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Instruction, Information & Inspiration for Players of Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass & Fiddle | Dec. 24, 2009

My Musical Meditation

The holidays are a joyous time for me. Yet, with all of the busyness and coordination of family gatherings, gift buying, and the like, I notice I feel extra tense this time of year. It’s times like these that I really look forward to meditating. I use meditation as a way to reduce stress, and improve my focus and concentration. There are many ways to meditate. I do a simple breathing meditation. I sit with my back straight and my eyes closed. Then I focus on my breathing. I repeat to myself, "Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out." Naturally all kinds of thoughts come up, but when they do, I gently acknowledge them and then refocus on my breathing. By nature, I'm a pretty antsy person, so at first this exercise was very difficult. But just like learning a new piece of music, it gets easier with practice.

I believe meditation can be very beneficial to musicians on so many levels. It calms and relaxes the mind. As thoughts are removed, space is created that allows energy to flow more freely. And the residual worry, frustration, and busyness of daily life can diminish greatly when there is more room in the mind! —Cindi Kazarian

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