For me, security and beauty are not compatible. When you seek beauty, you have to forget security, and you have to go to the rim of catastrophe. There you find the beauty. If a musician makes a mistake, a crack, because he risks everything to get the most beautiful thing and he fails, then I […]
Performance anxiety is often perceived as a disease we must fight and is shrouded in shame. Mindfulness teaches us that fear is simply one of the many emotions which make us human; and its nature, when met with kindness and acceptance, is to dissolve. Meditation practices that invite us to recognise, allow and investigate our
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Thinking is what the mind does, and is a vital part of the musician’s process. An ability to observe the thinking mind is one of the most powerful skills a musician can develop. Mindfulness of thoughts teaches musicians this skill, helping them turn down the dial on what Thich Naht Hanh calls ‘Radio NST (Non
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Every musician longs to play from the heart and yet we are so often paralysed by self hatred and judgement. The heart practices of kindness, compassion, shared joy and equanimity that are at the core of mindfulness dissolve this war with ourselves and with our audience. They build a language of care that quietens the
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Breath is a wise teacher when it comes to the shape of gesture and phrasing. Inspiration and expression hold a key to finding balance in performance. The breath, because it is always here and yet always changing, is a steady anchor when there is anxiety. Mindfulness of the breath teaches us both to connect to
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The body is the musician’s true instrument, and yet many musicians are disconnected from their somatic experience, having learned to play only with their heads and their hands. Mindfulness of the body cultivates an ability to listen to the wisdom of the body, grounds us in presence and regulates the nervous system, promoting a sense
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Mindfulness is not not thinking or getting rid of feelings, but rather a way of meeting our experience with kindness and acceptance. Because music unfolds moment by moment, musical practice is a perfect arena in which to cultivate attention that is non-reactive, non-judgemental, grounded in the body and open-hearted. Mindfulness also balances the left and
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