{"id":1116,"date":"2021-10-03T13:25:53","date_gmt":"2021-10-03T12:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.notesfromthepodium.co.uk\/?p=1116"},"modified":"2021-10-03T13:25:57","modified_gmt":"2021-10-03T12:25:57","slug":"jaclyn-normandie-excerpts-from-the-mindful-musician-finding-a-healthy-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.notesfromthepodium.co.uk\/?p=1116","title":{"rendered":"Jaclyn Normandie – Excerpts from ‘The Mindful Musician: Finding a Healthy Balance’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Tortured Artist Syndrome<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe healthy man does not torture others. Generally, it is the tortured who turn into torturers.\u201d 
Carl Jung<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a cult of artistic suffering\nin our field.\nWe revel in our martyrdom and bask in the glow of overwork and exhaustion\nbecause we think it makes us look important. This\nkind of thinking does not elevate our art. It is disturbing\nand destructive. All it does is burn people out and\ncause a myriad of physical and mental health problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music is a paradox\nin that it is both deeply meaningful and completely meaningless. We have the luxury of being in a profession that is not necessary for the survival of the world. It would make the\nworld less enjoyable if there were no music, but technically, it is not a\nnecessity. Therefore, we need to remember that our\nprimary function\nis to uplift the human spirit, not detract from it.\nEvery time we harm ourselves or others via aggression and overwork, it takes us\nout of alignment with our noble profession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author Elizabeth Gilbert, in her novel Big Magic,<\/em> states, \u201cThe days of the tortured artist are done. Get into therapy. Stop using your art as an excuse to lash out at other people. To allow self-destructive patterns of stress, anxiety, alcoholism, and other self-destructive behavior.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a bit harsh, but\nthought-provoking none-the-less. We need peace in our lives to maintain a\nsustainable career. If music does\nnot bring you peace, find something\nelse to do. That doesn\u2019t mean give up on music, but have something else to\nturn to when your mind needs a break. This can be a spiritual practice, reading a good\nbook, going out in nature, meditation, dance, painting\u2026anything that brings\nyou a sense of calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have to get outside the minutia of our own minds. In the grand scheme of the cosmos, we are infinitesimally small beings, yet we feel like our problems are the weight of the world. When we look at a problem from the grand scope of our life, we realize it is a mere blip of time;\na single wave in the ocean of life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our musical life, we tend to freak out… a lot. Can\u2019t hit the high note? I\u2019ll never be hired<\/em>. One of the songs for the concert isn\u2019t quite ready? I am a failure and should cancel the entire concert<\/em>. When you pull back and observe the situation from the grand scope of a musical career, you realize the ridiculousness of being upset over such a tiny detail. Yes, try to fix it. Yes, continue to work with dedication and persistence to elevate the craft, but remember that music is about joy <\/em>and it is just as important to give yourself compassion as it is to strive for excellence.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everything has to be\nperfect in order to be beautiful. Why do we seek perfection in the first place?\nBecause it makes us feel successful and worthy, but we can feel that worthiness\nthrough the simple act of making music. Perfection is the joy we find in the\npresent moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perfection is the appreciation<\/em>, not the product<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrestling with the Ego<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have never seen a greater monster or miracle than myself.\u201d Michel de Montaigne<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\ndon\u2019t want to lower my standards.\u201d I have often heard this phrase and said it myself\nfor years. It begs the question though: Why does everyone need to fit your standards?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our\neffort to impress others, we can create an unrealistic and unhealthy\nrelationship with our ego. Directors berate musicians for hitting wrong notes\nand completely ruin the bond with an ensemble because the director thinks they\nwill be perceived as a poor musician. We berate ourselves for the same\nego-driven reason. If we broaden our perspective, we realize it doesn\u2019t really\nmatter if a chord is out of tune or someone needs to miss rehearsal to visit\nthe doctor. The world will not end, I promise. Our obsession with control makes\nus lash out at these minor issues, and the best thing to do when frustration\nrises is to zoom out and look at the big picture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do\nwe make music? It\u2019s a simple question. And, at its core, has a simple answer. We\nmake music because we love it. We remember the bliss of going to class and\nmaking music with friends and the thrill of receiving applause from an\naudience. Music makes us feel appreciated and important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we focus too much on what is \u2018missing,\u2019 we rob ourselves and others of that appreciation. We let our ego strangle thoughts of compassion and replace them with fear, worrying how we will be judged if the music is not perfect. However, freedom is found in staying grounded in our original love of music. When we tap into that love, we radiate an energy that naturally attracts people to us. Musicians want to come to rehearsal and work hard for the performance. We want to sit down with our instrument and practice. Spend time every day tapping into that original joy and watch how quickly the ego subsides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jaclyn’s book can be ordered here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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