Even in a “normal year” (have we ever actually had one of those?), it’s natural to take time as the season ends to think about how the year has gone—what we did and didn’t do, what we might have done “if we had only known,” what worked and maybe didn’t, and though it usually falls […]
Wellness
Silver Linings: Resilience and New Beginnings
By Marc Taylor This past year has been difficult for most everybody in one way or another. For music teachers it has been quite challenging. For families that have lost loved ones it has been devastating. Personally, I haven’t had a desire to dwell on or rehash the negative aspects of this period of time. […]
The Conductor as Yogi: A Rumi Moment
“Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.” Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, 1207-1273 Several years ago, I stumbled across this quote by 13th century Sufi mystic, Rumi, and thus began my fascination with his clear, yet profound and remarkably current, wisdom on the human experience. I remember sharing this particular quote with one of my […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Effort and Ease
Sthira Sukham Asanam “Postures should be stable and comfortable” Yoga Sutra 2.46, Sage Patanjali One of the great things about a yoga practice is bringing what we learn on the mat to the rest of our life. But even if you don’t practice (physical) yoga, you can still benefit from its wisdom. From Patanjali’s ancient […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Emergence
I am writing this post one year to the day since my last in-person, (unmasked) full choir rehearsal. I am not quite sure how I feel. Sort of unsettled and wondering why, I guess. We are receiving vaccines, seeing more re-openings, and taking steps toward the resumption of “normal” life. I so look forward to seeing my (also […]
The Conductor as Yogi: Bank Accounts
In my last post, we talked about the importance of Buffer Time—those moments of space in our day that help us transition from one event to the next so we can have a clear mind and energized presence. Today’s post is related to Buffer Time: what we can think of as Bank Accounts. We are all […]