulses of the child which
studied.
the
the
is
we have
Hardly any children have been able to find
conditions
necessary for
full
development.
They
THE ABSORBENT MIND have been isolated from people, made time the adults have done everything
to sleep all the
them
for
they have not been able to complete cycles of activity without They have not been able to observe interruption. ;
;
because when they handled them, they were taken away seeing them only and unable to handle
objects,
;
them,
made them want
when they
to possess them, so
did get hold of a flower or an insect they pulled them And the apart, not knowing what to do with them. passive child has developed inertia instead. Fear also is traceable to the early period. the
little
child
If,
when
down all the stairs, the adults had all him and made a fuss (as they usually do) fell
rushed to help he would have felt fear instead of laughing.
Our
actions
are often the cause of fear in children.
One was
of the facts that
made
our schools remarkable
the disappearance of these defects.
It
was due
to
one thing the children could carry out their experiences on the environment, and these exercises were nourish:
ment
to the
mind
disappeared.
;
that
Round
is
why
all
these
common
defects
the interest in their activity they
repeated exercises and passed from one period of conWhen the child has reached this centration to another. stage
and
interest,
orderly,
is
able to concentrate and work round an
defects
disappear
the passive active
;
the
and the
disorderly disturber
become becomes
a helper. This is a marvellous fact and the disappearance of these defects made us understand that they were
286
THE ABSORBENT MIND not
acquired,
real
Children were not
characteristics.
and another was disobedient. All the troubles came from the same cause the children had lacked the necessary means for psychic life.
different in that
one told
lies
:
So what advice can one give to mothers ? To tell them to give their children work and interesting occupanot to help them unnecessarily, and not to tions ;
interrupt
they have started any intelligent action. medicine do not help at all. severity,
them
Sweetness,
if
Children are suffering from mental starvation. is
suffering
stupid
or
from physical starvation, hit
him
would do no good with
this
sentimentalize
or ;
anyone we do not call him
what he needs
question too
;
If
over him is
;
So
to eat.
that it is
neither harshness nor sweetness
problem. Man is by nature an intellectual creature and he needs mental food almost more than will solve the
physical food.
own
Unlike animals, he must construct his
behaviour and
life
is
life
for this
on the road where he can construct which life has been given to him,
need.
So
if
he
is
the behaviour for all
will
be well.
Physical illness disappears, nightmares disappear, digestion is
normal without gluttony.
the psyche
This
is
normal.
is
not a
He becomes
question of
normal, because
moral education, but
Lack of character, regards the development of character. faulty character disappear without the need of preaching or
of
an example by the
promises are necessary, but
287
adult.
Neither threats nor
just conditions of life.
CHAPTER XX
A SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE CHILD
:
NORMALIZATION ALL when
tracing the
are
children,
we
described in the last chapter behaviour of the strong and weak
the characteristics
not considered evil
by general opinion Those children who ;
some are considered good traits. showed a passive character and were attached Other
mother are considered good.
traits still
to their
are con-
children who are always sidered as signs of superiority bustling about, are extremely healthy and have vivid ;
imaginations are
all
considered superior.
They
usually
pass from one thing to another, but the parents think
they are bright children.
So we might say children 1
:
Those whose
.
traits
need
to
be corrected
;
Those who are good (passive) and serve as
2.
models
the world considers three types of
;
Those who are considered superior. The two latter types are considered desirable and 3.
the parents are proud of such children
;
even when (as
288
THE ABSORBENT MIND with the last type) they feel a certain discomfort they are near, they still speak proudly of them. I
this
have
insisted
classification,
on
this
point
and drawn
when
attention to
as these features have been noticed
during the centuries, and no other characteristics have been noticed but these. Yet what I have seen in my first
and
school,
in others, is that all these characteristics
disappeared at once, as soon as a child became interested in
work
So-called
that attracted his attention.
bad
traits,
good and the so-called superior, all disappeared and only one type of child appeared with none of the traits I have described. This means that the world hitherto has not been able to measure good or bad or what we considered so, was not really so. It superior
the so-called
;
me
of
except you,
O
reminds
"
a mystical saying Lord all the rest
:
is
;
Nothing
is
erroneous."
right
The
children of our schools revealed that the real aim of
children
was constancy
at
work, and
this
all
had never been
Neither had spontaneity in the choice of work, without the guide of a teacher, ever been seen The children, following some inner guide, occubefore.
seen before.
pied themselves in work (different
them calm
serenity
and
joy,
for
each) that gave
and then something
had never yet appeared
else
a group of
appeared that a spontaneous discipline. This struck people children even more than the explosion into writing. This discipline in freedom seemed to solve a problem which had in
:
been
insoluble.
289 19
The
solution
was
:
to obtain discipline,
THE ABSORBENT MIND These children going about seeking
give freedom.
work
for
freedom, each concentrated in a different type of work, yet as a whole group presented the appearance in
We
of perfect discipline.
shall return to this question of
the real nature of the children that finally obtained, but
meanwhile we
will describe the
change which took place
in the children.
All children,
if
show
ordered activity,
an environment allowing
in
placed this
new appearance,
so there
one psychic type common to all humanity, which hitherto had remained hidden under the cloak of other
is
This change that came over them appear as of one uniform
apparent characteristics.
made come gradually,
our children and
type, did not came when the child
so that
if
was
;
we
did not urge him to merely facilitated contact with the means of
there
We
work.
was a
It always but suddenly. concentrated in one activity
lazy child,
development in the prepared environment. As soon as he found work all his trouble disappeared at once. It is not reasoning with the children that will do good
something within themselves that
The human construction)
hand that
is
traits
appear.
when
the
is
I recognized guiding it. the mind and hand are not united, there is no
unity in the individuality ficial
work.
a unity and constructs a unity,
is
it is
individual (especially in the period of
working and the mind
when
sets to
;
of
'
badness
and
it is
then that these super'
4
goodness
*,
This conclusion
is
and
the result of
my
f
4
superiority
observations
290
FIG. 13
Normal and deviated
features of the child's character
THE ABSORBENT MIND of children, is
new
the
it
is
certainly
no a
came
point which
This
idea of mine.
priori
and which
to light
is
per-
haps most difficult to understand, probably because we live in a world of virtues and defects (which are rewarded or punished)
and among
children
who have always shown
had no opportunity not necessary to have an
the traits outlined above, because they to express anything else.
It is
and mentor
adult as a guide
to conduct, but
to give the child opportunities of
it is
essential
work which have been
denied to him heretofore.
The passage from is
the superficial to the normal traits
always through a function, through
hand and mind see
the
all
together.
intelligent activity of
In figure
1
3
on one side we
characteristics of children
different
them, represented by lines raying out. The middle thick perpendicular are innumerable.
They
symbolizes concentration on one point
of normality.
then
we
know
usually
line
as
all
When
the lines
;
it is
the line
the children are able to concentrate,
on the
right of this
middle
line
disappear
and only one type is seen revealing characteristics represented by the lines on the left. The loss of all the superficial characteristics is not achieved by an adult, but by the child passing along the main line of functioning with his whole personality I
in
shall
some
now
give
world to take 291
my
then normality
some examples
schools after the
unusual conditions.
;
first
is
achieved.
what appeared school which had such of
People came from all parts of the Courses and then went back to their
THE ABSORBENT MIND own
countries
and
Most who have more
started schools there.
schools were for rich children,
because they have
much
of these defects,,
chance of normal function-
less
having so many servants. The first letters I received from these students were letters of dismay ; records of tremendous disorder, and they described in ing,
detail all the usual defects, e.g.
One
1 .
child used material as
if it
were a
train or
an
aeroplane, etc. he joked and talked loudly and molested other children (the old superior type).
Another child was snobbish and superior towards the apparatus and was lazy. A little one was attached to his brother, took
2.
3.
exactly
what
his brother took,
and when
his
brother got up, he got up too, etc.
Other children were almost pathological cases, e.g. afraid to touch water, etc., and one about
4.
3^ did not speak
at
all.
A collection of children like these, a confusion
for the
teacher too.
all
One
together,
said that they
threw the material on the ground and danced on teachers
who expected
heaven were
little
made
angels to drop
it.
The
down from
therefore bitterly disappointed.
some months the tone of the letters began to change. The transformation which we call 'normalization had occurred. Teachers who had no connection After '
with each other (some were
Rome,
in France, in
in
New
America, or
in
Zealand, others in England) all wrote
292
THE ABSORBENT MIND "
such and such a child has found some the same thing work and he has changed himself/' The child who :
followed his brother everywhere, one day took the pink
tower by himself and
his attention
When
went
his elder brother
became
on
fixed
into another room, the
it.
little
one did not follow him, so that the big brother had such a shock that he said in an almost offended tone " What is :
this ?
You
are doing the pink tower
when
I
am
"
drawing
room ? The little one had found his own value and no longer needed the moral support of his in
the other
brother.
Another child would not come to school or
stay in school without his mother she would put herself in a corner and say she would stay and if she tried to ;
slip
away, the
child
would immediately
cry.
One day
the child became interested in washing a table the mother thought this was a good opportunity to slip away, ;
but she hesitated to do so without some intimation to the child
lest
he should scream
later
not there. She, therefore, said to him, little
one
" said,
All right,
goodbye
when he found her am going ". The
"
I
Mummie ", and
never
needed her any more either to stay in school or to accompany him to school The children who had been attached
and
had not had freedom for independence, so they were unable to do anything alone. Someone always had to function for them. As soon as both became interested in work and the mind guided the hand, they found their own independence and functioned to their mother
for themselves.
293
brother,
THE ABSORBENT MIND The romping child who used the and aeroplanes became interested in insets fitted
material as trains the
geometrical
he went round the shapes and the frames and them in with his eyes shut. At once his wild fancies ;
"
"This is an engine Instead of saying disappeared. 44 This is an aeroplane/' etc., he said: "This is a :
trapezium to reality
"
an octagon," etc. He was attached now, not to fantasy and his hands which had ",
This
is
;
previously dropped everything, finite,
f
precise
and
now became
careful in their
calm and serious with
all
He became
work.
the material.
these things, one might say that this
very de-
If
one examines
little
fellow, living
a world of fantasy, had had nothing of real value to occupy his attention, so he occupied himself with what
in
he found around him
;
neither
had
his
hands had any
opportunity to hold anything for any real purpose. When the mind, which had been running about in fantasy apart from the hands which had nothing to do, became a guide for
the hands which were doing something real, there
suddenly came a united individuality and the in its turn was now nourishing the mind.
The
child
who had a
fear of water,
real
work
especially of
pouring water (and had probably been scolded with some violence for playing with water) became interested in the baric sense tablets at last.
She was very happy and she did some other work;
when she had finished that, Then she suddenly realized that she was no longer afraid of pouring water and she was so happy that seeing ;
294
THE ABSORBENT MIND some to
children using water colours, she immediately their
all
fill
little
task as a special
One
We
tired.
though
her
in
earlier
for herself.
had a
child
trait
not sitting down,
of
to find out
tried
to
life
with fresh water and took that
jars
one
went
account
for
what had happened
The down
this peculiarity.
mother said she had never scolded her
and then the
even
for sitting
remembered an incident which happened when the child was about one and a half years of age. She had a new dress and she went to sit on a newly painted stool, and the mother said suddenly "Be careful don't sit on that there now " This was the cause of the you have made a mess fear of sitting, and the question was how to cure her. " I said Take no notice of her let her find her own at
any
time,
:
father
!
!
!
:
interest ".
;
After a time she
work and repeated to continue she
became
the activity
full
"
"
unconsciously
interested in
of interest.
drew a
some
Wanting
chair to herself
From that moment she lost her fear of The child of 3 years who did not talk, was sitting down. examined by a doctor there was nothing organically wrong which would prevent her from talking. She was and
sat
down.
;
given electric treatment, but that did not help. She spent some time in school wandering about, doing nothing and
At last she became interested saying nothing of course. in some work and we could see her face light up. When she had finished, she ran to the teacher and said
and see what 295
I
have done
!
",
her
first
words.
" :
Come
THE ABSORBENT MIND Also digestive trouble, nightmares and other things
home
disappeared and at
One
child
work
in
always afraid
at school,
became calmer. became interested
too the children of the dark,
and one evening
at
home, when her
mother needed something from a dark outhouse, she said "Til go and fetch it Mummie ". She was no :
longer afraid of the dark.
So too
the over-obedient, passive children changed,
and the over-obedience disappeared through
the passivity
concentrated spontaneous activity.
We menon. so
we
must repeat that It
was not a sporadic pheno-
in our schools all over the world,
realized that this type of calm, serene, unafraid
was
child
happened
this
the real, normal child
and showed the
behaviour and character of childhood.
wards
I
fully
that the child
viz.,
been the
that
pears,
are
do
was only
this actually
after-
meant,
must construct himself, as we have in
expounding conditions
understood what
It
real
this
not
and
our other books.
allow
this,
If
normality disap-
but once the conditions for building the psyche
there,
the
normal type
appears.
We
therefore
called the type that developed in our schools
4
normal-
and the others deviated children. One oi and most interesting factors was the extra-
ized' children the greatest
ordinary discipline of normalized children, each occupiec in the work of his choice. The newspapers said " II :
is
marvellous
who
visited
if it
is true,
but
it
is
incredible
".
these schools tried to find out
Everyone
what
tricl
29(
THE ABSORBENT MIND I
used, they were sure
was my I
said
must be a
Some
trick.
said
it
personal hypnotism that produced the result, but "
This happened in New York and I was in Others thought that the children had been pre-
:
;
ff
Rome
it
.
pared before by the teacher or that she used her eyes
some way
to express approval or disapproval, but
would have gone through all this trouble thing that had not been seen before ?
A
to prove
in
who
some-
occasion which also demonstrated the
public
genuineness of these phenomena was at the World Fair in San Francisco, at the time of the opening of the
Panama been
Among
Canal.
built
the
educational exhibits had
a small Montessori classroom with glass walls
so that the public could watch from outside without Helen Parkhurst, the disturbing the children at work. *
was then the teacher. The door was locked at night and the key left with a caretaker. One day the caretaker had an later
of
orginator
the
Dalton Plan
',
accident and did not turn up, so the people were outside waiting and also the children with their teacher. The " teacher said can't get in today to work ", but one
We
:
4
Basically society is not founded upon liking, but on a combination of which
activities
must harmonize
children's experience
This
patience.
another social virtue is
patience
is
these
By
together.
developed
:
a sort of abnegation of
Thus the features of the character we call come by themselves. One cannot teach this type
impulses. virtues
of morality to children of three years, but experience can.
As in
other
the outside world children
In
relief.
this
was not achieved by environments, this was thrown
normalization
the children into
were snatching
this
sort
at
"
How People said of discipline in such small
age, but our children waited.
could you obtain
greater
:
"
was a question of a prepared environment and freedom within it, and thus certain qualities came
children ?
It
out which usually do not appear in children from three to
six
years,
30 years
The social
neither
direction
adults
of
25 to
!
interference of the adult in this adjustment of
almost always wrong. E.g., two walk on the line, one mistakes the
behaviour
children
much between
may and
it
is
looks
like
an unavoidable head-on 328
THE ABSORBENT MIND The
collision.
one
of the children
own
would have the impulse
adult
round, but the children solve their
problem and they solve
same way, but always
the
it
every time, not always in
and
arise continuously
many They
the children find great pleasure in
solving these problems.
If
the adults
children get nervous, but
them
solve
There are
satisfactorily.
of a similar kind in other fields of activity.
problems
the
to turn
This
peacefully.
experience and
if
is
step in to adjust,
they are
also
left
alone they
an exercise
of social
these problems are solved peacefully,
if
continuous experience of social situations which could not be given by the teacher. Generally if a teacher interferes, she has an idea quite different from that of there
the
is
and
children
class.
there
If
disturbs
own
leave
the
children
Through
all
these
construction takes place.
patience in
the
and
first
resist this
interferes.
days
of
impulse,
several people did of doing that
I
it
had a
impulse to interfere
329
of
the
should, but for
we
and mind are
able
problems and the behaviour of childhood, solve
these
which the adult does not know
of the real behaviour all.
we
the children alone
observe a manifestation of
at
harmony
because in so doing
business,
how
see
to
social
such a problem,
is
exceptional cases,
our
the
daily
experiences
a social
Generally the teacher has no In fact, this is so instinctive that
my
work, as the teachers could not said "Tie yourself to a post'* and :
materially.
Other teachers instead
and every time they had an and someone (or they themselves) rosary,
THE ABSORBENT MIND checked
moved a bead.
they
it,
They always found it and they could count how many
wiser not to .interfere
times they refrained from doing so.
Ordinary educators do not understand our work social for
life
the
of
subjects
They say
"
social
lems, behave of social
life
curriculum, but not for social
But what
life ?
someone
else but this
in
ordinary
life
social
or
to
is
but to solve prob-
life
suit all ?
They
a teacher
listening to
not social
life
at
think
In fact
all.
experiences are limited to the occasional excursions, whilst our
social
*
interval
is
life.
work by themselves where
and make plans to as sitting together and
or
*
Montessori schools cater
that
the children
If
:
" is
think
they
;
for
the
and work
a community all the time. Differences of character are revealed and different
children live
in
when
experiences are possible of children in a class.
the children are few. of children
there
They do
is
a great
number
not take place
when
Indeed the greatest perfectionment
takes place through these social experiences.
now
some consideration to the constituIt was brought about by tion of this society of children. chance, but by a wise chance. Those children who Let us
give
found themselves together
in
a closed environment were
of different ages (from 3 to 6 years).
Usually
this is
not
found in schools, unless the older children are mentally dull.
Children
a few schools
The
are
we
usually classified
by
age, only in
find this vertical grouping in
children themselves,
however,
made
one
us
class.
see
the
330
THE ABSORBENT MIND trying to give culture to children of the
difficulty of
A
mother age and capacity. her household runs smoothly.
may have some
If
same
six children,
but
of those children
are twins, triplets or quadruplets, then difficulties begin,
because
it
children
all
needing the same
six children
mother
of
with
different
only
The
difficult.
mother
to deal with four
thing.
The mother
fatiguing for the
is
real
ages
one
One
children.
Families
child, but
not with later children
often
find
greater experience, but
child
not that he
no society and he
that he has
their
better off too than the
is
child.
difficulty is
suffers
is
always
is
petted, but
more than other
difficulty
it is
with
with the
first
they think it is due to really because the child ;
has society. is
Society that is
compose
it.
interesting because of the different types
An
Old Men's
the most deadly thing.
It
cruel thing to put people of the
one
of the
most cruel things
the thread of social
life,
is
is
Home
Old Women's
a most unnatural and
same age
we do
there
In most schools there
life.
or
together.
to children
;
no nourishment
is first
it
It is
breaks
for social
the separation of the
sexes and then that of the ages, separated into classes. This is a fundamental error leading to all sorts of mis-
takes the
;
it
social
is
an
which cannot develop generally have co-education
artificial isolation
sense.
We
Really co-education is not so important, boys and girls could have different schools, but there should be children of different ages in the classes. for
331
small children.
THE ABSORBENT MIND Our
shown
schools have
that children of different ages
help each other, the small one sees what the elder one
does and asks about planation. This
it,
and the older one
gives an ex-
really teaching, but the explanation
is
teaching of a child of five years
is
and
so near to the under-
standing of the child of three years that the little one understands easily, whereas we should not reach his
a sort of harmony and interchange of ideas between them which is not possible between an
intelligence.
adult
and a
There
is
We can see
child so small.
pare it with adult society. a talk to illiterates and the anything, so
work with
if
we com-
A university professor gives cannot understand
latter
ask them to help in the
not wise to
is
it
this
They do
not easily find the means, the level should not be so far distant. That is why adult
education sity
in
fessors
illiterates.
is
so
difficult.
Rome was wanted
When
founded,
to help.
the
all
One
first
Popular Univer-
the big University pro-
of
them
tried
hygiene to these poor ill-educated people. was plague and he showed pictures of the
audience asked
" :
What
"
are bacilli
The
subject
bacilli.
He
?
teach
to
The
answered
:
44
You see them on this slide." Then he was asked " What is a slide ? and he answered " It is a slip of The next glass which you put under a microscope ". " " What is a microscope ? etc., etc. So question was :
41
:
:
the professor gave up the chair in the Popular University. In the problem of educating the masses one should not
go
to
the great professors, but to people of goodwill
332
THE ABSORBENT MIND and basic knowledge who can transmit
in
it
simple
language.
We
teachers are incapable of making a child of three
years understand
many things,
make him understand
;
there
but a child of is
years can
five
a natural mental osmosis
between them. Also the child of 3 years can become interested in what the child of 5 years does because it is not so very different from the possibilities of the child of 3 years. All the older children become heroes and teachers
The
and
all
the smaller ones are great
admirers.
small ones go to the older ones for inspiration and
then work by themselves. there are children of the
In
ordinary schools where
same age
it is
true that those
with more ability could teach the others, but the teacher does not usually allow it. They merely ask to give the correct answers when others cannot and so envy arises.
With younger children there is no envy, they are not humiliated by being taught by an older one, because they know they are smaller and feel that when they are big they can do the same. There is love and admiration, real
In the old schools the only
brotherhood.
way
to
reach a higher level is by competition, which means envy, hate, humiliation and all things depressive to life and anti-social.
gathers
The
intelligent
power over
others,
child
becomes
whereas the child
the child of three feels himself a protector.
vain
and
of five with
It is difficult
to
imagine how much this atmosphere of protection and the class admiration increases and deepens in its action :
333
THE ABSORBENT MIND becomes a group cemented by affection. The children come to know each others character and appreciate each In ordinary schools they merely
other.
fellow got the
first
prize,
that other fellow
Brotherhood cannot develop this
is
know
got
in these conditions
the age of construction for social
"That
:
and
zero/'
and yet
anti-social
according to the environment it starts at this age. People become worried whether the five years old
qualities,
;
will acquire sufficient
ones.
younger
In
knowledge the
first
if
he
place,
teaching, he has his freedom and from that, in teaching he fixes
it is
is
always teaching
he
not
always
respected.
Apart
his
is
own knowledge,
because he has to analyse and re-handle it in order to to teach, so he sees it with greater clarity. The older child also
is
The
benefited
by
this
exchange.
class of children from three to six years of age
not rigidly separated from that of the seven to nine year old ones either, so the six year old gets his inspiration from the next class. All our walls are only half is
walls
and
another as class.
If
always easy access from one class to the children are free to move from class to
there all
is
the three years old goes to the class of the
seven to nine years old ones he does not stay long, because he sees he cannot get anything that is useful to him.
There are
limitations therefore, but
no separation
and all the groups are in communication. The groups have their own environment, but they are not isolated. There
is
the possibility of an intellectual walk,
A three 334
THE ABSORBENT MIND years old can see a nine years old extracting the square If the answer root, he asks him what he is doing. gives
him no
inspiration he goes
back
own
where there are objects of inspiration, but the six year old would be interested and would find inspiration there. With this freedom one can see the limits of the intelligence of each age.
That
is
to his
how we found
class
that the children of
and nine years understood the extraction of the square root being done (at that time) by children of twelve and fourteen years. Thus he also understood that the child was interested in and capable of algebra at
eight
It is
eight years.
therefore not only the age
to progress, but also the It
is
intellectual
which leads
freedom to move about. height
which
is
important.
In
you find people of all ages, in all history we do not find any instance of a society divided into age
society
groups. there
is
In the ordinary schools divided in age groups
nothing which
is
social despite
all
its
claims.
This intercourse between children of different ages brings harmony and happiness, because the older children find they are real teachers even though they have not been to Teachers' Training Colleges and are not B.T.s. These children Jo teach, whereas, judging by examination apparently qualified teachers do not teach There is animation everywhere and there is no
results,
!
The
smaller
in-
animated, because he Joes understand what the older one does, and
feriority-complex.
the older one
335
is
child
is
animated, because he can teach what he
THE ABSORBENT MIND knows
so there
;
an enhancement
is
of forces, of psychic
forces.
These and other facts show that all these phenomena which seemed so extraordinary were not really so
They were merely
extraordinary.
the result of natural
laws being obeyed. All these energies are thrown cation.
away
in ordinary
edu-
henceforth they are no longer wasted, there
If
It psychic wealth for the new generations. comes without much expenditure few teachers and by tying those few to poles
new
be
will
:
!
and
by studying the behaviour
is
It
their re-actions
freedom that the are
fine
and
each other
to
of these children
atmosphere of
in this
real secret of society is revealed.
delicate facts
that
have
to
They
be examined
with a spiritual microscope, but they are of the utmost interest
nature as
of it
they reveal facts inherent in the very
since of
man.
laboratories
It is this
psychological research, although
observation which
There are great,
we
one
for
schools, therefore, are thought
not really research, but observation that
is
out.
If
These
facts
the
is
is
carried
important.
importance of which
that the children solve their
is
very
own
problems. observe the children without intervening, we notice great fact, w'z., that children do not help each e.g.,
same way as we do. ing heavy objects and no other other in the
or they put
all
the apparatus
We
see children carry-
child goes to help them,
away
after
a complicated
336
THE ABSORBENT MIND exercise
and nobody
They
helps.
and only help when help
is
respect each other
a real necessity.
This
enlightens us greatly, because they evidently have an intuition of,
of
the
child
once a child
on the
floor
and show respect not to
be helped
who had with
all
for,
spread
the
all
He all
need
There was
uselessly.
the geometrical cards
the geometrical insets.
was
music, a procession passing, ran to look except the little fellow with there
essential
all
Suddenly the children
all
the material.
did not go, because he would not dream of leaving the material about like that. It should be put away
and normally nobody would help him, but tears in his eyes, because he too wanted
were
there
to see the
The others realized the emergency and all came back and helped him. Adults do not possess this fine discrimination in determining when to help. They help each A gentleman other frequently when it is not necessary. procession.
will
often (as a matter of
good manners) adjust a
chair
a table to help a young lady to sit down when she is quite capable of sitting down unaided, or take her arm in going downstairs although she is quite capable of walking without his support, but when someone loses at
then nobody helps. When help is needed, nobody helps, when help is not needed all help So here is a point where the adult cannot teach the children, his fortune
!
because he himself does not as
the
children
do.
conscious of the child
337 22
I
know
think still
the right
that
way
as well
probably the sub-
retains the
memory
of his
THE ABSORBENT MIND make
desire
and
need
that
why
instinctively
is
to
maximum
the
and
effort
he does not help others where
help would be a hindrance.
Another
interesting feature
is
the
way
children deal
with a disturber, perhaps a child newly admitted to the He school and not accustomed to the behaviour there. a real problem for the teacher and the " That is very The teacher generally says " You are a This is not nice ", sometimes
and
disturbs children.
is
:
naughty.
:
bad boy
but the reaction of the children
",
is
interesting.
One child approached such a newcomer and said " You are naughty, but don't worry about it, when we came we were as naughty as you ". The naughtiness :
was recognized to console the
and the child was trying naughty one and bring out the real boy. as a misfortune
He
had compassion would be in society
and
we made an
mean compassion a
illness
for
due
to
What
him.
a change there
evoked compassion It would console him.
the evil doer
if
effort
to
him as we have when he has
a psychic unfavourable environment or the
Wrong doing
illness.
physical
for
an
is
often
some such misfortune. It ought to evoke compassion and help, not merely punishment. This would change our social structure for the better.
condition of birth or
With our
children
that falls
down, the
desperate, because it
if
an accident happens, child
who
they do not
e.g.,
has dropped
a vase
it is
like destruction
often
and
also
suggests inferiority, they are incapable of carrying
it
338
THE ABSORBENT MIND The
instinctive reaction of the adult
broken
;
why do you
is
to
touch these things
"
say
:
when
I
See
it is
have
told
"
Or at least they would tell him to you not to do so ? pick up the pieces, because they think the child will take the lesson more seriously if he has to clear up the results But what do the children do ? They all of the accident. run around to help
;
with the the sound of help in their "
little
voices,
they say
and another over the floor. So
pieces
one who
help
consolation
Never mind
And some
another glass."
to
:
and
of
them
We
!
will
can get
pick up the
wipe up the water that has run there is an instinct that attracts them will
weak with encouragement and
is
this
is
an
of social evolution.
instinct
Indeed a great part of our social evolution has come about when society went out to help the weak. All our medical sciences developed on this principle, so that from this instinct has come help not only for those who were the object of compassion, but for the It
not an error to encourage those
is
who
whole
who
of humanity.
are
weak and
and it carries forward the whole of society. Children show these sentiments as soon as they become normalized, not only those
for
are inferior,
each other, but
for
it is
the correct thing
animals too.
Everyone thinks that respect
to animals
has to be
taught, as they think that children tend to cruelty towards
not so, they have an instinct to protect them. had in our school at Kodaikanal a baby-goat. I used
them. This
We
to feed
339
it
is
daily
and held
the food high so that the
little
one
THE ABSORBENT MIND used to
up
rise
to
it
on
its
hind
legs.
I
was
interested
watching the baby-animal do this and it seemed to enjoy it. But one day a little child with a look of anxiety on his face came and held the goat with his two hands in
body, because he thought the baby-animal should not have to depend on only his two hind legs.
under
its
This was a very delicate sentiment. Another manifestation in our schools tion for those
are
who do
is
better than oneself.
not only not envious at
all,
the admira-
The
children
but the achievements of
an enthusiastic admiration and joy. This was what happened in the famous incident of the It was the first written word and explosion into writing. it caused a great joy and laughter and they looked at the writer with admiration and then it suddenly inspired them " " I can do this too The good work of one to write brought the uplift of the whole group. It was the same other children evoke
:
!
with the enthusiasm for the alphabet, so that it happened once that the whole class formed a procession with the
and
as flags,
letters
in glee that
on the
there
was
so
much
joy
and shouting
people came up from downstairs (we were " to see
what
the joy was about. They " are enthusiastic over the alphabet said the teacher. roof)
There
children based in the
there
group. a sort
is
sentiment
an
is
all
evident communication
among
the
on a high sentiment and so there is unity From these instances one realizes that of attraction in an atmosphere of high
when
the children are
normalized.
As
the
340
THE ABSORBENT MIND older ones are attracted to the
little
ones and the
little
ones attracted to the older ones, so the normalized are attracted to the non-normalized (new) children and vice versa.
34!
CHAPTER XXIV
SOCIETY BY COHESION I
WOULD
like
to
relate
another episode out of
memorable experience. One day give a lesson on a subject which attractive.
I
taught the children
thought
I
in
how
itself
to
blow
I
my
would
was hardly their
noses
and they evidently were greatly interested in my lively I demonstrations. showed them how different people blow their noses, some ostentatiously unfolding their handkerchief and making a lot of noise, and on the other hand the well-educated person who does so almost hiding the necessary movements and even with the least What struck me was the serious way perceptible noise. Not one began to in which the children followed me. When I had finished, to my immense surprise, laugh. audience of infants burst out into loud applause. Never had I witnessed such manifestation. Never, as
the
world history had a gathering of small children applauded a speech.
far
as
I
know,
Yet, not at the
in
two or
three children only, but all of
same time clapped with
them
great enthusiasm their
342
THE ABSORBENT MIND small hands which until then had only " worked ". I went out as usual and after having walked along the footpath for a
amazement
little
while
I
saw
turned round and
that all the children
had been
to
my
following me.
They really looked like a swarm of bees, only they moved so silently that had not been aware of them. I
What
a curious situation
!
What would
the passers-by
they had seen a lady walking in the street, followed at some distance by this solid group of forty-
have said five 11
if
turned to them and said calmly run back to school, all of you, but on tiptoe and
tiny children
Now
>
I
:
I gave take care not to knock against the door-post ". this instruction, because I knew that exactitude in actions
has great interest for such young children. they all turned their back on me and ran
As by magic
on tiptoe. When they reached the door they made a wide curve and avoided the corner, Centering through the centre of the door-opening. "
Why
off
Thus they disappeared.
such enthusiasm
"
Perhaps I had happened to touch a social question to which they were very sensitive. In fact all children are generally humiliated
on
account of
I
their
vulgar people call the child
him a
?
"
thought.
dirty
noses. "
a snotty one
In
Italy
instead of
Small children have always dirty noses and the mothers of the people sometimes attach a
calling
child.
handkerchief to the child's dress with a safety-pin, right This evidently they feel as a in front of their body. humiliating
343
sign
of
inferiority.
Perhaps that was the
THE ABSORBENT MIND had given them a lesson instead of showing contempt. Now they had acquired knowledge which redeemed them and raised their personal dignity. My action had somehow been
my
reason of the success of
lesson.
I
similar to that of a popular leader, of tries to raise
the masses
and defends
a revolutionary their
human
who
dignity.
This miniature episode was really surprising, but the main fact was that these children felt and acted as a
They
group.
really
formed a
society of children, united
by a mysterious bond, and acted as one body. This bond was formed by a common sentiment felt by each individual.
Although they were
"
independent individuals ", although they did not depend on one another, they were all moved by the same impulse. to
Such a society seems to be more closely connected the absorbent mind than to consciousness.
The seem
to
lines of construction
be analogous to those
through the microscope cells
has in
building
an its
we have observed which we can follow
which
when we observe
up an organism.
the
work
of the
Evidently also society which can be observed
embryological phase formation among children in course of
initial
development. very interesting to see how, slowly, they seem to become conscious of forming a community which acts It
is
as such.
They seem
to
become aware
of belonging to a
group and of contributing to the activity of that group. They not only begin to be interested in it, but I would
344
THE ABSORBENT MIND almost say that they delve into it with their spirit. When they reach this stage they do not act mechanically any
aim
longer, they tion to the
honour
those primitive
to
call
I
human
"
first
"
comparing wherein the in-
and appreciate the value
group as an aim of each individual's
The us also, influence
step towards
clan spirit
societies
dividuals already love, defend of their
This
of the group.
social consciousness
full it
at success, they give special considera-
activity.
phenomenon amazed because they appeared independently of any of ours. They came forth as facts successively first
manifestations of this
expressing development, just as at a certain age the teeth This association brought are seen to pierce the gums.
about by natural urges, directed by a power within animated by a social spirit, I call Cohesive itself, *
Society
'.
conception by some spontaneous manifestations of children which amazed us very much. I
Let
came
me
to
this
give an example of
them
:
I
knew
that
some come
important visitors from the United States were to and see the school the next day. I, however, could not Before going away I possibly be there to receive them. told the children as a matter of confidence
some people I would be
are
coming to see the school.
" :
To-morrow
How
happy
"
This is the school with the they said I uttered this sentence nicest children in the world/' if
:
without any afterthought, almost involuntarily, and did not think it would have the slightest consequence.
345
THE ABSORBENT MIND When
came back
I
to the school another
the teacher quite excited, she " to
You
me.
one
was
full
politely.
I
found
she spoke
should have seen these children
They greeted the visitors very moved to see how each of them them
when
in tears
them worked and they were
of
day
Every
!
of enthusiasm. I
did his best.
was really Whoever
must have been the holy Angels They evidently felt the honour of their clan and acted in a way even more impressive than directed
themselves
when
?
It
"
!
they only obeyed their vital urges.
been capable
of feeling
something beyond
They had their
indi-
vidual needs. Similar experiences were often repeated. When the Ambassador of the Argentine wished to see this famous
school where children of only four
and
five
years old
worked on their own, read and wrote spontaneously and behaved with discipline not imposed by the authority of
was
the teacher, he
really very incredulous.
Instead of
he wished to pay a surprise-call. Unfortunately he came just on a holiday and the school was closed. This school was the Casa dei Bambini
announcing
his visit
*
*
established in the block of flats
A
with their families. court-yard
when
his expressions of
that he
was a
that the school
are
all
at
the
small child happened to be in the
Ambassador came along and heard
The
disappointment.
visitor is
where the children lived
and
told
him
" :
It
child understood
does not matter
closed, the janitor has the keys
home/*
The door was opened and
and we all
the
346
THE ABSORBENT MIND came
children
to
their
class
and began to work. They to do well for the honour of
a kind of responsibility their clan. Nobody received any personal benefit from felt
it,
nobody wished
for their
day
to distinguish himself, all co-operated
community. The teacher heard about
it
only the
after.
This social feeling that had not been instilled by any teaching and was completely different from a competitive sentiment or a personal interest, Yet,
it
children
was
like
a
gift of
nature.
was definitely an achievement which these had reached through their own efforts. As "
Coghill says
:
Nature determines behaviour, but
it
is
developed only by means of experiences in the environment." Nature evidently gives a design for the construction of the personality is
In
when
doing
of society, but this design
only through the obedient activity of the he is in a position of bringing it to actuality.
realized
child
and
so
development.
he
illustrates
This
the
clan -spirit
successive
which
phases of
pervades
the
cohesive society corresponds closely to what the modern
American psychologist and '
social integration
to social
whole
of
'.
He
educationist,
maintains that
reform and should education.
Washburne, this is the
calls
key
constitute the basis of the
Social integration
is
realized
when
the individual identifies himself with a group to which he
A
person possessing it thinks of the success of Washburne the group rather than of personal credit. tries to explain his conception by means of a comparison belongs.
347
THE ABSORBENT MIND Oxford and Cambridge boat-races.
to the
dividual there
honour of
his
makes team,
"
Each
in-
greatest possible effort for the
the fully
aware
of
the
fact
that he
personally will not derive any benefit nor any credit from If this were the case in every social enterprise, from it.
nation-wide enterprises to those in industry, etc., and if all let themselves be spurred by the desire of success for the whole of which each forms society
lopment
would be regenerated.
part, the entire
human
In the schools the deve-
of this feeling of integration
of the individual
"
with society should be fostered, because," he adds, this is what is lacking everywhere and leads society to failure
and
ruin."
The example
of
a society where social integration it is the cohesive society of young
can be given children, achieved by the magic powers of nature. We must consider it and treasure it where it is actually exists
:
being created, because neither character nor sentiments can
be given through teaching they are the product of life. Cohesive society, however, is not the same as the :
organized society that rules the destiny of man. merely the last phase in the evolution of the child, the almost divine social
and mysterious
It is it is
creation of a kind of
embryo.
Organized Society At once after six years another phase of
age when the child enters development which marks the transition of
348
THE ABSORBENT MIND of
the
social
embryo
to the social
spontaneous form of social
life
They seek a
himself.
conscious of
fully
children then look for principles
by man
another
appears very clearly.
shows an organized association,
The
new -born,
It
itself.
and laws
established
who
directs the
leader
Evidently obedience to the rules and the leader forms the connective tissue of this society. This obedience has, as we know, been prepared in the
community.
embryonic stage which precedes
this
period of develop-
MacDougall describes this type of society which children of six and seven years of age already begin to form. They submit to other, older children as if urged by an instinct which he calls the gregarious instinct '. Often neglected and abandoned children now organize ment.
gangs
groups associated especially in revolt against the
principles
and
the authority of adults.
urges, however,
which often lead to a
have been sublimated
The
instilled in the '
very nature of children and youths. *
societies
different
Life in
human
all
which continue
require
society therefore
nature as such.
from the force
of the society of infants.
they reach the society of adults are
organized societies, they a leader to direct them.
349
is
which was the basis
These successive
to
Boy Scouts movement.
the
gregarious instinct
of cohesion
until
rebellious attitude
answers a real social need of development,
latter
This
in
These natural
is It
all
to
consciously
man-made
an innate
develop
fact,
rules
and
belonging
develops as an organism,
THE ABSORBENT MIND having different characteristics during its natural evolution. would compare it to the manufacture of cloth, to
We
weaving and spinning in the manufacture of home-spun cloth which is such an important part of Indian cottage Without doubt
industry.
beginning and consider
we
first
then have to begin at the that small white fluffy tuft
which the cotton plant produces around its seed. So when we wish to consider the construction of human
we must
begin with the child and look at him in the surroundings of the family which has given birth to him. The first thing that is done with cotton, which is
society
work
Gandhi's village schools, is to purify The black bits the cotton harvested from the plants. also the
left
first
behind
in
in the cotton
have to be cut
out.
by
The
the shell of the cotton seeds first
activity corresponds to
what we do when we gather the children from amongst their homes and purify them of their deviations and help them to concentrate and normalize themselves. Then comes the spinning. Gandhi who has indicated spinning as a means to achieve the liberation and re-birth of India Indian people. our simile, to the formation of
has placed a great symbol Spinning corresponds,
in
in front of the
the child's personality accomplished through work and This is the basis of all the developsocial experiences. :
ment
of the personality.
strong, the cloth
If
woven from
the thread it
is
well spun
will equally
be
so.
and
The
depends upon it. In this symbolic "I have Mahatma's emphatic assertion
quality of the cloth
sense
the
:
350
THE ABSORBENT MIND consideration only for those
indeed
the
who
spin ",
is
very
It is
right.
principal thing to be considered, because
woven from threads without resistance has no value. Then comes the stage when the threads are put on a loom, on a limited frame. The threads are taken up and all stretched in the same direction and then fixed to The threads are all the staffs at both ends of the loom.
cloth
equal length, separate and they do not touch each other. They form the woof of a piece of cloth, but are not cloth. However, without this woof cloth could
parallel,
of
not be woven.
the threads break or go astray with-
If
same
out being fixed in the
shoot
woof corresponds
This
through them.
direction, the spool
cannot to
the
human children who
cohesive society. In the embryonic preparation of society act
it
depends on the
upon the urges
of
activity of the
nature in a limited environment,
corresponding to the loom.
In the
end they associate
themselves, everyone tending to the same aim. The actual weaving then takes place by passing the
spool through these threads and thus uniting them
keeping each one firmly versal
threads closely
in place
by means
all,
of the trans-
pressed together on the
woof.
This stage corresponds to the real organized society of men which is fixed by rules under the direction of an
acknowledged leader have a real piece of
when taken of the
351
off the
whom
obey. Then only we cloth which remains intact even
loom.
It
all
has an existence independent
loom and once taken
off
it
can be
utilized.
An
THE ABSORBENT MIND unlimited
Men do
amount can be produced.
not form
a society because each individual has turned towards some aim in the environment and has concentrated himself
upon
on
it
own
his
account,
as happens in the
cohesive society of small children, but the final form of
human society The two
rests
however, are interlinked. Society only on organization, but also on
things,
does not depend
The
cohesion.
on organization.
in fact is the
latter
more fundamental
of
two and serves as a basis for the construction of the Good laws and a good leader cannot keep the former. masses together and make them act, unless the indivi-
the
duals themselves be already oriented towards something The that fixes them, and makes a group out of them.
masses
their turn
in
are
more
or less strong
and
active
according to the degree of development of the personality of the individuals
of society
and
depends
events, but
viduals
and
The
who make them
The
up.
therefore not only
first
of
all
organization
on circumstances
on the formation
of the indi-
their inner orientation.
Greeks,
constitution
the
e.g.,
had as the
formation
of
the
basis of their social personality.
Their
Alexander the Great, conquered Let the whole of present day Persia.
leader, in later times,
with but few
men
us also look at the Muslims union, not so
much
they represent a formidable on account of their laws and leaders, :
but because they are united in cohesion by a common ideal. Periodically they take to the road in masses and
352
THE ABSORBENT MIND go as pilgrims to Mecca. These pilgrims do not know each other, they have no private interests nor ambition :
they are
individually directed towards the
all
goal.
nobody commands them, and immense sacrifices to achieve
Nobody pushes them
on,
yet they are capable of These pilgrimages are their aims.
by
same
accomplished only
cohesion.
In the
we
Europe during the Middle Ages
history of
something that the leaders of our war-torn times vain to achieve then there were really the United
see
try in
:
Nations of
Europe.
And how
did
happen
it
secret of this success lay in the fact that
all
The
?
the indi-
and European empires had been conquered by one and the same religious faith which
viduals of the nations
formed a formidable force
saw
kings and emperors each
according to
his
own
Then we
of cohesion.
laws, but
ruling
all
own
his
subject to
dent on the force of Christianity. does not suffice to construct a
really
people
and depen-
Cohesion, however, society
which acts
upon the world creating civilizations by means In our own times, we intelligence and labour.
practically
of
observe the Jews who are united by a millenarian force of but they are not organized and do not exist cohesion :
as
a
national
power.
are
They
only the woof of
a people. It
is
noteworthy that
had a new example Hitler were the first 353 23
in
the most recent times
of this in history. to realize
we
Mussolini and
that in order to achieve
THE ABSORBENT MIND success in conquest the individuals should be prepared " from their very infancy. The Figli della Lupa" (sons of
wolf
the
and the
children)
name
the
"
the organization of Fascist
of
Balilla italiani"
(name
zation of older children) just as the
"
of the organi"
Hitler Jugend
(Hitler Youth, as the Nazi youth organization
were
was
called)
two leaders began to step countries in view of war.
years before these
up up the armament set
of
their
and the youths during the years of schooling and imposed upon them from the This was a new, outside an ideal that would unite them. the children
They prepared
logical
and
may have have a
"
procedure whatever its moral value These leaders understood the need to
scientific
been.
cohesive society
and prepared
it
"
as the basis of their plans
from infancy.
The cohesive
society,
however,
is
a natural fact and
must be constructed spontaneously on the creative urges of nature. Nobody can substitute himself for God and
whoever the
adult
creative
tries
do so
to
who
in
energies
in society
his pride of
the
force of cohesion in adults
becomes a
crushes by repression the
Also the
child-personality. is
devil like
something which
is
attached
mechanism be two societies,
to cosmic directives, to ideals superior to the
There
ought to interwoven among themselves, one of them, we might say, has its roots in the subconscious and creative
of
organization.
unconscious mind, the other depends upon men who could also express it as follows : act consciously.
We
354
THE ABSORBENT MIND one begins
upon
in childhood
the
by
it
and the other
the beginning of this volume, of
the
the
which
child
race.
almost as
Which if
the
superimposed have seen in
the absorbent
is
it
incarnates
are
we
as
because,
adult,
is
the
characteristics
characteristics
it
of
incarnates
realized another form of heredity
it
mind
found
a heredity which does not depend upon only in man the hidden genes of the germinative cell, but comes from the other creative centre, the child ? The characteristics ;
which the child incarnates when he embryo are not the discoveries
human
lives
as a spiritual
the intellect, nor of
of
labour, but those characters
which are found
in
cohesive part of society. He, the child, gathers them and incarnates them. By means of these characthe
teristics
man
he builds
with
his personality
:
thus he
becomes a
a particular language, a particular religion,
a particular set of customs. mental, what
'
is
basic
an everchanging society
When we
leave
',
fixed,
and fundaterm, in
cohesive part.
child
to
leave him to build up the adult roots of creation, then
is
to use a fashionable
is its
the
What
we can
develop,
man
when we
from the invisible
learn the secrets
upon
which depends our individual and social strength. and we have only to look about to Instead of this see
it
'nowadays men only judge and act and regulate
themselves by the conscious and organizatory part of They wish to strengthen and assure the organisociety. zation as
355
if
they alone were
its
creators.
They have no
THE ABSORBENT MIND They
organization.
and
their
bases
the
for
consideration
allow
only
human
for
that
to
indispensable
direction
goes towards the discovery of a
aspiration
leader.
How many
hope for a new Messiah, for a genius of conquering and organizing power After the first world-war it was proposed to found schools for the preparation of leaders, because it was seen that those there !
were had
insufficient training
world events. find out
There were
by means
of
and were
really
mental
attempts to try and
which were the supertheir school years were
tests
normal persons, youths who in the most intelligent, in order to train them But
who
could train them
if
unfit to direct
for leadership.
precisely there are
no good
leaders, teacher-leaders ? It
is
question
much
not the leaders is
are lacking, or rather the
not limited to this detail.
and
vaster
it
is
completely unprepared civilization.
who
The
question
the masses themselves for the
The problem,
social
therefore,
masses, to re-constitute the character of
life
is
all
develop
No leader may be.
their values.
however great
his genius
Just as a great literary genius
are
of our actual
to
train
the
the individuals,
to harvest the treasures hidden in everyone of to
who
is
them and
can achieve
would not be
this,
sufficient
make literates out of millions of illiterates, even if he had unlimited powers, because it would be necessary to
for those
millions to learn
how
to read
and
to write r
356
THE ABSORBENT MIND each one individually, (and
this
can be done by children
only), so also in this far greater question.
This critical
the most practical
is
The
times.
fact
is
and urgent task
that the
of our
human masses
are
what they could be. We saw it in the diagram of the two forces of attraction, one coming from the The great task centre and the other from the periphery. inferior to
*
must consist directly in trying to save normality which on its own strength tends towards a centre of perfection. Now, instead, all that is done is to of
education
prepare
weak and abnormal men, predisposed
artificially
unceasing care and small virtue so that they may not fall towards the
to mental diseases, in
exercises in
need
of
periphery where, once fallen, they
become
extra-social
This which actually happens now is really a crime of lese-humanity which has a repercussion on everyone of us and which may yet destroy us. The beings.
mass
which covers
of illiterates
earth does not really weigh
weigh upon
the creation of
deposited by
being
aware
intellectual
man,
that
we
society
;
what does
are ignorant regarding
we
trample upon the treasures himself in every child without even
God of
upon
the fact that
is
it
half of the surface of the
it,
because here
is
the source of the
and moral values which can
raise the
whole
world upon a higher plane. We weep in front of the dead and we aspire towards saving humanity from destruction, but
it is
the elevation that
357
is
not the salvation from dangers, it is the destiny of everyone of us which
THE ABSORBENT MIND should stand before our mind's eye. the lost paradise that should
The
It is
afflict us.
greatest danger lies in our
ignorance of us
who
not death, but
ignorance, in the
look for pearls in oyster
shells, for
gold in rocks, for coal in the very entrails of the earth, but ignore the spiritual germs, the nebulae of creation, which the child hides within himself when he comes into our world to renew mankind.
spontaneous organization and the possibility to move easily and at will from one class to another were If
this
allowed
for
in
ordinary schools,
it
would bring a great
betterment, because in the ordinary schools people start from the opposite point of view. They believe children are
not active in learning and so they urge or encourage,
punish or give prizes to foster activity. Competition also they use as an encouragement to give animation
People generally seem to be animated by a search for the evil in whatever there is in order to fight
to
effort.
against
it.
The
attitude
of the
adult
is
to seek evil to
and judge malevolently is a But the correction of an error is a humiliation necessity. and discouragement and as this is the basis of education generally, the whole of it is based on a lowering of the level of life. No copying allowed, so no union, it is a sin in the school to help an inferior pupil the pupil who helps one who does not know his work is considered as guilty as the one who accepts the help, so a morality is imposed which lowers the level. Again we
suppress
it,
then to
criticize
;
358
THE ABSORBENT MIND " " the time Don't fidget ", Don't prompt ", " " " Don't answer when not asked All Don't help
hear 44
all
!
!
!
DON'Ts, situation
all
negations.
What must we do
with this
Even if the average teacher did try to uplift he would do it in a way opposite to that of the The maximum he would say is probably
>
his class,
children. 44
!
:
Don't be envious
if
one
is
better than
"
or
you
"
Don't
seek revenge if someone has upset you ". Ordinary education apparently cannot be understood without
The
general idea
that everyone
wrong and we must help them to become less wrong than they are. But children do things that do not occur to the teacher they would admire the one who was better
negation.
is
is
;
One not envious'. merely be just cannot however command admiration of a rival, so the
than
teacher
the
(as
it
What can she do ? Certain attitudes cannot be commanded if they do not exist.
limited.
is
of the spirit If
*
not
they,
existence is)
then
however
how
is
important it the same with the law
there is
and
to hold
is
instinctive
and encourage
"
Don't seek revenge.'* The child frequently makes one who hurts him or takes his place in the lime-light his friend, but one cannot
it.
It
is
command those
that.
who do
One must command
:
One must have sympathy and evil,
but
it is
not possible to
love for
command
that.
give help to the incapable, but one cannot
that.
So
there are sentiments in the soul of
which cannot be commanded, but are there naturally and should be upheld. Unfortunately they are the child
359
THE ABSORBENT MIND and
generally stifled
zone
white
of
the
all
work in schools with
14,
figure
its
is
in the inferior
towards the
pull
periphery of the anti-social and the extra-social. The teacher first thinks that the child is incapable and must
be made capable, then he proceeds to do so by saying " " " " Don't slide to the periphery Don't do this or that :
;
An
effort
from sliding and that
is all.
in other words.
is
made
But
all
keep the
to
sliders
the time normalized
showing us an exaggeration of good instead emphasis on avoiding evil. The interruption of
children are of this
work by of rest
the hours fixed
is
by a "
also negative.
thing or you will be tired clearly the desire for the
and
time-table
the periods
Don't work too hard at one
whereas the
",
maximum
The
effort.
shows
child
ordinary
schools could never help the creative instincts of children,
an exaggeration
because there
is
of the child.
The exaggerated
deal, to find
and help
all
the
work
weak
on the part work a great
of activity
activity, to
beautiful, to console the afflicted
are
instincts
these
of
young school between the ordinary comparison of the Old Testachildren reminds me and normalized
children.
ment
A
of the
old religion all
and
Bible
Commandments steal ",
all
of the
the
New
Old Testament
;
the
Don't
book "
of the
Don't
these are for inferior people
and are
necessary for those
who
are
Testament shows Christ as says positive things
"
The Ten
kill",
are mostly negative
don'ts
Testament.
:
confused,
but the
New
similar to the children
an exaggeration
of
;
it
what one would 360
\tf. f
Circles of attraction towards superior and inferior types
THE ABSORBENT MIND "
"
do
usually
:
e.g.,
;
tion of positiveness.
who seemed
Love your enemy an exaggeraSo also when there came people
many, who followed the laws and wanted approbation for that, Christ said " I have superior to
:
come
"
for the sinners
(the inferior).
nature corresponds. tion
is
an exposition
children's
of the exaggera-
good. What, however, are the consequences ? not sufficient to teach these principles to man nor
of
It
is
is
it
f
sufficient for
"
repeat in
It
To this the
:
have them
to
Love your enemy
church,
opposite
man
is
" ;
even
if it
is
useless to
is
it
;
said,
but not on the battlefield, there
done.
The people who say
" :
is
said
just
the "
it
Don't
kill
are merely drawing attention to the evil in order to protect
themselves,
because the good to them
is
Loving your enemy seems unpractical so mains an empty ideal.
Why does not
does exist
it
mostly
re-
Because the root of good the heart of man it may have been
this
in
unpractical.
happen
?
;
has disappeared. If during the whole period of eduation hate, rivalry, competition
there once, but
it is
dead,
it
have been encouraged, how can we expect people grown in this atmosphere to be good at twenty or thirty, because
somebody preaches goodness
?
I
sensorial organ in the spirit has this
preaching or
if it
ed, so the preaching
it is
impossible.
been prepared to
No
collect
be prepared, it was destroyaway on the wings of the wind.
began flies
say,
to
Creative instincts, not preaching are the important things, because they reveal a reality, young children act
361
THE ABSORBENT MIND as nature urges them to act and not because the teacher
Good
come about by reciprocal aid, by union brought about by spiritual cohesion. This society by cohesion which has been revealed by the
tells
them
children
is
to
do
so.
the basis of
maintain that
it is
not
all
should
organization
we who can
;
that
is
why
I
teach children between
and six years. We can observe in a refined manner and see how development is achieved by every daily and hourly exercise. That which nature gives is developed by constant exercise. Nature provides a guide but it is also revealed that to develop anything in any field, If I have continuous experience and effort is necessary. the ages of three
not had the opportunity for
preaching is useless. Growth comes from activity, not from intellectual understanding, hence the education of small children is imthis,
between the ages of three and six years, because this is the embryonic period for the formation of character and for the formation of society portant,
(just
and
especially
as the period from
embryonic period
for
birth
to
three
years
is
the formation of the psyche
;
the
and
the prenatal period, the embryonic period for the formation
of physical
life.)
The
things that the children carry
out between the ages of three and six do not depend on doctrine, but on a divine directive given by God to the
undergoing construction. They are germs of behaviour and can develop only with the right environment of freedom and order.
spirit
362
CHAPTER XXV
ERROR AND
ITS
CONTROL
WHEN we
say that the children are free in our schools, organization is necessary, an organization more detailed than in other schools, so that the children Work.
The
child,
may be
by carrying out experiments
free to
in
a
prepared environment, perfects himself, but a certain amount of apparatus is then necessary and space is Once the child has achieved concentration, necessary. he continues to be concentrated through many activities, and as he becomes more and more active, the teacher
becomes
We in
freedom the children
and it
and less so, till she is almost put aside. have mentioned that through exercises repeated
less
this
society
inspires
should be
the
is
so
join together in a special society
much more
refined than ours that
wish and conviction that the children
left free
and not
interfered with.
It is
a pheno-
menon of life, a phenomenon as delicate as the phenomena of embryonic life and it should not be touched. If these conditions are present
our materials.
363
it
can happen with any of
THE ABSORBENT MIND In
environment there
this
a definite relation
is
between the teacher and the child. The teacher's task, which is determined in detail, shall be outlined in another
do
chapter, but one of the things she must not interfere,
is
to
This
to praise, to punish or to correct errors.
seems a wrong principle to most educationists and when we find them opposed to our method, it is always on this " How can we improve the children's point. They say " work if we do not correct the errors ? In ordinary :
education the fundamental task
moral and intellectual
field, else
she has done her job.
is
to correct both in the
the teacher does not feel
Education walks on the two
feet
and of giving punishments but if a child is given prizes and punishments it means that he does not have the energy to guide himself and that the teacher is hovering over the child and directing him. In
of the giving of prizes
;
our schools they automatically disappeared because there
was no need
for
from outside, so
them.
when they
of spirit disappears neity,
This
it
;
and as
makes no sense so
is
Prizes
difficult
and punishments come
are given the spontaneity this is
a method of sponta-
to give prizes or punishments.
to understand that
even
in so-called
how often have I Montessori schools they are given Montessori been invited to a prize-giving in such ;
'
*
schools
!
Whereas
if
the children are
given freedom,
they are absolutely indifferent to prizes. In
my
first
experiment, the teacher
have mentioned, the
who
was, as
caretaker's daughter, also
had
I
this
364
THE ABSORBENT MIND idea
of
prizes
common
home
the
in
and punishments.
After
all
as well as in the school, that
almost incarnated in the soul of man.
I
was
so
is
it
it
is
against
it
had no method as yet, and I tolerated it because the poor teacher had to have something to do. She
then, but
made
'
*
big
military
crosses in gold or silver paper as
rewards and pinned them to the breasts of the children rewarded, with a silk ribbon. 1 did not think much of but
the idea,
left
I
it
One day
alone.
school and found a child seated chair in the middle "
cross.
asked
I
The
teacher said
why
he
is
went
to the
by himself on a
room and wearing a
of the
Have you
:
all
I
large
given a prize to this one
" ?
"
:
sitting
No, he was being punished that is alone/* The cross had actually been ;
given to another child, but it was in his way as he worked, so he gave it to the child in the middle who had nothing to do and with whom it would not interfere And the child in the middle was indifferent both to the !
punishment We found also that sweets and such rewards were not appreciated.
cross
and
The trouble,
to the
!
because
after
Only a few get them the
But
year.
matter, they '
*
corrections
correction, in
putting a
365
have aroused much would mean an economy.
abolition of prizes might not
in
all
it
any
case,
punishments
!
and those at the end of That was a different
happen every day throughout the year and are still more frequent. What does this copy-books
mark A,
B, or
for
C
example,
mean
or 10 or 0.
?
It
means
How can
the
THE ABSORBENT MIND marking
a zero be a correction
of
?
Then
the teacher
"
says
:
listen
You always make the same errors you don't when speak you will fail in the examination ". ;
I
;
All these corrections in books and these accusations of the teacher result in a lowering of energy and interest. " " To say : " You are bad or " You are a dunce is
humiliating correction,
become is
is
it
;
because
an in
an offence, but
insult,
it is
not a
order to correct oneself one must
and how can a child become better if he already and then we humiliate him further ?
better,
below
level
olden times teachers used to put donkey's ears to children when they were stupid, and beat the tips of the In
fingers of those
who
could not write.
If
they had used
making donkey's ears and beaten the fingers to pulp, they would have corrected nothing. Experience and exercise alone correct errors, and the acquisition of faculties demands long exercise. If all
the paper in the world
a child lacks discipline he becomes disciplined through work and association with others in a society of cohesion, not by telling him that he is undisciplined. If you tell a child he cannot do something, he could quite easily tell
you That
"
:
You
is
Correction
can
are
not
me
correction,
and
exercise
telling
perfection
himself
in
that
?
I
know
I
but a presentation
come only when freedom
for
a
of
can't." facts.
the child sufficiently
long time. Errors can
be made and the children
see them, but teachers
may not always also can make errors and not know 366
THE ABSORBENT MIND they are errors. Unfortunately the teacher usually starts as if she were a perfect being and an example, so if she makes a mistake she certainly does not tell the child
Her
based on always being right. In the ordinary school she must be infallible, so the whole of education there is on a false basis. about
it.
dignity
is
Let us consider error
we
that
make
all
admission in
errors
itself is
itself. it
;
is
necessary to admit a reality of life so that It is
a great step in our progress.
are to walk on the path of truth
admit that perfect.
So
we
make
all
reality
mistakes or else
the best thing
error
and then
be a
friendly person living
task,
because
is
to
become
we
we
we must
should be
friendly with the
will not frighten us
it
it
and
If
any more, but will among us and will perform its
has one.
Many
errors
are corrected
A
child of one year walking spontaneously through life. on the line, walks unsteadily, rolls, falls, but finally it
walks
and
correctly.
experiences.
He
We
corrects his errors through growth
we are walking towards perfection, we are all the
have an
illusion that
along the path of life time making errors and do not correct them.
We
do
not recognize them, so we are out of reality altogether and in illusion. The teacher who poses as perfect and
does not recognize that she makes errors, is not a good No matter where we look, we always find teacher. If we set out on the path towards Gentleman Error !
perfection,
we must
perfection will
367
look carefully
come by
correcting
it.
at
error,
We
because
should use a
THE ABSORBENT MIND show
light
to
there
is life
the error.
it is
;
We
must know there
is
error as
as real as that.
The
exact sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, have called attention to errors, because these
etc.)
sciences purposely
make them stand
out.
The
scientific
study of error has begun with the positive sciences, those which are considered to be without error, because they
measure exactly and can appreciate error. There are therefore two things in life (i) to reach a certain exact:
ness
:
to appreciate
(ii)
science gives, she gives absolute,
and
this
Whatever as an approximation, not as an exactness.
error in
approximation
is
considered with the
For example, an anti-microbe injection is certain in 95% of the cases, but it is important to know that there is 5% uncertainty. Also in taking a measurement it is stated
result.
correct to so
many
thousandths of an inch.
In science
no data are given or accepted unless with the indication of probable error and what gives importance to the data is
the
calculation
seriously,
and
No
of the error.
unless the
amount
attached to the result,
of
it is
data are considered
probable error
is
given as important as the result
So if it is so important for the exact sciences, how much more important it is for our work. Then error becomes something interesting and important, and the
itself.
necessary for correcting or controlling. then reach a scientific principle, which is also a
knowledge
We
of
it
principle of truth, is
done
in
is
i.e.,
school
the
'
control of error/
by teacher
In whatever
or children or
by
others,
368
THE ABSORBENT MIND must be
there
that there
life
and this must so enter into the schoolno outside correction, but an individual,
error is
independent control of error, that right or not.
must know whether
I
or not, therefore error
before
it
I
it,
If
!
have
than
have worked
interesting to
are
rightly
me whereas
In the usual school
superficial.
conscious of errors.
dom
becomes
I
we
us whether
one makes
without knowing it, unconscious and indifferent for it is not I, but the teacher who makes me
errors
to
was
tells
1
to
do not have the go to someone
Instead,
I.
How
far off
from the
field of free-
my
ability of controlling
error,
who may know no better how important one becomes, when one else
making mistakes and can control them One of the greatest realizations of psychic freedom is to realize that we may make a mistake and can control One to recognize and control error without help. it
knows one
is
!
;
thing that
makes
for
indecision of character
is
are unable to control anything without the help of
There
else.
and a lack
is
a sense of
of confidence,
inferiority, of
when one has
that
we
someone
discouragement to rely
on others
one where one is wrong. So the control of error becomes the guide which tells us whether we are proceedWe have an instinct to go ing on the right path or not. to
tell
towards perfection we want to be able to know for ourselves whether we are on the right path. Supposing I want to go somewhere and I can drive ;
a
car,
in
life.
but
I
do not know
the road
In order to be sure that
369 24
I
go
;
this often
right,
I
happens
take a
map
;
THE ABSORBENT MIND also
see several signs which
I
may have been
I
seeing signs which said
Ahmedabad," but "
says
50 miles to
there
If
2 miles to
have helped me should have had to ask and be the signs
no guide or control
is
am.
I
;
things probably contradictory in their advice.
many
told
I
"
suddenly see a sign that I know I have gone wrong
I
Bombay ",
had had no map
I
if
then
if
The map and
somewhere.
me where
tell
it is
impossible to go on.
necessary therefore in positive science and in practical life must also be included in education from
What
is
the very beginning
So
the
with
control of
:
the possibility of a control of error.
teaching and the material must go the
error.
The way
to
go forward
have
to
is
freedom and a sure way, with the means of telling ourselves when we make a mistake. When this principle realized in the school
is
and
in practical
life, it
matter whether the teacher or the mother
become
is
does not
perfect or
and the It becomes somechildren have sympathy with them. It becomes thing interesting, but completely detached. an inherent fact in nature, and how much affection it Errors in older people
not.
provokes mistakes.
in
takes the If
the hearts of children that
Another
mother and
child.
is *
perfect
The
fact that
friendly.
we can
all
all
make
between
make
mis-
Brotherhood comes along
not along the path of perfection. perfect one cannot change any more, two people together usually fight, because there is
path of
one
we can
factor enters the relationship
makes us more
*
interesting
errors,
370
THE ABSORBENT MIND no
possibility of
change and
of understanding
each other.
one has grown up without error, there is no progress and no help possible, because one cannot help the If
perfect.
If,
we
therefore,
in the field of truth
think
one
;
is
we
are perfect,
misled
we
are not
the illusion of
by
perfection one puts before one's eyes, but never achieves.
we can geometrical comparison superimpose squares one on the other, as is done in one make a
Let us
:
of our children's exercises with inscribed
we last
this
gradually reduce the difference between the
one and that immediately before as
squares,
yet
we
we
gradually
the
reducing
If
it. *
error
we
think of
between the
never reach the complete elimination of
children
do.
earliest
practical
error.
exercises
We
but differing
height,
*
we find that, however small it eventually becomes,
Let us look at one of the the
As
a further and further
continue inscribing squares to
degree,
squares.
have cylinders all of the same in diameter which fit into corres-
ponding sockets.
Recognizing that they differ is first perfectionment, holding them with three fingers is another
The child but when he has
perfectionment.
begins to place them in their
sockets,
finished he sees that he has
made
a mistake for a thick one
a thin hole
371
whilst there
is
only
fill, and some of the others are loose so he looks at them again and observes them
for
it
to
and rattle, more carefully than before. make a mistake and that cannot be
is left
fitted.
If
there
The if
child
he does
were not
knows he can so,
one cylinder
this
possibility of
THE ABSORBENT MIND mistake there would not be the same
interest.
makes him repeat the exercise again and the material has two requirements to meet that
:
the senses of the child,
(ii)
It is
again. (i)
this
So
to refine
to provide a
possibility of
material has
a control of
control of error.
The above mentioned
very material and visible, so a little child of two years can use it and with it acquire the knowledge
which
error
is
With
of control of error on the path to perfection.
practice in such exercises the child gains error
and becomes sure
does not
mean
To
of himself.
but
perfection,
power
to control
be sure of oneself
means
it
daily
to
know
one's
and, therefore, to be able to do something. " I am not perfect I am not omnipotent say :
possibilities
He may
;
know this can make
and my strength and I also know mistakes and control them, so I am sure that I of my path." There is prudence, certainty and experience. These lead towards perfection, not that some one says, one is this, that or the other. In other words to arrive at to be on this sureness is not so simple as one supposes but
I
thing
;
the path towards perfection
is
not so simple either.
To
anyone he is silly, stupid, brave, good or bad is a betrayal of humanity one must be sure for oneself and it is necessary to give the means of development and the
tell
;
control of error for this.
Let us look a
There
are
sums.
With
little
mathematical the
sum
later
at
a child thus trained.
exercises,
there
is
e.g.,
multiplication
a table of multiplication^
372
THE ABSORBENT MIND which serves as a control
of error.
possibility of being sure
whether one
Without is
there
it
right
;
is
no
so instead
we let the child get into the own errors. This control of error
of the teacher correcting, habit of controlling his is
more
attractive
The
reading.
than the exercise
an exercise
child has
So with
itself.
of written cards to
put with the specimens of those names, and then there are cards with the names written underneath to control
The
his work.
was
attraction
is
in
finding
out whether he
right or not. If
the
in
practice
of school-life
comes
there
this
opportunity for constant control of error, this leads to perfection. The interest in the progress to perfection and the
control
progress
is
of
error
is
ensured.
so important to the child that
By
nature the child leans to exact-
ness and so this control interests him very much. In one of our schools a child had a reading command " which said Go out, close the door and come back ". :
The child studied it and started came to the teacher and said like this ?
the door
It
cannot be done. "
is
closed
>
So
mistake/* and rewrote it, " smile, Yes, now I can do
the
to carry
out
it
;
then she
"
Why did you write How can come back " teacher said Yes, my
it
:
and the
if
I
:
child
said with a
it."
Fraternity arises from this interest in the control of error.
Error divides men, but control of error
373
no
a means
becomes a universal interest to overcome matter where it is found. The error itself
of fraternity. error
is
It
THE ABSORBENT MIND becomes
interesting.
becomes a means especially
It
becomes a
link
and
of cohesion
between the
child
among all and the adult.
certainly
it
beings, but
Finding a
small error in the adult does not lead to lack of respect
a lowering of dignity. Error is detached from the person and made a thing apart which can be controlled.
or
Thus simple
steps lead to great things.
374
CHAPTER XXVI
THE THREE DEGREES OF OBEDIENCE THE main
preoccupations in ordinary character education
concern the
will
and obedience, and generally the two
ideas are opposed in the minds of those preoccupied with
One
them.
of the
child, to substitute
main aims for
demand obedience from I
would
it
is
to curb the will of the
the will of the adult
and
to
him.
like to clarify these ideas,
on any opinion of my own, but on of all we must admit that there
my
basing myself not experience.
First
a great confusion in Some biological studies tell us that the will these topics. of man is part of a universal power (horme), and that is
not physical, but a force of life along the path of evolution. All life is urged irresistibly
this universal force
towards
evolution,
and
this
urge
is
called
horme*
governed by laws and is not haphazard or These laws of life show us that the will of man
Evolution casual.
is
is
and shapes his behaviour. In childhood this force becomes partly conscious as soon as the child carries out a certain self-determined action and
is
an expression
375
of that force
THE ABSORBENT MIND then
developed in children, but only through So let us begin by saying that the will is
this force is
experience.
something which must develop and, being natural,
obeys natural laws. Confusion in the
that
thought
this
is
subject
actions
voluntary
and sometimes
naturally disorderly
also
it
shown by
the
children
are
of
violent.
This
is
so
admitted because people see these sorts of
generally
and think they express his will. It is these actions do not belong to the field of the
actions in the child
not so,
Let us consider the behaviour
universal force or horme. of adults
suppose
;
we
mistook convulsions in a
manifestations,
voluntary
or
actions
frenzy of anger to be directed
We
performed
his will, that
for
a
in
would
we think of a will primarily as someone who carries out If we consider purposive and difficult.
be absurd.
clearly
by
man
person of
something
do not
think so
;
voluntary actions to be mainly disorderly movement in adult or child, then of course we feel we must curb the will,
and
'
or if
course,
means
'
break
we we
necessary to break must substitute our will
find
of his
The
as the older generation used to say
it
*
it
;
'
will
this
',
then, of
the child's
for
by
'
obedience
real fact
is
to us.
that the will of
lead to disorder or violence
;
man
(child)
does not
mark
of devia-
these are a
and suffering. The will in its natural field is a force which compels us to carry out actions considered to
tion
benefit our
life.
The
task given
by nature
to the child is
376
THE ABSORBENT MIND growth, so the child's will
is
a force urging to growth
and
development.
A
what the individual does enters upon a road of conscious development. Our children choose their own work spontaneously and, repeating this will that wills
exercise
of
develop a consciousness of their at first was a hormic impulse urging the
choice,
What child to act now becomes an he acted instinctively, now
actions.
voluntarily
The
:
this is
effort of the will.
At
first
he acts consciously and
an awakening
of the spirit.
and ever be a precious remem-
child himself has understood this difference
expressed it in a way that will brance of our experience. society lady once visited the school and, having the old frame of mind, said to a
A
"
child
:
So, this "
is
not
it
?
not do what felt
The
is
child
answered
" :
like,
Madam, we do do."
The
child
between doing what one
likes
and
what one does.
One
thing ought to be clear
:
the conscious will
power which is developed by means Our aim is definitely to cultivate the
The
No,
we want, we want what we
the difference
liking
a place where you do what you
of exercise, of will,
is
a
work.
not to break
it.
can be broken almost instantaneously, the development of the will is a slow process unfolding itself by will
means
of continuous activity carried out in
environment.
relation to
easy enough to destroy the devastation of a building can be accomplished in a few seconds by a bomb or an earthquake. How difficult
the
377
It
is
;
THE ABSORBENT MIND instead
the
is
construction
of a building
!
It
requires
accurate knowledge of the laws of equilibrium, of tension,, even art is necessary in order to achieve a harmonious construction. If all this is
needed
how much more
to achieve a lifeless construction,
for the construction of the
human
soul
I
takes place from within. The constructor, therefore^ can be neither the mother nor the teacher. They are not It
the architects, they are not almighty to say, like " the Bible Let there be light, and the light was :
They can only the
child
their
in
made/*
help the creative work that comes from
himself.
aim, but
God
it is
That should be equally in their
their
power
function
to destroy
and it,
to
This point, darkened by so many prejudices, deserves to be made clear. The prejudice prevailing in ordinary education
break
it
by
repression.
suggests that everything can be achieved by mere teaching (that
by
is
by upholding
directly addressing the child's hearing) or
oneself as
an example
to
be imitated (whick
a kind of visual education). The personality instead can only develop by means of individual exercise,
is
through activity.
The
child is
commonly considered as
a receptive being instead of as an active individual. This every field. Even the development of the imagination is considered in this fashion. Children are told fairy tales, enchanting scenes of princes and lovely
happens
fairies
The
in
and thus one
child,
tries
to
develop the imagination.
however, then only receives impressions and
37S
THE ABSORBENT MIND does not
really
the highest of will
develop
his imaginative
human
intelligence.
more
powers which are
In the case of the
because ordinary education does not only deny the will a chance to this
develop,
error
it
is
still
actually
serious,
obstructs
this
development and
directly inhibits the expression of the will.
at resistance
on the part
form of rebellion against
of the child
this pretension.
really tries to destroy the child's
principle
of
by example does not lead the a phantastic world of princes and
here the teacher goes as far as to uphold himself
as a model. their
inert,
tells stories
We
And
and who
who
acts.
of these illusions
and
In traditional education the teacher reasons in a
way
which :
(this
must deliver ourselves
in itself
"In order means that
know what is,
reality.
may seem
Father Christmas
It
so both imagination and will remain
activity is confined to follow the teacher
courageously face
this
will.
The educator The educative
teaching
teacher to picture fairies,
is
Every attempt repressed as a
to educate I
enough. It runs like must be good and perfect
logical I
must disguise myself as a kind of
who
offers
gifts
to the children).
I
should be done and what should not be done.
therefore, sufficient that the children imitate
me and
obey me." Obedience is the secret basis of teaching. I do not remember which renowned educationist "
All the virtues of the child pronounced the maxim can be resumed in one obedience/' but there it is. :
:
379
THE ABSORBENT MIND The exalting
!
task of the teacher then becomes easy and He says " In front of me there is an empty :
or a being
being
full
of naughtiness
form him creating him almost to
my
1
shall
now
image and
trans-
likeness/*
He repeats to himself the words of the Bible God created man to His own image and likeness."
"
:
The
of
adult,
himself in
course,
unconscious of thus putting
is
He
God's place.
forgets
part of the biblical story where
became such
precisely
and
it
on account
is
above told
all
the other
how
the devil
of his pride urging
him
to take the place of God.
The poor self
the
work
child
of
!
this
a Creator
who
being
much
bears within him-
greater than the teacher,
the father or the mother whose likeness he acquire. this
aim
is
forced to
In other times teachers used the stick to achieve
and
even
recently
civilized nation teachers
in
declared
:
an otherwise highly "If we must renounce
we must also renounce education." Besides, in the Bible we find among the proverbs of Solomon the famous one declaring that if we do not use the stick we are bad parents because we condemn our children to the stick,
enforced by threats and fear. This leads to the conclusion that the child who does not obey hell.
is
Discipline
bad, the child
is
who obeys
is
good.
In this era of the theories of
when we ponder over
this
democracy and
attitude,
we
liberty,
are inclined to
judge the old type of teacher as that of a tyrant. This, however, would not be true, that kind of teacher is not a
380
THE ABSORBENT MIND
A
tyrant.
much more intelligent. Tyrants will-power, some originality and a certain is
tyrant
have a certain
dose of imagination.
Teachers
fashioned teacher
in this
of the old
type instead have only illusions and prejudices and uphold unreasonable rules. The difference between a tyrant and an old
means
the tyrant uses violent
:
to achieve the success of his aims, the teacher
uses violent is
lies
means
to reach the failure of his aims.
a fundamental error to think that the
will of the in-
dividual must be destroyed in order that he i.e.,
he
that
may
obey,
may accept and execute the decision
somebody
else's will.
intellectual
education
we
If
we
ought to say that
To
it is
necessary
their
own
free
own
will,
choice,
may
mind.
obtain the obedience of individuals
well developed their
by
own
of
applied this reasoning to
to destroy the child's intelligence in order that he
receive our culture in his
It
who have
but decide to follow ours
is
very different indeed.
type of obedience is an act of homage, an acknowledgment of a superiority in the teacher, which could make him feel proud and satisfied of
This
latter
himself.
Will and obedience are connected in as
much
as the
foundation and obedience marks a second phase in a process of development. Obedience has thus a higher
will is the
meaning than
may
be
dual
will.
38!
is
generally
considered
as
a
realized
in
sublimation
education.
It
of the indivi-
THE ABSORBENT MIND Also obedience must be interpreted places
among
it
the
phenomena
of
life
in
a
way which
and can then be
considered as one of the characteristics of nature.
our children,
In
ment
of obedience
we
in fact,
witness the develop-
as a kind of evolution.
spontaneously, as a surprise.
It
It
appears
represents the destina-
tion of a long process of perfectionment. If
there
were not
this
quality in the
human
soul,
if
men by
could not reach the point of being able to obey an evolutional process, society could not exist. If
we
throw but a superficial glance at the affairs of the world we easily discover up to what extent people obey. This kind of obedience is exactly the reason that causes
whole groups
of
humanity
to fall into a
chasm
of des-
An
obedience without control, an obedience There is no lack of leading whole nations to disaster. Obedience as a obedience in the world, far from it truction.
!
natural consequence of the development of the soul is
is
human
very evident indeed, but the control of obedience
sadly lacking. Our observation of children in a environment pre-
pared
to
shown us
help their
the growth of
characteristic coefficients
great deal of light
We
have
upon
development has clearly obedience as one of its most
natural
and
this
observation throws a
the subject.
clearly seen in the course of our experience
that obedience in children
is
developed
as the other qualities of the character
;
in the it
same way
follows hormic
382
THE ABSORBENT MIND urges at
further
it is
then passes on to a conscious level where
first,
developed along several degrees.
Let us
mean by
first
specify
obedience.
what we is
It
and practically what has always
really
after all
been meant by it a teacher commanding the children what to do and the children obeying the command by :
it.
realizing
The
natural development of obedience in the child
can be divided according
to three degrees.
In the first degree the child obeys only occasionally,
not always. This fact which could be attributed to whimsical behaviour, should be analysed. Obedience is not connected only with what is usually "
called
A
depends on facts of formation. and a certain measure of maturity are
willingness
certain
ability
",
it
necessary in order to be able to perform the commanded action. Obedience, therefore, should be judged in relation to development and vital conditions. " walk on your nose ", to command physiologically
command write.
It
" is
impossible.
write
necessary,
That
is
is
therefore,
obey
it
why
impossible this
is
to
possible
who cannot
to establish
in relation to the
a child of
is
because
a letter" to a person
material possibility to
reached.
Neither
It
first
the
development
to 3 years of
age
is
not an obedient child, he has not yet constructed himself. He is taken up by the unconscious elaboration of the
mechanisms of his personality and has yet the point where he can establish them so 383
to
reach
that they
THE ABSORBENT MIND own
purpose in order to then dominate them consciously. This represents a progress in serve his
may
development. In fact, the customs and the ways in which adult and child live together have led the adult not
At
to expect obedience from a child of 2 years of age. this
stage the adult can only inhibit
the
actions
of
more
or less violently
such an undeveloped child, should he
reprove them.
Obedience, however, does not consist of inhibition consists of the performance of actions corres-
It
only.
ponding to the
will of
another person, not to that of the
an older child
is
not
taken up by the same primitive preparation which
we
child himself.
mentioned
where this
Although the
for the
child
life
of
between
and 3 years
takes place in the secrecy of his
it
later stage
we
find analogous facts.
life,
of age,
even
at
Also the older
must have developed certain abilities in order that he may obey, i.e., that he may act according to the will of another, and abilities are not developed over night. child
are
They
the
result
of
it
may
interior
formation passing
As
through several stages. tion lasts
an
long as this period of formahappen that now and then the child
succeeds in performing an action which corresponds to an acquisition just made, but only when the acquisition has
become a permanent This
is
also seen
asset
when
can the
will dispose
the child labours to
make
of
it.
those
primitive mechanical acquisitions of the motor functions,
when he
acts under the compulsion of the hormic urges
384
THE ABSORBENT MIND of
A
life.
first
steps,
child of about
but then he
year of age can
1
falls
make
down and perhaps he
his will
not be able to repeat them for a long time. It is only when the mechanism of walking is completely established that the child can
walk whenever he
very important point.
The obedience
stage depends above
likes.
This
is
a
of the child at this
on the stage of development of his capacities. It may therefore happen that he can obey the teacher once, but not after that. This later
repeat the act of obedience is then attributed unwillingness ". If so, the teacher with her insistence to
inability
to
"
all
and
criticism
may become
an obstacle
to the inner
deve-
lopment that is taking place. In the history of Pestalozzi, the famous Swiss educationist, who had such a great influence on education in schools all over the world, we find a very
noteworthy point.
Pestalozzi
introduce a so-called paternal gentleness of pupils.
in the
the
first
to
treatment
He was
always ready to show sympathy and One thing, however, was not included in his
to forgive.
forgiveness
was
;
whimsical behaviour, a child
now obeying
Who
had once executed a command was capable of it and if at another time he did not obey the same command, Pestalozzi would That was the only time not admit any excuse.
then
disobeying.
when he showed If
happened
this
often
will
mistake
385 25
!
not
himself in
the
ordinary
severe instead of indulgent.
case teachers
of
Pestalozzi,
how
commit the same
THE ABSORBENT MIND On
the other
hand nothing
is
more harmful than
discouragement at the very time when a facet of developbeing constructed. When the child is not yet really master of his own actions, when they do not yet obey his own will, he is even less able to correspond to
ment
is
That
of another person.
the will
is
why
it
may happen
that he obeys once,
being unable to repeat this act of This does not even happen in childhood
obedience.
How
alone. cal
often will a beginner
instrument play a piece
quite
who
nicely
The day
unable to do
it
a second time
asked to do
it
again, but he cannot
The
did the day before. fault,
is
?
do
willingness to
whilst he
after it
he
is
be
will
as well as he
do so
is
not at
we face an imperfectly established ability. What we call the first degree of obedience, therefore, but
when a
the period
able to
do
so.
It is
can obey, but is not always a period when obedience and disobe-
dience exist together. The second degree
always
obey,
i.e.
His
development.
child
is
there
reached when the child can
no obstacles concerning firmly acquired can be called
are
abilities
upon and directed not only by
by
plays a musi-
the will
great
gift.
of
We
another person. could compare
it
his
own
will,
but also
This possibility
is
a
to the ability to translate
from one language into another. The child can absorb the will of another person and act accordingly. This is the highest level which generally education tries to reach.
The
ordinary teacher does not aspire after a
386
THE ABSORBENT MIND beyond that when the child obeys all the time. The young child, however, goes far beyond our expectations,
stage
when he is The nature.
as always
laws of
on towards the
given the opportunity to follow the child does not stop here, but goes
of obedience. Here obedience surpasses the relation to an acquired ability which brings Here obedience is directed it within reach of the child. :
third degree
towards a superior personality, towards the teacher who has served and helped the child. It is as if the child
became conscious
of the fact that the teacher
is
capable
which he could do by himself. " This person who is greater himself
of things higher than those
as
It is
he said to
if
:
am
can penetrate into my intelligence by her power, she can make me as great as she is herself. She " This thought seems to give the^child a acts in me
than
I
!
great
and deep
from
this
To be
joy.
causes a
life
superior
able to receive directions
new form
The
and joy. It is quite a sudden discovery. becomes anxious and impatient to obey.
we compare haps to the obey." to
the
this
marvellous natural
spirit of
the Saint
who
Or we might compare instinct
of
the
it,
of enthusiasm child then
To what
phenomenon
said
" :
I
could
?
Per-
am leaping
to
on quite another plane,
dog who loves
his
master and
through his obedience executes the will of a man. When his master shows him a ball, the dog looks at it intensely
and when the master throws triumphantly returns
The dog 387
is
it
craving for
it
away, he jumps and
waiting for the next
commands, he
is
command.
excited
and
THE ABSORBENT MIND waves
his tail full of joy.
He
runs to obey.
degree
of obedience of the
similar,
but the child shows his desire to
young
child
is
The
somewhat obey in a
any case, he obeys with a ing promptitude, and seems impatient to do so. manner.
different
The
third
In
surpris-
a teacher with ten years* teaching experience gives an interesting illustration. She had a class of children which she directed very well, but she findings of
could not abstain from advising them. One day she " Put everything away, before going home tosaid :
The
children did not wait for her to end her " Put everything sentence, but as soon as they had heard night/'
they started immediately to put everything care-
away
,
fully,
but quickly in
.
."
" surprise,
its
place.
when you go home
Then they
heard, to their
to-night/' Their obedience
had become so instantaneous that the teacher felt that she had to be very careful in the wording of her requests. This time she ought to have expressed herself like this :
"
Before you
go home
to-night,
put everything in
its
happened whenever she expressed herself without due care and she felt very responsible whenever she spoke on account of the It was a strange experichildren's immediate reaction. ence for her, because orders seem the natural attribute
place/'
of
She said
authority.
she
keenly
similar things
Instead of feeling the weight she carried, felt the tremendous responsibility of her
position of authority. that
it
She could obtain
was only necessary
silence so easily
to write the
word
silence
388
THE ABSORBENT MIND on
the
and even
blackboard,
started to form the letter finished the word,
then,
the
moment she
and long before she had
s
the children were silent.
all
The Silence Lesson My own experience, the
f
'
too,
which led
me
to introduce
'
silence -lesson
which
in
obedience.
attitude of obedience
was a phenomenon
case
this
this
proves
',
of
collective
proved a marvellous and unexpected correspondence by a whole group of children who almost identified themselves with me. at
Once work ;
It
I
came
into a class that
the children
was already
had already developed
seriously their will
entered this class of forty-five children with a baby of four months in my arms. It was an old Italian custom I
to place a baby's legs together
and wrap them
tightly
round and round with cloth so that the legs and feet were perforce quite still and fixed. Showing the baby to the children
I
how
is
he
said
" I
:
am
have brought you a
visitor
;
see
you could not keep so still ". I meant it as a joke and thought they would laugh, but all became serious and put their legs and feet together and were still without movement. I thought they had still
not understood feel
how
I
;
my
sure
joke so
gently he breathes
I
;
said
" :
If
only you could
you could not breathe as ff
gently as that because your chests are bigger Now, I thought, they will laugh, but no, they remained with their .
feet together
389
and
also controlling their breath so that
it
THE ABSORBENT MIND make no
should I
then said
will
I
:
and they looked seriously at me, walk out very quietly, but the baby
noise
"
be quieter than I he will not move or make any noise ". I took the child back to its mother and came will
;
back
they were
;
their faces
but
we
had and
as
say
See you made a
:
as quiet as that
are
same
the
to
if
all
will,
was a
the result
and with a look on
there motionless "
still
baby
".
were urged
to
little
noise
So all the children do the same thing,
class of forty-five children perfectly
immobile and silent. People would have thought, " what a wonderful discipline/* and would have wondered
how
was
it
The much so
the children laugh
very
striking,
and
the
and
I
so
children
!
began
result
by an attempt to make was a silence which was
that
said
seemed
and remained
silence
How
obtained.
to hear
to
quite
?
I
"
What
"
a silence
understand and
still,
sounds that
!
feel the
controlling their breath, I
had not heard
before,
the ticking of the clock, the drip from a leaking tap outside,
Adults generally do not know this even in church they get up and kneel down and
the buzzing of silence
move
;
flies.
about, put coins in the collection-box, etc. etc.
their idea of silence is
very superficial.
This silence
;
so
was
a cause of great joy to the children, and the silence lesson which is a feature of our schools now, developed from
this experience.
From
this
exercise of silence could be
measured the
and with the exercise became greater and greater and
strength of will of these children,
the strength of
this
will
390
THE ABSORBENT MIND So we added to this each child, and as each
the period of silence lengthened.
name of name he came quietly
the whispering of the
heard his
while the others re-
mained immobile, and, since each child came carefully and slowly so as not to make a noise, how long the last child to be called had to wait They therefore had !
developed to a great degree their strength we say we must teach children to inhibit
of will. this or
When that, we
must remember that children are capable of much greater inhibition than we are capable of, and after all will and inhibition give obedience. Inhibition of impulses is one of the
great results of this exercise as well as the control
Hence
one's actions.
of
method active,
:
on one
side,
it
came
the will to
and on the other
be a part of our choose and be freely
to
side inhibition.
thus developed into people of great will
;
The
children
in that environ-
ment they could do what they willed~act or refrain from action, and they formed a group wonderful to see.
To have
absolute silence
we must
all
agree
;
if
one
person does not agree, the silence is broken therefore a consciousness comes that we must act together and ;
produce a
Thus a conscious
result.
comes about. had unintentionally stimulated I bringing the
depend on again "
?
I
baby that,
found the
Would you
391
like to
this first silence I
how was best way was by I
make
by
could not always to arouse this interest
into the room, but
so
social relationship
"
silence ?
saying simply
:
Immediately there
THE ABSORBENT MIND was I
command
could
The
and
great enthusiasm
adult gave a
;
so
in
found to
and the
silence
command which
ence had developed elements were there.
obeyed
1
in
the
my
surprise that
obeyed me. obeyed. Obedi-
children all
children,
because
all
the
merely said something and they developing the will, unseen and unI
expected obedience had come.
Obedience
is
the last phase of the development of
so the development of the will makes obedience With our children it leads to a phase when the possible.
the
will,
whatever he commands, is promptly obeyed. he then feels is that he should be careful not to
teacher,
What
take advantage of
this
type of obedience of the children.
He
becomes aware of the real nature of the character which a leader should have. A leader should feel a great responsibility for the orders he issues. therefore, is not
but
somebody with a sense
somebody with a sense
A
leader,
of great authority,
of great responsibility.
392
CHAPTER XXVII
THE MONTESSORI TEACHER FROM
that
all
we have mentioned
may
it
be understood
a Montessori teacher has to be quite different from a teacher in an ordinary school, and one must be careful that
not to consider this too superficially, because there are certain Montessori teachers who take things too literally. " The children must be active and the They say :
teacher must not interfere
and they do In
the
",
so they abandon the children
nothing.
presentation of the
means
the teacher has a very active task
;
of
development
also the fashion in
which they must be presented and their details indicate a very active teacher therefore, the part the teacher ;
is
plays
teacher active,
are
a
a complex one. is
inactive
but
all
" inactivity
not that the Montessori
the teacher of the ordinary school
the activities our teacher has to perform
a guidance, and the subsequent of the teacher is a sign of success. Complete
inactivity
of
the
successfully accomplished,
393
is
preparation,
41
outer
and
It
teacher
we
represents
might say
it
is
a
task
an ideal
THE ABSORBENT MIND and blessed
aim,
are
the teachers
who have
where they can say
brought
"
Whether I am present or not, the class functions/* Each child through his activity has achieved independence and now the group has achieved independence. That is the mark to the stage
their class
of success,
but to arrive at this there
is
:
a path to follow
;
the teacher too must develop.
One
we must have
that the Montessori teacher
i.e.,
are
thing
on
different levels.
clearly before our eyes,
and
One cannot
teacher into a Montessori teacher
;
the ordinary teacher
transform an ordinary
one must create anew.
To
begin with, we might say that thte first step for the teacher is self -preparation. She has to prepare her imagination, because in the ordinary school the teacher
knows what
her children are like as far as their immediate
behaviour shows and she knows she has to care for them
and bring them up, whereas
who
the Montessori teacher sees
not there yet, materially speaking. This is the main difference. Our teachers are on a superior level,
a child
is
not on the material level.
Teachers
who come
to our
schools must have a sort of faith in the child who will reveal
detached the
who
The teacher becomes through work. from any idea regarding the level on which
himself
children are
all
may
be.
deviated,
The
different types of children r
do not
affect
her,
she sees a
type of child who lives in a spiritual field. The teacher has faith that the children she has actually before
different
her will
show
their real
self
when they
find
any work
394
THE ABSORBENT MIND which is
What does
attracts them.
her expectation
?
To
wait
till
she look for
one or two
?
What
of the children
become concentrated.
On in this
the
work
path of the teacher's
there are three stages
First Stage.
The
own
spiritual evolution
:
teacher becomes the guardian
custodian of the environment
on the environment instead
and
she therefore concentrates
;
caught up by all these deviated children. She concentrates on the environ-
ment because from
of being
there the cure will come.
vironment holds the attraction that of the
The
en-
will polarize the will
As in our countries where each bride own home and makes it as attractive as possible
children.
has her
attention
and her husband, instead of paying over-much to her husband she pays attention first to the
house
order to
herself
for
in
make
it
into
an environment
in
which
normal and constructive relationship can be formed. She tries to make it a peaceful, comfortable house, full of a
interesting is
stimuli.
cleanliness
shining the
and
In such a
and order
bright.
school also the
house, the essential part
everything in its place, clean, This is the first care of the wife. In first
:
care of the teacher should be
and care of the material so that it be always beautiful, shining and in repair and nothing missing, so that everything looks new to the children and is complete and ready for use at any time. This also means that She should the person of the teacher must be attractive.
this
:
order
be young,
395
beautiful,
with flowers in her hair, scented
THE ABSORBENT MIND with cleanliness, happy and
Everyone can
ideal.
translate
must remember that when of
we must
children,
The
as they
it
we
This
of dignity.
like,
is
the
but
we
present ourselves in front
they are great people. the teacher is the first step to
of
appearance
full
realize
understanding and real respect for the children. She should study her movements and make them as real
gentle
and
The
graceful as possible.
child of this age
has a great ideal of his mother we don't know of what type the mother is, but very often we hear a child say ;
when he just like
sees a beautiful lady
my
mother
so beautiful at
whom this
care
How
beautiful she
is,
Actually the mother may not be but to the child she is and everyone
!
all,
he admires
" :
"
"
as beautiful as
is
my
mother
So
".
appearance ought also to form part of the environment of the child the most living
for one's
the order in
;
part of the environment
is
the teacher.
This care of the environment then, of the teacher
work.
is
and must precede everything Unless
the
first
else
;
work
it is
an
completely attended to, there will never be any worthwhile and continuous results in any other field physical, mental or spiritual. indirect
Second Stage. having
these children
still
ing minds which >
appreciated
is
Now we come
ordered the environment.
first
on work
it
I
:
to
What
to
children,
do with
disorderly with these aimlessly wander-
we
wish to attract
in order to fix
sometimes use a term which the
the
is
them
not always
teacher must be seductive, she must
396
THE ABSORBENT MIND seduce the children at
Imagine a child entering a black dirty environment with a dirty teacher and being given an object to which he is supposed to be attracted Surely the teacher must be attractive first, in this stage.
!
appearance and
and
in
manner.
In this respect our teachers
the teachers in ordinary schools
may be
alike,
but
period of concentration. concentration sets in the teacher can do
this is all before the
Before
what she
likes
more
or less, because she upsets nothing
She can intervene have read of I necessary.
important. if
in the children's activities
a
who
Saint
to
tried
abandoned boys of the streets of a town who were learning bad habits. What did he do ? He That is what the tried every means to amuse them. the
attract
teacher must do at this stage. singing,
stories,
drama,
The
stick.
the children attracts
them and
is
use of poetry, rhymes,
anything is good teacher who fascinates
clowning
enough except the which
The
this
not very important but
;
leads to
it
some
exercise,
A
Joes attract them.
vivacious teacher can attract more easily, then why not " Now what about make use of it ? To say brightly :
"
and then work with them, carrying things carefully and suggest-
changing the furniture today the teacher herself ing
how
to carry, doing
about polishing
we
397
this beautiful brass
go into the garden and
the teacher
is
Or
all this brightly.
bowl
collect
attractive the action will
" :
" ?
or
" :
some flowers be
attractive.
How Shall " >
If
THE ABSORBENT MIND This teacher.
is
the second period in the development of the
If
there
is
some
child
who
persists in molesting
others at this stage, the practical thing
is
we have
Whilst
actions.
so prevent his is
the
full
and
not,
when a
child
under any circum-
interrupt his cycle of activity,
and
expression, obviously here the contrary
technique
right
to interrupt his
said so often that
concentrated in work one must
stances, intervene
is
thread of disturbing
:
to interrupt
The
activities.
and so
to break his
interruption
can be
an exclamation merely, or it can be getting interested in him multiplying your attention to him is like a lot of electric shocks to him and will bring a reaction in time. ;
If
a child
is
bothering others, one might say ?
you, Johnnie
do
thing to
"
you say let's go
:
Come
"
here,
I
Probably he
!
So you
don't
want will
want
" :
How
are
you somenot want to do that, so to
to give
do
that ) All right,
garden then," and go with him or let your helper take him and then his naughtiness comes under your care and the children are not troubled. into the
Third Stage. children cise
Now
comes
are interested in something, usually
because one cannot give any other one has been able to present it properly
of practical
material until
when the some exer-
the third stage
life,
and that we cannot do while they are not concentrated on anything. When the child becomes interested in an object, the teacher must not interrupt, because this actiand if it is vity obeys natural laws and has a cycle touched, it disappears like a soap-bubble and all its ;
398
THE ABSORBENT MIND beauty with
it.
non-interference
The
teacher must be very careful now,
means non-interference,
Often mistakes are
made by
has been a nuisance, at
work 44
the
;
last
in
teachers here.
any form.
A child who
does a piece of concentrated
and sees him and says
teacher passes
:
"
enough, the damage is done. The child will probably not look at work for another two or Also if a child has a difficulty and the three weeks.
Good
that
!
is
show how to deal with it, the child The will leave the teacher with the work and go away. interest of the child was not in the mere task, but in
teacher interferes to
conquering that difficulty.
" If
the teacher
going to
is
conquer it instead, well let her, my interest is gone. Also if the child is lifting heavy things, the teacher will
go
and frequently the child will then and walk off. Praise, help or even
to help
the things child are
just
dump
noticing a
often sufficient interruption to destroy activity.
Indeed, even the child's seeing one looking at him will do After all if we are concentrated in something and it.
someone comes and looks over our shoulder or looks at us from somewhere nearby, our concentration disappears. The great principle which leads to the success of the teacher is
as soon as concentration appears, pay no attencan note what he as if the child did not exist.
this
tion,
does
:
We
in
a single glance, without paying any attention that
makes him aware choose his class
399
own
of us.
actions.
Now This
the
may
child will begin to
cause problems
where more than one may want the same
in
a
material.
THE ABSORBENT MIND In
the
of
solution
we
interfere unless
them. child
Our duty
is
we must
these problems also, are asked
;
not
the children will solve
only to present
new
objects
when
the
exhausts the activities possible with the old ones. This ability of the teacher to refrain from interfering
comes with practice, just as all the other abilities. must act as if she were there to serve the children ;
She if
she
wants a good example, she can study a good servant. He prepares everything that pleases his master, but he does not tell him what to do. He keeps the master's hair -brushes in order, but
must tidy
his hair
;
he does not
he prepares
does not order him to
He
eat.
tell
him when he
food carefully, but he presents it well and with
his
exactness and unobtrusiveness and then disappears. So must we act to this master of ours the growing spirit of
This
the child.
When
is
the master
we
serve, the child-spirit.
we
are ready to satisfy it. The servant does not intrude on the master if he is alone, but
when
he shows a wish,
the master
calls,
the servant
is
immediately there
" do what he wants and he answers Yes, " do so and says How admires if asked to
to
:
:
if
that
is
expected of him, even
He
sir ".
'*
beautiful
he does not see any So with the child who has done some
beauty himself. concentrated work.
We
if
must not
intrude,
but
if
he
shows us what he has accomplished and wants our approbation, we give it generously. This is the plan and the technique
serve well
;
to serve the spirit.
This
is
:
to serve,
and
something new,
400
THE ABSORBENT MIND especially in the realm of education.
true
we would
serve children, but does the ordinary teacher
to
like
all
It is
know how
what wash him
to serve or
do
to
?
She
will see
he
is
and she will that his clothes are in disorder and she will dress him. This is the idea of the ordinary teacher, viz., that if one is to serve children, one must do everything for them, wash, dress and feed them.
dirty
But
;
we
of the
are not this type of teacher
We
body.
know
must do these things is
that the child
child
must
sufficient
that
himself.
shall not
acquire
a child
if
The
are not servants is
to develop,
he
basis of our teaching
be served
physical
unto himself.
we
;
in this sense.
The
independence by being
Independence of
will
by choosing alone and freely, independence of thought by working alone and uninterrupted. The consciousness we have that
development
give us the clue. himself,
is
a straight path to independence must
We
must help the
child
This
will for himself, think for himself.
of the servant of the spirit,
an
art
to is
act
by
the art
which can be expressed
only then that we can see the development of those marvellous characteristics in children, that we have talked about. perfectly in the field of childhood.
It
is
These qualities of a social being are wonderful to behold, and the joy of the teacher is to be able to see the manifestations of the privilege
since
usually
spirit of
the child.
they are hidden,
It is
a great
and as they
appear, the teacher who knew of them by the inspiration Here is the child as he of her faith, welcomes them.
401 26
THE ABSORBENT MIND who never tires, the calm child, the child who seeks the maximum effort and who tries to help the weak, who knows how to respect others and shows us characteristics which make us know him as the should be
the worker
:
true child.
So the teacher gradually begins to say "I know " " I have seen and by saying that she says children :
my
:
the reality of these facts.
I
have seen the
child as
he
should be, a child even superior to what I had supposed/* This is to have knowledge of childhood. The ordinary "
I know my children this is Johnnie, say his father is a carpenter, his mother is a very clever " I have been to this little manager in the home/' girl's
teacher
may
:
;
" I have have eaten with her family ", etc. I know them/' given much time and thought to them But with our teachers it is not these superficial facts that
home
;
1
;
they know, but the secret of childhood. They have penetrated into this secret and have a knowledge far superior to ordinary
knowledge,
just
as their love
far superior to that of the ordinary teacher. sori
and care was
The Monies-
teacher has a deep love because she loves the deep
knowledge
of the secret
of the
children.
Perhaps
time one understands what love really " these occasions when the child manifests his spirit.
the
first
is
for
on
They
are very touching, they touch me so deeply that they change me as does any love worthy of the name. I have been so touched that I cannot help talking about it
And what have
1
loved
?
These manifestations
of the human
402
THE ABSORBENT MIND is
It
spirit.
these revelations, this spirit which has trans-
formed me.
may
possibly the highest form of love, for
is
human
spirit
moved me,
has deeply
I
am
I
in love
it."
Ordinary teachers say that they love 4i
I
not remember the child's name, but the manifestation
of the
with
It
When
they pass me,
enquire after them
I
their pupils
rub their hair or
when they
are
ill
".
I
kiss
But
:
them. this
is
So there are two different levels. and on this the whole conception of the
personal love, only.
One
is
material,
founded.
Children are material beings if you think of spiritual things in connection with children, you think of the prayers or rituals you can teach them.
old education
But our
is
;
our love not material.
level is spiritual,
children have brought us to
it
;
so
when
The
the teacher says
she knows her children she refers to something superior which the children have revealed. And when she says :
44
I
serve
my
children
man which must know
the spirit of
",
she
liberate
means itself.
" :
I
I
serve the
know
spirit of
them,
i.e.
I
man/'
This difference of level has really been brought about It is the teacher not by the teacher, but by the children.
who not
finds herself brought
know
existed.
The
up
to this level
child has
made
which she did
the teacher
grow she is and happy. Her up to his level now she is there happiness before was perhaps to have as little to do as possible and to draw as high a salary as possible and what other satisfaction ? Perhaps her authority over the ;
403
THE ABSORBENT MIND and her feeling that she is the ideal which the She may be satischildren follow and whom they obey. fied by a sense of power and vanity. Perhaps also she children
thinks of going a step higher in her material career, to
become a headmistress
But there
or inspector.
is
no
real
happiness in this. The spiritual happiness that one may derive from the spiritual manifestations of the children, teachers
these
have never
would be ready
to leave
many headmasters and
felt
;
yet to have this
How
the lesser happiness.
teachers in
one
high schools have
and salaries and gone to little children^ to find this joy > I do know of two doctors of medicine in Paris who left their profession to do this work in order to see for themselves these phenomena, and they found that what they actually did was to pass from a lower
resigned their posts
level to a higher one.
What is the greatest height of a Montessori teacher's " Now the children work as success ? To be able to say :
if
did not exist
I
have become
children "
say
I
:
She has become nothing and the
".
all.
have brought
my
The
ordinary teacher
children
up
to
this
may
level
;
have taught this I have developed their intellectual ." But what have they powers I have .... I have done > Nothing. They have not developed they have
I
;
.
;
.
.
;
imposed themselves and crushed and impeded. the
crime
of
the
schools,
is
:
I
have helped
is
especially at the period of
development before six years. " say
This
All
this life to
we
should be able to
achieve
its
creation
"
404
THE ABSORBENT MIND The Montessori teacher of children up to six years knows she has helped humanity in an essential period of development. She may not know
and
that
is
real satisfaction.
anything of the material facts of the children, though actually some she will be bound to know because the children will talk to
her freely.
She need not mind what happens
afterwards to these children, whether they go to secondary schools and colleges or cease their schooling earlier ;
satisfied to know that in this formative period they " I have achieved what they had to achieve. She says
she
is
:
have served the
spirit of
these children so that they have
have accompanied them in She does not care what the
achieved development and their
all
experiences
".
I
ordinary inspector says, it is of no importance, it is a The teacher who has to ridiculous remnant of old times.
wait on inspectors* reports is a person in a miserable position and out of the reality of spiritual life, even if she
prays five times a day. Spiritual life from one morning to the next morning. spiritual level, not
The
is
perpetual
It is
life
to live orx
a
merely to say prayers.
ordinary teacher says
" :
How
humble these
teachers seem, they are not interested even in their own " " can your method and some say authority succeed, when you pretend that these teachers renounce :
How
"
But they have not renounced they have simply entered another life where the values are all
the usual things
different
;
where there are the
to the former
405
?
life.
;
real values of life
unknown
All the principles are different, take the
THE ABSORBENT MIND In the old schools justice
principle of justice.
"
tant.
The
teacher has power, dignity and justice/*
What was this justice
used to be said. "
was impor-
>
all
Treating
alike
it :
f
don t mind if the children are rich ment is necessary, all are punished ". I
or poor
;
if
any child made some cases even
If
mistakes he got a zero for his work, in if he was deaf all had to be treated alike.
Human
;
countries
one law
man.
justice for
all
and
I
:
caress a child because
be
just.
This
lowest level taller
justice
(i.e.,
the police
;
a
is
as
if,
if
is
so she must caress
justice
which
spiritually,
we
I
have
and the
careful not to all
levels all
she must
down
to the
cut off the heads of the
ones to bring them to the same level as the others.
On really
are called the Palace of
In schools also the teacher
courts.)
prisons,
trials,
am an honest man means
do with
to
*.
"
"
to say
had nothing law
justice
The Law Courts
sentences. Justice,
this
usually connected with
is
Justice
*
Even in democratic frequently only means that there is the rich and powerful and the starving
based on
is
society
punish-
the higher level of educational work, justice
spiritual,
it
seeks
is
that every child achieve the
maximum of its individual abilities. Justice is to give to any human being all help that will enable him to reach his full spiritual stature, and those who serve the spirit in must give help to these energies. This will perhaps be the organization of the future society. Socalled justice at present is ridiculous, it is the freedom where one man has no chance and others have all the all
ages,
406
THE ABSORBENT MIND chances and take no advantage of them. Nothing need be lost of these spiritual treasures and compared to them
economic treasures
Whether
lose their value.
or poor does not matter
can reach
if I
I
am
rich
expression, the
full
When problem will then adjust itself. humanity can achieve its spiritual self to the full, it will be more productive and economic things will lose their economic
;
Men do
exclusive value. their
not produce with their feet or
but with their
bodies,
spirit
and
All
intelligence.
insoluble problems will be solved.
The
develop an ordered society unaided.
children
We
adults
The
children solve their
need
lathis,
police,
soldiers,
own problems
have shown us that freedom and sides of
same
the
because
coin,
machine-guns.
in
peace.
They
discipline are the
scientific
two
freedom leads
fully
Usually coins have two sides, one beautiengraved with a face or figure, the other flatter and
with
lettering.
to discipline.
fully
we
The
flat
side
is
freedom and the beautiThis is so true that when
engraved side discipline. find a class of undisciplined children
control of error for the teacher, for she says 44
have made a mistake against
I
and so she is
corrects
a humiliation
education.
it
is
not*
this class
we go
to
:
ordinary teacher thinks this It is
a technique of the
In serving the children,
helping nature
we
serve
life.
new By
the next level of super-nature,
go higher continuously. And it the children who have built this beautiful structure to
since a is
;
The
it.
as a on seeing it " somewhere
this serves
407
law of nature
is
to
THE ABSORBENT MIND another level.
The laws
nature are order, so
when
comes spontaneously we know we have reached
order
the cosmic order.
draw
of
One
of the missions of children
adult humanity to a higher level.
this point
here, important as
draw
it is,
is
to
cannot develop but it is a fact. The I
and solve the problems of the material level. Let me quote some phrases which have helped us to keep in mind all these things we have mentioned. It is not a prayer, but a memorandum and so for Montessori teachers an invocation, a kind of
children
us to a spiritual level
syllabus, our only syllabus "
:
HELP US, O LORD, TO PENETRATE INTO THE SECRET OF THE CHILD SO THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM, LOVE HIM AND SERVE HIM, ACCORDING TO YOUR LAWS OF JUSTICE AND FOLLOWING YOUR DIVINE WILL."
408
CHAPTER
XXVIII
THE FOUNTAIN SOURCE OF LOVE THE CHILD IN our Courses are
typically
people,
we always
see a gathering of workers that Montessorian. There are babies, young
older
people,
professional
people,
non-pro-
fessional people, cultured and illiterate people and there is no leader among us. Our Courses are apparently hetero-
geneous unlike most other courses of culture. Students following our courses have to have some degree of culture, but that is the only limit, within it we can have matriculates
and
professors side
by
side,
lawyers and doctors,
and those who would be their patients. In Europe we used to have people from all countries and in America we once had an anarchist among us With all these differences of people there have never been any conflicts !
between the students. How is this ? It is because we have all been linked by a common ideal. In Belgium, such a small country that it might be fitted in one of the tips
of
India,
there
are nevertheless
two languages:
French and Flemish. The people are divided
409
politically
THE ABSORBENT MIND as a result.
Seldom has
people together
in
happened.
It
it
was
been possible
it
was so " :
unusual, that in newspapers
For
many
years
trying unsuccessfully to get these parties
power
of
whatever
the
child
are
all
:
This
familiar
is
the
with children,
or political feeling,
their religious
it
we have been together, now we
to study the child/'
in this course
it
these
all
a conference, but in a Montessori Course
commented
have
draw
to
and
all
love
hence the uniting influence of the child. Adults have formed some strong and ferocious convictions and children,
them
these convictions divide
When
into groups.
they
begin to speak of these convictions, their religious and political ideals,
they begin to
But on one point that
why
is
fight.
the child
socially the
child
they
is
all
feel alike
so important.
It
;
is
a point from which one can start in order to put the world into harmony. It is one point on which all have a delicate sensitivity. When we speak evident that this
the
of
is
all
child,
are touched,
The whole
all
feel
are
all
love,
held by this deepest emotion which kindles friendly sentiments. It is a form of love. When one touches the child, one touches
sensitive.
One does
love. feel
it,
love
;
know it.
humanity
know how
but cannot describe it
".
senses, so
by
not
of
but
we have
We feel
to define this love
We may say
" :
I
;
all
feel this
and its vastness I do not as we are aware of things through our
exists,
Just
it.
is
it is
its
root
this feeling of love
there,
;
we
are impressed
even though, when
we
consider
410
THE ABSORBENT MIND much
in
the
When
it.
life
of the adult,
an adult thinks
of defence
arise,
it
is
if
we had
forgotten
of another adult, usually forces
when we
but
as
think of the child the
and hard accretions soften and disappear, we become sweet and gentle because now we are dealing strong
with the basis of
life.
This
is
so not only for humans,
comes when the young appear. There are then these two aspects of adult life that of defence and that of love, but the fundamental one
but for
all
living
It
beings.
:
is
that of love as one feels
it
for the child,
out the child the adult would not
because with-
exist.
more consciously. Let us consider what prophets and poets have said about it, for they have been able to give form and expression to this great energy which we call love. Certainly there is nothing more beautiful or uplifting than the words of poets who have given this form to love so that man can Let us try to understand
visualize at the
it
to
some
base of
all
extent
;
existence.
men when they read gious men may say
:
this love
this love
Even
which
is
the energy
the most ferocious of
these statements of poets and reli" " beautiful That means
How
that this love has remained in
!
them and keeps vibrating
them, despite the manner of their life. Were it not so, they would call such things, nonsense, stupidity,
in
vapidity
and so on.
entered
their
means
it.
it
yet they are
that they are thirsty for
knowing 411
lives,
Although
does not seem to have influenced
by
it.
It
love even without their
THE ABSORBENT MIND It
war
is
is
curious that even in times such as these
most destructive and has reached
when one would
of the world,
would be most
when
the corners
all
think that to talk of love
people Jo talk of it. They are planning for unity, which is love. This means that it is
a basic
ironic,
So now,
force.
men
that everything might lead this thing called love
;
when
at this time,
let
to
would seem
it
"
say
Away
:
with
us have reality which has been
proved to be destruction, for are not cities, forests, women, children, animals all destroyed ? ", still there is talk of
and
reconstruction
people talk of
it.
love
we
If
even
;
while
they
look and listen to
all
destroy,
around
us,
common talk, we hear the Pope, Truman, Churchill, the directors of the churches, those
the wireless, newspapers,
against the churches, the cultured rich
and
there could be the force
it
all
no stronger proof than
and impressiveness
there
is
of this love) then >
of ?
And why
not see
has not been studied before so that
combine the other forces put so
much
of his
other natural facts.
of
which
it
to
day
of
why should
Why Why
should
its
energy
be only spoken of when hate is raging ? not be studied and analysed always, so that
can be made use
the
"
not humanity study this great fact of love it
illiterate,
" the followers of all the isms " love ". And if this is so, (and saying
and the poor and theologies, all
and the
why
should
this
energy could be used to
we know
?
Man
has
mental energies into the study of In those fields he has worked labori-
ously and long and discovered
many
things.
Why
not
412
THE ABSORBENT MIND put a
of this energy into the study of this force
little
which should unite humanity > I feel that all contributions that give an illustration of love should be taken in with energy and avidity and great prominence should be given 1 to them. mentioned that poets and prophets have of
spoken it
often as
it,
were an
if it
has always been there and
We
must
realize
Even
in school.
if
it is
;
but
it is
real,
eternal.
too that
love at the present time, it
is
ideal
if
we
feel this reality of
not because
we were
we were
taught
taught the beautiful des-
words were few and they would have disappeared, the memory of them would have vanished in the multitudinous events that have followed
criptions of love, the
When
since then. for
love,
is
it
or read of
people appeal with so much energy not because they heard of it in their youth
it
in poetry or in religion
of something not learnt to
by
;
the expression
it is
heart, but of
something given
us as part of the great heritage of our
life.
Life
It is
which speaks, not poets and prophets. Love can be considered from another side, besides that of religion
and
poetry.
that
we
fruit of
from the point of view of Life itself then love is not merely the must consider it is
;
imagination or aspiration, but a reality which
eternal energy I
It
would
and cannot be like
and about those have said
also.
cosmic energy.
413
to
is
an
extinguished.
say a few words about
things which the poets
we call love Even when we use such This energy
this reality
and prophets is
the greatest
terms
we
still
THE ABSORBENT MIND speak of energy
it
God
phrase
Now like
to
but
I
creation
is
it
"
disparagingly,
is
to
itself
because
and
it
more than an
is
better expressed in the
is
Love/'
come
to
more concrete
be able to quote from
would
poets and prophets,
all
do not know them nor do
I
things.
1
know
their
language.
know all have wonderful verses. Let me quote from one I know who showed great vehemence in his expresIt is the best-known of all sion when speaking of love. But
I
Christendom, and says
religious or poetic descriptions in
" If
speak with the tongues
I
and have not
charity,
or a tinkling cymbal.
and should know if
I
should have
tains,
all
and have not
should distribute 1
all
all
my profiteth me
should deliver
charity,
it
We
men, and
of
am become a And if should I
I
mysteries, faith,
and
so that
charity,
I
am
I
sounding brass
have prophecy,
knowledge, and could remove mounnothing.
And
if
I
my
goods to feed the poor, and if body to be burned, and have not nothing." (St. Paul in " :
tell
of angels,
all
could say to such a person what love is since you feel it so strongly, thing formidable,
:
us about
it
I.
Cor. XIII)
You must know
it
in detail/'
must be someBut when the
mighty sentiment is given, it is so The illustrations he has used might be found in simple. our present civilization which can move mountains and description
of
work even
greater miracles than that, for
this
we can speak
a whisper from one corner of a continent to a corner in another continent where we are heard. But all this is in
414
THE ABSORBENT MIND there
if
nothing,
We
not love.
is
have organized
also
and clothe them, but playing a drum which gives
great institutions to feed the poor if
we have
sound St.
not love
because
is
it
who gave
Paul
it is
like
What
empty.
then
us a description of
is
love
this
its lofty
?
grandeur,
as quoted above, continues, but he does not furnish a philosophical theory, he writes "
:
Charity is patient, is kind charity envieth not, is not puffed up. Is not ambidealeth not perversely tious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, :
:
thinketh no
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth
evil.
with the truth
beareth
:
all
things,
believeth
all
things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things/' It is a long enumeration of facts, a long description of features, but all these features remind us strangely of the
of
qualities
the
powers
of
receives
all,
react.
It
They seem to describe the absorbent mind. The absorbent mind children.
does not judge,
it
absorbs
all
it
never repels,
and incarnates
it
in
it
does not
The
man.
child achieves incarnation in order to adapt himself to life
men and become
with other
child suffers
all
:
if
equal to them. The he comes into the world in a cold and
frozen environment there he forms himself to live in
If
and
only be happy in that he enters the world in a torrid region,
the adult he will be one
environment.
it
day
will
there he will construct himself so that he could not live
and be happy
in another climate.
receives him, be
415
it
Be
it
the desert which
the plains fringing the ocean, be
it
the
THE ABSORBENT MIND slopes in the high mountain ranges, he enjoys
it all
and
there alone he reaches the highest well-being.
The
receives poverty as
as
believes
receives wealth,
it
receives the prejudices
it
ment
:
incarnates
it
This
is
And
if it
stability it
mind
absorbent
in
it all
the child
and customs
within
like this,
most
of the
would not achieve
receives
it
It
all.
all faiths
of his environ-
itself.
!
were not
any
hopes
all,
its
mankind would not reach
different parts of the world,
continuous progress in civilization
without ever having to start afresh. The absorbent mind forms the basis of the miraculous
by man and appears to us in the guise of the small and delicate child who solves the mysterious difficulties of human destiny by the virtues of love.
society created
If
therefore
we have done analysed.
It
we
study the child a
hitherto, is
we
find love in
little
all its
better than
aspects
and
not analysed by the poet or the prophet
but by what the child shows
by
If
reality.
we
consider
the description given by St. Paul and then look at the " Here it is that all these are found so child, we say, ;
here
is
the great treasure
itself/'
The treasure then is to be found not merely near those who study poetry and religion, but within every human being. This miracle is sent to all the represen;
tative of this
Man this
tremendous force
makes a rain. So
desert of it
is
strife
be found everywhere. and God continues to send is
to
easy to understand that
all
the
416
THE ABSORBENT MIND achievements as they are, without love lead nowhere, to nothing. But if this love present in the child is taken among us, if its values and
creations
of
potentialities
adults,
are
great
and developed, our achieve-
realized
The
ments, already great, will be tremendous.
adult
and the child must come together the adult must be humble and learn from the child to be great. It is curious that among all the miracles which humanity has performed, there is only one miracle that he has not taken ;
into consideration
the beginning
:
Supposing
and
subject
:
the miracle that
we
tell
a
put a little
An
lady of his choice. this
is
has sent from
the Child. little
levity into this
story.
wished to marry and recounted
and
God
A all
elder guide
what happened
:
the
young man
certain
the praises of the
responded
in writing
The young man praises her The young man a zero.
guide writes finding beauty is not enough, states that she
beauty
;
weighty
is
rich
;
the guide writes zero.
The young man says, she is learned, but the guide " All this again writes zero. The young man says means nothing, well, she is athletic, she rides, swimg, plays tennis." Again the guide writes zero. The young :
man
goes on describing
all
sorts of qualities
which
his
and
the guide continues to write zero Then the young man says " She is of against them. " That is somegood character ", and the guide says
lady-love possesses
:
:
thing ",
417 27
and
writes a figure one in front of
all
the zeros.
THE ABSORBENT MIND acquire their value from this one
All the other merits
and with
quality
all
in front of all the zeros her
the achievements are
truction, but
if
love
So it is with civilinaught and lead to des-
a thousandfold.
total value increases
zation,
one
that
there they
is
all
acquire a great value.
This teaching of the child as a power of love is not as the teaching of St. Paul, it is not an understanding of It is not that man has taught this love with the mind. Since he
love to children. cribing
and
it,
is
how can he
in the child.
It
not even capable of des-
is
teach
means
it ?
a force of nature
It is
that there
is this
force that
nature has placed in the very constitution of man,
it is
more important than anything else and must be put before all the creations of man. This brings us to another field, to that of love not as a phantasy of man,
therefore
but as a force in Natura Creatrix.
forms and aspects that
That which we ness.
It
is
Let us analyse the love can assume.
this
call
love
we have
in our conscious-
the part of the universal energy that
But one
we
feel
say that universal energy has Let us analyse it it is nothing to do with humanity.
consciously.
may
:
an
attraction,
and what
is
attraction but a universal force.
What keeps the and makes them move along the
Let us consider the universe.
stars
where they are
fixed
path they follow the ground
the
atoms
Attraction.
?
If
Attraction.
Why
What
do bodies
fall
to
works among matter* so that they construct wholes ? this attraction did not exist there would
By of
?
attraction.
is it
that
418
THE ABSORBENT MIND be chaos, nothing would be in existence. There would be no heaven and no stars without attraction. And if
were no
there
to the earth,
attraction
when we jump
we would else
remain up in the air and so would everything Chemical affinity which brings certain elements
!
together could not manifest attraction I
made
without attraction.
And "
love.
is
itself
the stars
love or attraction,
So we could say with St. Paul, If and everything on earth, but I had no nothing would exist." Love is not
merely sympathy, but the very essence of existence. If we consider conscious love, we can analyse further. All animals have at certain moments the instinct of reproduction,
a
which
command
a form
is
of nature
is
tion
nothing would continue. is
for
a
moment and
measured
and
may
then
it
this attrac-
So a little atom of this them for a little moment in
lent to
order that the species
This form of
because without
love
universal energy
of love.
be continued.
disappears.
economical
nature
is
They
feel
This shows in
it
how
lending love
;
and no more, given in small doses and based on command. When the young come, the parents feel a special love for them which leads them
just
sufficiently
to protect the species,
and
all
the
young ones are kept
But as soon as the young are sufficiently grown, love disappears suddenly from one moment to another. It is not a sentiment as we think,
near the mother.
but an energy given very carefully and economically, just a small ray to penetrate the darkness of consciousness,
419
THE ABSORBENT MIND but as soon
work
as the
us
That
?
sentiment.
animals, but
true
is
convey not merely a
is
lasts longer in
it
it
man
than in
not a sentiment really (apart from
is
it
that
So,
disappears.
supposed sentiment
this
It
it
and then what does
love can take this aspect to
done,
is
encouragement or discouragement).
Cosmically
it is
its
an
energy lent to every living being and withdrawn as soon as the immediate purpose is fulfilled.
So
man
because
is
carries
it
him
it is
measured
can sublimate
to social
and
to
any other force, It must be organization.
force lent to
this
limits
greater than
and developed and expanded
treasured
vaster
within
given
but even so
also,
Man
force
this
maximum. him and make it
to the
To
vaster to reach abstraction.
bring
into
it
and to treasure it, this is the work Let us take it and bring it into the field of of man. Let us treasure it imagination and make it general. the field of abstraction
because
this
is
the force that holds the universe together.
we
This part, that
and
this
if
born,
it
together
force
is
renewed
must be treasured. all
given to us, every time a child is
possess consciously, in
man
By
things that he can
is
this force
do with
his
man can
hold
hand and
his
intelligence.
Love
is
a
gift
of
the
Universal Consciousness
aim and purpose, as is everything lent If the aim is to man by the Cosmic Consciousness. not fulfilled, then nothing can sustain itself and all for
a special
crumbles
away.
We
can understand the words of
420
THE ABSORBENT MIND the saint that
all
nothing unless love
is
is
there.
More
which gives light in the darkness, more than the etheric waves which allow our voices to travel than
electricity
over wide distances, more than any energy that man has discovered and exploited is this love above all things ;
it
is
the most important.
All that
forces of electricity or of etheric
who
consciousness of him is
comes and
it
we must
study
it
it,
and use
we
when a Even if later
it
it is
as other forces are, but
it
springs
that
421
its utilization
and
man must
that
is
follow.
fan.
it
a yearning for it. So more than any other force in
the environment, because
love and
the
uses them. This energy of love
opens out as a
circumstances destroy
with the
waves depends on
given to us so that each one of us contains
child
it
man can do
is
feel
not lent to the environment
The study
lent to us.
will lead us to the fountain
the Child.
This
is
the
of
whence
new path
Printed by C. Subbarayudu, at the Vasanta Press,
The Theosophical
Society, Adyar,
Madras
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