“The heckling hobgoblin in my mind that commentated on and nitpicked every experience finally shut up for a few precious and sacred moments. A budding feeling of sheer exuberance and unmarred confidence slowly built as each string of notes sounded. Each successive melody that poured forth spontaneously from my right hand was complemented by the unerring harmony of my left in perfect conversation. I silently witnessed as my seemingly dispossessed hands glided over the keyboard; they felt like someone else’s! Incredulously, each phrase only served to crescendo the wonder and amazement. Surely, these are not my hands! It was like watching one of your favorite artists perform while being absolutely mystified and gobsmacked by their playing. The only exception was that it was somehow arising from my body and hands. It felt like I really couldn’t make any mistakes.” -- this, THIS! This is it, Tai. And you know what I mean. Beautiful! Exceptional piece.
You capture this moment of mastery so vividly...a sort of out-of-body experience when skill and pleasure take flight.
The amor fati excerpt prompted to reflect on my own experience with mastery. Perhaps I've inaccurately equated mastery with elite performance (of a professional athlete, chef, etc). And your piece invites us to consider how we're all capable of experiencing mastery... and how mastery is a rather personal experience of "I'll know it when I feel it."
Thanks for your reflections, Rachael. I don't think you're inaccurate at all about associating mastery and elite performance. Kenny Werner defines mastery as "the perfect and effortless execution of a task at will". What's counterintuitive about his approach is the attitude of unconditional acceptance and preparation required. He breaks it down into 4 Steps:
1. Finding the Space
2. Touching the instrument while maintaining the Space.
3. Learning to perform what you already know from the Space.
4. Practicing and improving while in the Space.
The Space is his term for whatever gets you into a creative mode of being free from judgment like meditation or some movement practice. "Mistakes" are reframed as opportunities revealing mastery has not yet been attained.
The feeling I had reading this is that while writing ABOUT a flow state, put yourself INTO a flow state with the actual writing. Thank you. I feel carried along on that scent right now, as though I've fallen into the lap of your effortlessness. I often experience something musical in your writing Tai and with this piece especially. I really appreciated it.
Thanks a lot Rick for that reflection. A creative practice of mine is to write 750 words as fast as possible with the monitor out of view to prevent self-consciousness while maintaining stream of consciousness. My focus is on the sensation of breath and moving fingers. I have no idea if it's helpful but it's my attempt at bridging a creative practice of non-judgment from music to writing, which seems intrinsically thought-based and prone to invoking needless anxiety as anything verbal generally seems to bring about the analytical, at least for my disposition.
“The heckling hobgoblin in my mind that commentated on and nitpicked every experience finally shut up for a few precious and sacred moments. A budding feeling of sheer exuberance and unmarred confidence slowly built as each string of notes sounded. Each successive melody that poured forth spontaneously from my right hand was complemented by the unerring harmony of my left in perfect conversation. I silently witnessed as my seemingly dispossessed hands glided over the keyboard; they felt like someone else’s! Incredulously, each phrase only served to crescendo the wonder and amazement. Surely, these are not my hands! It was like watching one of your favorite artists perform while being absolutely mystified and gobsmacked by their playing. The only exception was that it was somehow arising from my body and hands. It felt like I really couldn’t make any mistakes.” -- this, THIS! This is it, Tai. And you know what I mean. Beautiful! Exceptional piece.
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and encouragement, Silvio!
You capture this moment of mastery so vividly...a sort of out-of-body experience when skill and pleasure take flight.
The amor fati excerpt prompted to reflect on my own experience with mastery. Perhaps I've inaccurately equated mastery with elite performance (of a professional athlete, chef, etc). And your piece invites us to consider how we're all capable of experiencing mastery... and how mastery is a rather personal experience of "I'll know it when I feel it."
Thanks for your reflections, Rachael. I don't think you're inaccurate at all about associating mastery and elite performance. Kenny Werner defines mastery as "the perfect and effortless execution of a task at will". What's counterintuitive about his approach is the attitude of unconditional acceptance and preparation required. He breaks it down into 4 Steps:
1. Finding the Space
2. Touching the instrument while maintaining the Space.
3. Learning to perform what you already know from the Space.
4. Practicing and improving while in the Space.
The Space is his term for whatever gets you into a creative mode of being free from judgment like meditation or some movement practice. "Mistakes" are reframed as opportunities revealing mastery has not yet been attained.
This is so beautiful and a true privilege to read, thank you Tai.
Thanks so much for the precious gift of your attention and encouraging words.
What a love letter to being in the moment doing what you most love, in all the sense and depth of the expression.
There's a lot of gems I loved learning and reading, from your dad entering the room, to the scale, to the whole ambience of the place and your mind.
Love the ending tied with amor fati, I would've never seen that connection and really enjoyed learning about Effortless Mastery.
It's a great effort to try and convey such unique moments, and I'm so glad we get to read one of yours Tai!
Much gratitude Oscar for sharing your insights and kindness.
The feeling I had reading this is that while writing ABOUT a flow state, put yourself INTO a flow state with the actual writing. Thank you. I feel carried along on that scent right now, as though I've fallen into the lap of your effortlessness. I often experience something musical in your writing Tai and with this piece especially. I really appreciated it.
Thanks a lot Rick for that reflection. A creative practice of mine is to write 750 words as fast as possible with the monitor out of view to prevent self-consciousness while maintaining stream of consciousness. My focus is on the sensation of breath and moving fingers. I have no idea if it's helpful but it's my attempt at bridging a creative practice of non-judgment from music to writing, which seems intrinsically thought-based and prone to invoking needless anxiety as anything verbal generally seems to bring about the analytical, at least for my disposition.
I love the putting the monitor out of view idea! I’m gonna play with that one.