Aligning

I received notice from the New York Guitar Circle this week regarding their meeting this evening from 7:00 - 9:30 pm EST. While I could not be there in person I could align with their energy and commitment and practice guitar during this time period. Usually I send the team good wishes, but this week I knew I needed an extra boost so I said yes to joining them from a distance.

I began at 7pm with a 10 minute Alexander Technique lie down. For the next 20 minutes I focused on working with my right hand. I paused frequently to reconnect with the AT directions and allow them to inform my right hand. The aphorism states "we begin again constantly," and this was certainly the case during this period. As I noticed my right hand drifting into habit I paused and re-established contact.

A 5 minute break to stretch and then a brief improvisation in C hijaz. I played slowly so that I could notice the right hand at work. I played through Here We Are and Kinnara, two slow pieces, again watching my right hand. Giving brief directions during the rests in Kinnara. A few more minutes of stretching and then I looked at the opening section of Dancin' Free.

I turned on the tape machine and played Dancin' Free, Gathered Hearts, and Dandelion Wish as I will be playing them this friday at the Voice from the Heart Community/Unity Variety Show. My playing felt good.

A ten minute break to take out trash and then I choose to not listen to the recording of the three pieces. I heard the rough spot in Dandelion Wish and worked with it. Then I moved on to working with Aftermath. Progress being made in the section and I was tempted to play through the entire piece. But I recalled my decision at the beach this weekend to inhibit that desire to see how it is fitting together. Just work on the sections this week. So that was what I did. But it was tempting. Was this habit at work? More likely my ego, wanting to see how quickly I had relearned this challenging piece. When in reality it is not yet in my hands, so just follow my own plan.

After this I played through Stepping Stones as I had not played this in over a week. Enjoying this piece very much. The time was 9:15 pm and I was tempted to call it a night. Much good work accomplished and I am tired. I rationalized that I could write the blog post. But I had made a commitment to myself. So I played through Livin' the Dream and completed my guitar work with A Journeyman's Way Home.

A few minutes of quiet sitting and sending good wishes to my friends in New York to complete my evening. Throughout the evenings practice I returned to the AT directions. I did not detail that throughout this post, but took the opportunity to comeback to the AT work in the various transitions of this practice session.

                              Photo: When the Stars Align