“What is the next number beyond infinity?” my oldest grand asked.

I love these questions.  And I have no idea how to answer her in a way that she might understand.

“Do you know the symbol for infinity?” I ask trying to buy some time.

“Yes, we learned that in kindergarten today,” she replied.

“Can you draw it for me?” I asked.

“Sure, granddad.”

Infinity and Beyond

“So what is the circle around the infinity symbol?” I inquire.

“Silly.  That is what is beyond infinity,” she shared.

“But you still haven’t answered what is the next number after infinity?” she reminded me.

“If you take your crayon and go around and around the figure 8 of the infinity symbol isn’t that beyond infinity?” I question.

Realizing that I wasn’t doing a very good job explaining to a six year old, I switched tactics and asked her if she wanted to make a painting out of the infinity symbol.  Using our collaborative technique that we enjoy, we painted infinity and beyond.

Infinity

In the wonderful world of synchronicity, I am reading Sharon Stanley’s Relational and Body-Centered Practices for Healing Trauma.  She uses the infinity symbol to signify oscillating attention.

“Oscillating attention between the polarities of “forgotten” experience and sources of vitality differentiates neural states that may be fused, then allows them to link as new neural connections. Oscillation can be expressed visually with the infinity symbol, the figure 8 on its side. See Figure 8.1. Differentiations of phenomena reveal the opposites contained within an experience, and linkage brings the opposites into a more expansive form, leading to perspectives that integrate polarities.”

Stanley, Sharon. Relational and Body-Centered Practices for Healing Trauma (p. 124). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

Infinity Oscillation Polarities

Just as I have difficulty explaining to my grand what is beyond infinity, I look forward to trying to understand what is beyond oscillating attention.

Until I can figure out an answer of what is the number beyond infinity, I think I will continue to oscillate the young lady’s attention.