Overview of DaVincian Principles

In the process of trying to organize my thoughts for this blog, I went to something that has been floating around in my head for years. In early May of this year, I briefly discussed one of my favorite books, How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, by Michael Gelb http://lothlorien-lucy.blogspot.com/2008/05/davinci-and-camels.html. I want to keep this book in mind as I continue to write for Lothlorien.

This week, I am giving you an overview of da Vinci’s seven principles, as organized and identified by Gelb. I have created three other categories in order to cover some of the areas I want to discuss on these posts. First, here are the ones from Gelb’s book.

Curiositià – I explained this in the above link so I won’t go into it again, except to suggest that you think about doing one of Gelb’s exercises. Sit down and as quickly as you can (in one sitting), write out 100 questions of things you are curious about. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

Dimonstrazione – After graduation, I talked briefly about this principal http://lothlorien-lucy.blogspot.com/2008/05/back-to-davinci_21.html Here, Gelb suggests you let thoughts flow on the question “What would I do differently if I had no fear of making mistakes?” That one isn’t easy, either.

Now we get into some of the principals I haven’t touched on yet, but will in the future.

Sensazione – Sharpening my senses requires a conscious decision. I love to smell a fresh pot of tea, touch a luxurious orchid, hear a roaring surf, taste a new herb or spice, see color and movement. Gelb writes of Da Vinci’s “continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience.” There are many topics I can discuss under this principal.

Sfumato - This word literally means “going up in smoke.” To the best of my ability, I have sought to follow da Vinci in his “willingness to embrace ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty...”, to become “more at home with the unknown, to make friends with paradox.” Ambiguity is where many of us have difficulty.

Arte/Scienza - Music and other arts provide nourishment for my emotional and spiritual life, yet I am drawn to new technology of the 21st Century. Da Vinci is my role model for maintaining that delicate balance between imagination and logic as I seek to develop both sides of my brain, for what he calls ‘Whole-brain’ thinking.

Corporalita - Health and physical activity isn’t always as high on my priority list as I would like, but I hope Da Vinci’s modeling will assist in my “cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, fitness, and poise.”

Connessione - When I write, or read favorite authors, or explore other cultures and sub-cultures, there is a “recognition of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena. Systems thinking. Ties everything together.”

Here are the three categories I created, using the Italian words to stay in the mind-set of da Vinci.

Famiglia - Family includes my biological family, my extended family, genealogy and the infamous Kaimana Kat. More recently, my family has expanded to include six beautiful hens – three Araucana and three Rhode Island Reds.

Geographia - I have lived in a variety of geographical locations, visited in many others, and hope to visit in those I’ve never seen except in my dreams. This section will include past, present, and future.

Proprio – This grouping is for odds and ends of personal “stuff” that doesn’t seem to fit under any particular heading.

I will continue to organize this blog in my mind (as many of us bloggers do), but at this point, I think I will try to do something from one of the principals or categories for each post. That may change – but hey, I’m a woman, right? I’m allowed!

Next week – Sensazione!

DaVinci and Camels

One of my favorite books is How To Think Like Leonardo DaVinci by Michael J. Gelb. (See the Amazon link to the left.) Every second spring semester, I teach a college course called “Psychology and the Expressive Arts.” I use Gelb’s book to help students develop their creativity.

One purpose of this blog is to help me define and embrace variety within DaVinci’s seven principles throughout my whole life. It is in the creative realm where I discover many areas of interest and ability, as I aspire to be a “Renaissance Woman.”

Periodically, I will post something here that relates my everyday life (past, present and future) to one of his seven principles. It will be as much self-assessment as it is a way to share my interests with friends and family.

DaVinci’s first principle was “curiositá.” Gelb defines this as “an insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.” My unique way of walking in this world keeps exploration and curiosity at the center of my life.

Riding a camel certainly has been one of my more unique experiences! I’d been riding horses for many years, so I thought a camel would be a cinch, but camels have a nasty disposition! Also, along with their constant complaining, they bend down in stages to let you climb on, which gives you the sensation of being on a very fluky rocking chair (or a slow roller coaster).

I ventured out on the guy in the above picture near the Qumran where ancient scrolls were found http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/deadsea.scrolls.exhibit/Library/library.html. Later, I visited the museum where these scrolls are on exhibit.

One of the exercises in Gelb’s book is to write out 100 questions of things you are curious about. Riding a camel can be marked off my list now.

But I do love being curious!