“As you begin to realize that every different type of music, everybody’s individual music, has its own rhythm, life, language and heritage, you realize how life changes, and you learn how to be more open and adaptive to what is around us.”
—Yo-Yo Ma
—Yo-Yo Ma
“One-two-three, One-two-three, One-two-three…” Does that sound familiar? Yesterday my music teacher helped me find my way into a rhythm with which I was having trouble.
She asked me to clap the rhythm out with her, tapping my foot on the first beat of each triplet.
As we clapped, the rhythm began to settle more easily into my body. I realized that I had been trying to use my head and think my way into learning something that needs to be experienced in the body.I had to let go my need to control and filter how I was taking in the information, and just let my body be in charge. The process felt important because it gave me a first-hand experience of my (and perhaps most of our culture’s) default pattern of taking in information with our minds. We often don’t recognize when we need to let our body’s wisdom show us our way forward. It also reminded me that I need quiet time after I learn to digest new information fully.
What helps you to take in new information as you go about your day? How do you creatively balance your thinking time with your need to experience life in a kinesthetic way or just to relax? Please share a comment with us all.
cheers,
Eliza