saxophone

The Discovery Approach to Music Practice (part 3): Simple meditations

Part 1 of this series is available here and part 2 is available here. Please make sure to read those first if you haven’t yet. To recap, this approach is essentially a “hidden in plain sight” simple way of practicing music slowly, that allows for both enjoyment and results in music practice. In part 1 and 2, we covered what the Discovery Approach is, why we might want to use it and how it might be effective and helpful.

This approach assumes you have something somewhat specific that you want to practice, like a line or piece of music, raga, chord progression etc. as a music student or practitioner. If you want to utilize music to realize your real nature itself (Enlightenment, Self Realization etc), please see Naada Yoga for Total Liberation (multi-post series in progress.) It’s all the same in the end, but the focus is a bit different.

Now let’s dive into some simple meditations or visualizations to help enter or access this natural approach for practicing music.

1. Turn off the lights, turn off the mind, awaken natural attention

Relax. Breathe. Visualize sitting in a classroom or lecture hall or perhaps a large sports stadium at your favorite match. Or maybe a concert with your favorite artist. Choose whatever appeals to you. You are engaged in whatever is taking place and there appears to be quite a bit of activity.

Now, suddenly, all the lights are switched off at once. Notice and watch carefully what happens. Immediately, pure wakeful attention comes forward and distractedness and thoughts fade into the background. If fear arises, simply notice it and allow it to subside as it is not necessary right now.

Rest in silence briefly or as long as you like. Begin to feel the sensations of holding your instrument again or, if you are a vocalist, just notice the body itself and its sensations. Slowly begin your warmup for your practice session. You will notice the intensity of your awareness and attention will be many times more than what it was before this. With practice, dropping into this space will be quicker, easier and deeper.

2. When this step is all there is, you go beyond time and enjoy vivid awareness

Relax. Breathe. Visualize that you are standing alone on top of a very tall tower. It is dark and you cannot see anything. However, you can sense that there are no protective rails or anything to prevent you from falling. From the tower is a walkway leading back down. You begin try to move in that direction but you have no idea which way it is. How will you walk?  First, relax again. Set aside any fear, knowing that there is no external factor that could interrupt you. You would move extremely slowly, feeling with the sensations of your feet touching the floor and perhaps reaching around you to see what is in front of you. Move too quickly and you may fall. Relax. The moment you notice your feet touching the edge, you would naturally pull back and proceed in a different direction, unhurriedly. Simply go as SLOW as needed. This recognition is liberating as you know that with this kind of undisturbed attention and plenty of time, there will be no “fatal” mistakes.

Relaxing into this state of natural focus and vivid awareness, come back to your instrument (or body itself for vocals) and begin playing. This works especially well for working on a piece or phrase line by line. You move through the line the same way you would feel with your feet and senses in this example… Unhurried, going way slower than you normally would, and thus noticing and digesting more than you ever normally would about the music and about what you are doing. Even a few minutes of practice this way is very beneficial.

Just enjoy…

Once you slide into the natural attention through either of these two techniques, simply enjoy the music here and now. Enjoy the sound, the entire experience of playing music. Your awareness is now ALIVE and simply noticing all that happens. Playing is easier and more fun this way. This is the flow and this is the natural way. Mistakes are both less in number and less frustrating. “Mistakes” become a friend that points the way. Simply keep returning to whatever you are doing again and again.

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Transcript of a brief Sangeetha Satsang talk

The following is a transcript of a brief 5 minute intro talk given during a Sangeetha Satsang (Music Satsang or music meditation). You can use this to guide you into meditating with any of Prasant’s saxophone meditation tracks on this website or youtube.

sangeetha_satsang2

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I would like to invite you to join me in this meditation. It’s not really a separate meditation. My understanding, my feeling is that your natural state is meditation.

What we’re going to do now is not something I’m asking you to do differently than you are already doing. So just be the same way that you already are. Part of your feeling that you can explore… So now we’re sitting basically in silence. And from the feeling that you have in silence you hear the sound arising from that. So what you could try… as you hear the sound, first relax into just being how you already are. Just relax.

Then as you hear the sound, just feel the sound. Initially, when you hear the sound it sounds like a sound coming from a separate external source, from somewhere else, right? When you hear the sound you first think I’m playing the sound and sending you the sound…yes? [Audience: Yes] So that’s mostly how people feel regularly.

But in this I’d like to invite you to forget about the idea that there’s a sound coming separately from some other source. Initially, even if you feel that the sound is coming from another place, just forget about that and let the sound come into your awareness. Forget about any feeling you have in the body, just notice the sensations. The sound will start to wash over you and it will take over the awareness. So relaxing in that sound, you become comfortable feeling only the sound so there is nothing else except the sound. And alternating that with silence, you go deeper and deeper into the pure sound. Underneath that sound, as you get comfortable in that sound, you can let go more and more. Just basically relax is all. You’ll go deeper into the Silence that’s beneath the sound. So if there’s sound, there has to be Silence supporting the sound, right? So that Silence is your natural, real nature.

So whenever we wake up in the morning, as soon as you wake up before anything arises, you have this perfect Silence. There’s this perfect Being. That doesn’t have anything in it. And, it has everything in it, of course. If there’s nothing in it, there’s everything in it.

For just this moment, you can always pick it back up later, forget about any and all ideas and definitions you have…what something is, what something is not, what your name is, what your family is, what you’re doing here, what you are going to meditate on, how am I going to meditate, all of that just forget it. Completely drop it, right now, right this instant.

So whatever you’re trying to attain is already here. There’s nothing else to get. That’s your inherent nature. The moment you try to leave, attain something, you’ve left your real nature. This idea is just an opportunity to return back to your real nature. And it’s already here, it’s not that you have to return back to it. It’s already here, but you think it’s somewhere else. So for the time being, maybe you can adopt my idea that everything you need is already here, not anywhere else outside. And just let the music, the sound current of the music…You’ve all heard the sound “Om.” Everyone’s heard of Om. So they say that’s the sound of the entire manifestation. So feel this sound as the Om arising within you. And not only within you, everywhere. Not within, not without. Forget about within and without. Just be exactly as you are right now. Not something else…or a body or anything. Just relax into that sound and eventually relax into the Silence, that’s all. So there’s nothing really to do, just enjoy. Thank you.

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Please enter into silence for a few minutes. If you would like you can sit with one of Prasant’s tracks by utilizing the players below. For more about Satsangs, visit the Satsang page.

 

YouTube (subscribe free to Prasant’s channel)

The Discovery Approach to Music Practice (part 2): What you want is already here when you SEE.

Part 1 of this series is available here. In part 1, there is an overview of what this approach is about.

The Discovery Approach to practice essentially comes from the realization that what IS is inherently complete and perfect. That perfection can grow and change, but it is inherently full as it is. The practice is then to discover that. This can be successfully utilized in music…or anything.

Let us look into the first analogy: uncovering a fossil or perhaps a lost city. Paleontology, archaeology, etc. Remember, all analogies break down. This is just to convey a perspective-essence that you can utilize in your practice.

If you were going to uncover a large dinosaur or perhaps an ancient city, what would be your approach? Everyone has seen a clip or photo of paleontologists in action. If you come at it roughly, the precious treasure will be damaged. Notice the delicate tools being used, crouched on the earth.

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What will you find? (photo courtesy kenosha.org)

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The goal is already here, so there’s no hurry. (photo courtesy answersingenesis.org)

The approach is wide open seeing, gently pressing onward to uncover that which you want to find. There is no hurry, no clock. There is a great deal of sensitivity in the work. The team or worker will take as long as it needs to properly expose the dinosaur’s remains. Days, months or years. There is a touch of reverence for what may be discovered. The goal is available right at the fingertips to the point that it can even be touched, yet such care is taken. It is already complete and finished and does not need to be created. It simply awaits discovery. (I will go into how this relates to composing and improvising music another time…this still applies.)

Looking at a phrase, line, piece of music or even a single note in this way might change your entire relationship to it. It ceases to be an item to be completed or scale to get through. You are no longer marking off checklists of completing a number of krithis, scales or compositions. You are not buying groceries here or taking a standardized test or collecting accomplishments.

You become aware of what you are doing in a natural way. You are noticing everything about your experience. You return to just being, which is quite similar to vividly aware FEELing. You notice the entire symphony of body sensations. For example, how does the body posture feel? How do your hands feel on the instrument? Or if you are a vocalist, explore the feeling of the body itself, particularly the chest, head, belly and throat. Now when you go to play, it is not an unconscious “get this done” experience. It is very different. And this is where the analogy ends, because the line of music that initially was like a dinosaur bone, is now ALIVE. Every note comes alive, every breath comes alive. The entire experience reverberates with the sound and feeling of the music. Whatever arises is full and complete in itself. This allows you to actually PLAY music and not do music.

You do not need to wait to enjoy playing music until you have mastered it or even become reasonably good at it. You don’t need to hobble through the initial learning stage or struggle through the advanced and/or professional stages where you run on a treadmill to get infinitely “better,” more skilled and more amazing or impressive as a musician. I’m not saying not to do that. That is a real path. But look at it. The total bliss and enjoyment of music is available now for all. It is THIS note, THIS song that has it. Even a cracked note, HAS it. Most of us cannot see this. But when you approach music with this wide open seeing, the same way a child approaches a flower, you will definitely see.

What happens then, is the hidden fear aspect associated with failing or playing something wrong is either completely destroyed or significantly subdued. This frees up incredible amounts of clarity and vital energy for doing what you really need to do. There is a relaxation as well. Free of the concept of “mistakes,” you end up making less of them.

In the next posts, I will introduce a few more analogy/scenarios that apply to the actual practice process itself. They can be used as brief visualizations or meditations. Feel free to contemplate these first posts, try them out and let me know if it helps.

 

 

The Discovery Approach to Music Practice (part 1)

I’m glad to share a simple approach to practicing music with you that arose while working with some of my Carnatic saxophone students. It is nothing new, but rather a subtle shift in the perspective of the approach that allows for a fresh, relaxed and clear way of practicing whatever it might be that you are working on in your  musical journey. It also may incidentally lead to spiritual insights and/or deeper peace.

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The Discovery Approach to practice essentially comes from the realization that what IS is inherently complete and perfect. That perfection can grow and change, but it is inherently full as it is. The practice is then to discover that. This can be successfully utilized in music…or anything.

The most common approach most people take is the “try, try again” approach. There is nothing wrong with it, and can be quite useful. You will basically have a line or phrase you want to play and you continuously do it over and over. Each time there are various mistakes that need to be ironed out. With a grunt or worse, you try again and again. Sometimes there will be more mistakes with each repeat. With much hard work, eventually the line is played as desired. However, there is the danger that without rigorous review and weeding out of the undesired aspects, these mistake can show up as a surprise later during another practice or a performance. Sometimes, the mistakes will go unnoticed and actually multiply, leaving you baffled.

With much practice, eventually everything is ironed out and you are happy. It is something like putting rough stones in a tumbler where they are turned around, crashing into each other until they finally come out as precious gems. Or punching repeatedly through a wall until you break through. It works eventually, but it may be frustrating and tiring.

The main missing ingredient in the previous method is usually awareness. In the Discovery method, we focus on cultivating the necessary awareness to listen and really FEEL what is happening. When awareness is turned on at full power, practice is really a completely different ball game. It feels more like you are simply discovering the fully perfect line or phrase with the practice rather then forcefully executing it.

The next ingredient, though it may seem obvious, is to go through the music very very SLOWLY. Many are familiar with the slow aspect. But usually slow playing is used on its own with the side effect that eventually the person playing becomes more aware. Here, we start with vivid awareness and attention and then begin the practice at slower tempos.

How do we get “into” this vivid awareness? Well, your natural state that you are in already  has it. It has the characteristics of both wakefulness and deep rest. But most of us are heavily distracted constantly and find it difficult to see it. What arose to assist here is a set of simple visualizations or extremely brief (just about 10 seconds to a minute or two) meditations with some simple instructions. You can walk yourself through them to awaken the clarity and set the right atmosphere for the practice.

Many of my students have found this approach illuminating and felt their practice was much easier, more relaxing. They felt more absorbed in the music and where able to taste the enjoyment of music itself. This is fundamentally important to playing or practicing music in a time when there are a million different ways to spend your time just on your phone.

In sharing this approach, I am not saying that one approach is better than another. All are useful and good. I see the Discovery Approach and the “try, try again” approach as two ends of a spectrum. But I did feel that this approach I am describing has not been explored enough and could greatly help balance things out. If awareness is cultivated enough through practicing Discovery method, then the “keep trying” method will automatically become the discovery method. They no longer will appear separate.

I will share the pointers and simple visualizations for the Discovery Approach in the coming posts in this series. Feel free to try them with your own practice or with your own students.

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For an approach to spiritual liberation (enlightenment, Self Realization etc.) through music, please see the series: Naada Yoga For Total Liberation.

 

New video: Exploration of Sound (Naada Yoga for Total Liberation)

As a supplement to Prasant’s new series of videos on discovering your real nature through music, here is a video of Prasant (saxophone) and his student and friend, Venkat (trumpet). In this video, Prasant and Venkat explore sound together through spontaneous sustained notes. You are encouraged to go through the simple approach to enjoy the sound, dissolve into the sound and finally discover the source of sound, the Silence itself. This is essentially a form of self inquiry using sound as an aid to dissolve the I-thought, the ego, and recognize the already perfect, ever present Being.

As you meet and enjoy the sound, please note that this does not have to do with musical correctness of pitch or tuning or any concept of musical perfection, but with investigating, feeling and riding the sound itself back to your real nature, that is ever free of all concepts and suffering.

Please also note that this is not an intellectual exercise of observing sound or anything like that. This is a visceral experience of the actual feeling of completely dissolving everything that has ever limited you and awakening to your real nature.

For more detail on this approach, here are some of the other videos:
1. Naada Yoga for Total Liberation: An Introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBCG-OOQgBE
2. Enjoy the Sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbJnekQLsw8

The next few videos will go into more detail on the dissolving step and the recognition of silent awareness or Being. This video is a brief overview. You can use these guidelines while practicing or listening to music. You may find it helpful to do this with Prasant’s other meditation videos here on YouTube. Here is the playlist.

Please like, share and subscribe for more videos.

Visit http://www.prasantmusic.com for his recordings, blog posts etc.http://www.prasantmusic.com/satsang
Download Prasant’s music: http://bit.ly/ZhlFlt
You can also sign up for his email list here: http://eepurl.com/c1LqY

New video: Naada Yoga for Total Liberation: An Introduction

I’m glad to share something new for you today. Naada Yoga for Total Liberation is a fresh approach to spiritual freedom, peace and happiness through music. This is especially suitable for those who are music practitioners, or anyone who simply enjoys music or sound. As I have emphasized in the various videos I have posted in the last several months, it is possible to rediscover and realize your real nature through the ever subtle medium of sound and music.

Many people are aware that Om, the primordial sound, arises from the Self. All sounds are of the nature of Om. Seeing this, it makes perfect sense that if you trace the experience of any sound back to its source and abide there, the Self is revealed. I feel it helps that music usually has deep enjoyment as part of its nature. This approach fully embraces the effortless purity of Being here and now, the Heart. The emphasis is on discovery and abidance in Beingness as there nothing to strive for that is away from your Being.

In future videos, I will go into more detail regarding the various steps in this approach. If you have seen my previous blog posts and videos, I have already given the steps. They are incredibly simple. So, I will give more context and details on this. I feel strongly that this approach is available to all.

Enjoy…

New video: Saxophone Raga Transmission For Total Peace And Freedom (4K UHD)

This video is part of my new Musical Greeting series. Similar to the previous videos, you can listen and meditate with the video to support your awakening and finally Self Realization. Set aside all doubts and just relax.
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Prasant shares the Self through music and silence in this video.

Relax relax relax,
Receive receive receive with your Heart,
Just be just be just be.

Wishing you total peace and freedom…
That which you are can never be lost.

You can contact Prasant through his website and access his recordings and mailing list, etc.

www.prasantmusic.com

https://prasantmusic.com/satsang

New Video: Panchabuta is the Self (raga Shuddha Dhanyasi)

Panchabuta (five elements) and all It creates and destroys is the Self (raga Shuddha Dhanyasi). Indian classical saxophone contemplation for awakening…

Dissolve into this transmission of raga Shuddha Dhanyasi. Dive deep into contemplation of the innate, liberated Self nature of all that Is and emerge totally free. When you return from this seeing you will not be the same and yet you will be, as always. You are free from all limitation and concepts.

This raga has five notes representing each element. Its simplicity is also its power. All the notes come from the first note (Sa) and return to it. All elements of the panchabuta arise from the Self (You), dance as the Self (You) and dissolve in the Self (also You). This happens in every instant. Just notice. If you don’t seem to feel That in this moment, then notice that feeling. That feeling of division. Melt into the sound and imagery (if your eyes are open). Watch that feeling arise. It feels like a subtle disturbance or restriction. It distorts your real nature, creating a sense of separation, however subtle or dense. When this is seen then nothing more is needed but to just be. Since even the false sense of separation, the cause of ignorance, arises from Being, it will automatically return to its Home in Being.

Return again and again to Being and you are free.
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Some of the subjects and locations in the video include:
Arunachala in Thiruvannamalai, India
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Alameda Trail, California and other locations in Fremont, CA
Sulphur Creek Nature Center, Hayward, CA
Reed Cave, Guilin, China
Santa Cruz Beach, Santa Cruz, CA
Jacksonville Pier, Jacksonville, FL
The photo of Prasant was taken by Eric Vogler.

If you found this video useful, please like and subscribe for regular updates.

You can stream/download the audio freely here as well as support Prasant’s work by entering a number above 0 when you download.

You can contact Prasant here.

http://www.prasantmusic.com

Satsang

New Video: Being Resolves Longing (raga Shubapantuvarali)

Enjoy this transmission of Shubapantuvarali raga on saxophone for peace, happiness and deep release of suffering.

What is the reason the appearance of suffering continues even for someone who has all basic needs? There is some movement within…something that says “something else is needed. This is not enough. I must look elsewhere to get something more. What is happening now should not be happening. I must regain what I lost.” A deep longing. This can be painful. But actually this longing is not what it might seem, not for a possession or companion or a fantastic experience, but really a longing to remember your real nature.

Simply look! Feel the source of the sound that is now arising in you. At that moment True Being emerges again with total clarity. This beingness dissolves all longing, confusion, past pain and suffering with no effort. It may be gradual, it may be instant. No longer is there is anything else to find, because you have already found. Finally, all is eternally well. Only Being just as you are can resolve the longing.

Now you are free.

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You can download this track and other similar tracks free here.

I’m also happy to note that you can view this video in 4K UHD resolution.

New solo Carnatic saxophone meditation video: An exploration in raga Dhatuvardhini

I’m glad to share this new video with you. This is part of a larger series where I play solo. The raga that emerged in this video is an unusual Carnatic Indian Classical raga called Dhatuvardini.

If you enjoy this style of music, you can also download the audio free (with contributions appreciated) on my website below. This album will have new tracks added to it regularly. I just uploaded the first track of the new Meditations Vol. 2 a few days ago and I am very touched by the immediate response from listeners. Thank you!

http://music.prasantmusic.com/album/meditations-ragas-on-saxophone-vol-2

http://music.prasantmusic.com/album/meditations-ragas-on-saxophone-vol-1