The Element

by Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica

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Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica. The Element. New York: Penguin Books 2009.  288 pp.   $15.00

Ken Robinson uses the term the Element to describe the place where the things we love to do and the things we are good at come together.  The Element is a different way of defining our potential.  Robinson believes that it is essential for each of us to discover his or her natural capacities.  We will not only be more fulfilled but as the world evolves, the future of our communities and institutions will depend upon it. 

The Element offers us life altering insights about the discovery of our true best self. Being in the zone allows us to tap into a primal source of energy and we feel more alive and energized because of it.  The Element gives us many examples of how talents express themselves differently in every individual.  It analyzes the traits that people who have found the Element have, the circumstances and conditions that bring them closer to it and identifies the deterrents.  It shows the importance of creating environments in our homes, our schools, and in our work places where every person is inspired to grow creatively and have the chance to discover the Element in them selves and in their own way. 

We are all born with tremendous natural capacities.  Many of us [lose sight of our true talents over time WHY? HOW?].  Many of us do not understand our powers of imagination, intelligence, feeling, intuition, spirituality and physical and sensory awareness. Many of us do not understand our ability to relate to each other holistically.  We think that our minds, our bodies and our feelings and relationships operate independently of each other like separate systems.  We may be limited by our understanding of how much potential we have for growth and change.  This limited view of our capacities can be compounded by our peers, our culture and our own expectations of ourselves.

Robinson claims that a major factor for all of us is our education system. There is usually a preoccupation with different types of academic abilities.  There is a hierarchy of subjects, with math, science and language skills at the top. And there is an increasing reliance on standardized testing.  Schools place a greater than ever emphasis on conformity and finding the right answers.  The current system puts severe limitations on how teachers teach and how students learn.  These approaches stifle some of the most important capacities that students need to make their way in a changing world.

We are in an era of unprecedented global change.  Technology is developing at a rate that most of us cannot grasp.  It is contributing to a huge generational gap. The Element encourages us to take a different view of ourselves. The only way to prepare for the future is to make the most out of ourselves on the assumption that doing so will make us more flexible and productive as possible. Robinson shows us that we have a huge capacity for growth no matter what our age or stage of growth is.  By being in the Element, we can connect with something fundamental to our sense of identity, purpose, and well being.  It offers hope that we can all make a significant contribution to our future world when we are in our Element.

Book review by Pat Sexsmith, RN, IEHP
Student in Wholistic Transformational Therapy
Department of Integrated Energy Healing
Langara College, Vancouver, BC

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