Integration

When I read Joann's comment from yesterday's post of "What a beautiful evening of integrating your practices," I recognized the word or quality that properly described my state - integrated.  My body was relaxed, functioning efficiently and possibly at a higher than normal energy level.  My mind was quiet and my emotions were calm.  As one definition for integrate states: to form, coordinate, or blend into a functioning or unified whole.  There I was united, body, mind, and spirit, all blended and freely playing my guitar. 


When I returned to the guitar after posting last night, there was still this higher functioning in my use.  Marvelous actually, I did not want to stop playing but the hour was getting late.  I slept soundly, a bit late actually, so my usual morning routine had to be abbreviated.  I did practice Qi Gong and still reaped benefits in my use based on our AT work last night.  I wished that I had more time to practice, but I still needed a few minutes to tend to my sitting, so I let go of taking my Qi Gong further.


Throughout the day, I experienced a calmness in my body and found the act of returning and making contact with my body to be easier.  Less noise in the environment of my mind/body connection is one way to put this.  I played with using AT inhibition, as  a way to continue my investigation into how I use myself.  I suspect that if I were to search the Alexander Technique literature that the term integration would be a working part of the vocabulary, but of this I am not sure, nor does my concern lie there.

While this was not my first experience of such a state, I did find last night last to be particularly powerful.  A taste of freedom in my playing that will nourish me and keep me going for days.  And some very good clues as to how to arrive there again. Practice, practice, practice and  ...

now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened - e.e. cummings