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The Conductor as Yogi: What’s in the Words

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I’ve been teaching a new course, an honors seminar combining a yoga mat practice with the study and application of core yoga principles and readings to develop a “toolbox” for students to navigate their college life and beyond, as they build careers and develop as leaders and humans. Though we are just beginning this journey together, I can see the impact these writings and my words as I teach these ideas are having on students.

Beyond providing information, words are powerful directors.  When well-intended, words guide, inspire, heal, and uplift.  Words give us pause, challenge our thinking and action; words humble and recalibrate us.  Words make us smile, warm our hearts, and remind us of who we are, deep inside . . . the part we might call soul or spirit or what yoga calls purusha, our inner light of awareness.  Words get us through the times of our lives and encourage us that there is something better ahead.  Words free us and prepare us to better teach, lead, and love.

Yes, sometimes words are darts instead of wings.  Our words can wound, revealing a part of us we thought we left behind.  Words can be hasty and ill-timed or just fatigued and discouraged.  Words are reflections of our human journey or just the misstep we took today, when challenged or frustrated or upset and wondering why.

Where do you look for inspiration, for well-intended, thoughtful, powerful words?  Perhaps it is the Bible or other scriptures or the writings of a favorite author.  Perhaps universal principles like yoga’s yamas and niyamas or the wise words of a family member or former teacher or coach.  Or maybe, we can look to the text of the choral pieces we hold every day of our conductor lives.

I have blogged before about important texts our choirs studied and performed, how they were timely and timeless.  In choosing music, I think deeply about the power of the words, not just for their effect on the end performance but more importantly, on the many rehearsals and discussions we will have over a period of weeks and how their impact will linger long after the concert.

Words shape our experience, not just our products, and when we expressively communicate words, we bring their energy to listeners, to heal and hold space for them in a way they might need at that moment.  If you are a composer, intimately creating and setting words, know that your work matters in profound ways.  And if you are a conductor, teacher, or singer, remember that your contemplation and expressive decisions are an investment leading to the powerful communication of these words.

In true teacher style, I am leaving you with a homework assignment. We have just begun learning Elaine Hagenberg’s compelling setting of a Zoë Akins poem, “I Am the Wind,” included below.  The musical writing is stunning (thank you, Elaine!).  I know our Women’s Chorale will embrace this piece and perform it at a high musical level, fueled by what will be ongoing discussions of the text and as in my seminar course, how the words apply to our lives.  Your assignment, “if you choose to accept it,” is to contemplate the text, to allow it to speak to you in whatever way it does.  No right or wrong, no expectation of achieving the “one answer” (is there ever just one?).  Just experience it and see what happens.  I will do the same.

Then recall this experience as you choose your next piece, prepare your next rehearsal, or reach for a source of inspiration when you need encouragement or direction.  Trust in the power of well-intended words to inspire and guide us, our singers, and those who share in our performance as listeners.  And remember how fortunate we are, that even with all the tough parts of our job, we can enrich many lives through the soul study of words and the way they shine through our glorious art of choral music!

“I Am the Wind” by Zoë Akins (1886-1958)

I am the wind that wavers,
You are the certain land;
I am the shadow that passes
Over the sand.

I am the leaf that quivers,
You, the unshaken tree;
You are the stars that are steadfast,
I am the sea.

You are the light eternal—
Like a torch I shall die.
You are the surge of deep music,
I but a cry!

Dr. Ramona Wis is the Mimi Rolland Endowed Professor in the Fine Arts, Professor of Music, and Director of Choral Activities at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois and the author of The Conductor as Leader:  Principles of Leadership Applied to Life on the Podium.  Dr. Wis is a 500-hour CYT (Certified Yoga Teacher) with training in yoga history, philosophy, meditation, energetics, pranayama (breath work), anatomy, Sanskrit, and the teaching, sequencing, and adaptations of asana (posture-based) practice. Reach her at: 

Check out:

https://www.elainehagenberg.com/i-am-the-wind-ssa

https://mypoeticside.com/poets/zoe-akins-poems

 

 

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Favorite Teacher

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“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” John Steinbeck


I have been thinking a LOT about my elementary school teachers lately. With all that is required of teachers in the age of COVID, I wonder how my own teachers would have handled the unique situation we find ourselves in. Most would not have done very well, except for my absolute favorite teacher, Mrs. Prather. She was a force to be reckoned with in ordinary times, and in extraordinary times, she was magnificent.

Growing up in Chicago, Mrs. Prather was a bit exotic because she came from Nashville, Tennessee with a strong accent. She was a widow, mentioning and quoting her late husband, Dr. Prather, and often referred to him as “The Doctor.” It was obvious she loved him, though it is my understanding he was at least a decade older than she was.

No nonsense in an old-fashioned way, she was tough. I had her for fifth grade, Sissy G had her for fourth grade and Sissy L had her for third grade. She had retired by the time our younger siblings came along. Mrs. Prather was no spring chicken when I had her or my two younger sisters did. Our Mom was president of the PTA and I’m sure she had some influence on G and L being in her classes. I would hazard a guess that both G and L would say she was also their favorite teacher.

Why was she my favorite teacher? Lots of reasons.

Her family was something of a big deal in Nashville, she had been a debutante and her manners were perfect. She taught us manners, as well as proper word usage. “Yes, ma’am”, “no ma’am” and “please” and “thank you” became automatic. “Cakes are done, people are finished” was one of her favorite sayings and “horses sweat, men perspire and ladies’ glow” something she said we often laughed about. She would take each one of her students out for lunch during the school year—her treat—usually two or three of us at a time on a Friday. During those lunches, she asked about our interests and our home life and gave us “hints” about the proper way to eat whatever we were eating.

She hated bangs and had a stash of bobby pins in her desk and would strongly “suggest” we pin our hair out of our eyes so we could see. This applied to the boys as well. In those days of Beatle inspired haircuts, the boys in her classes would use her bobby pins only once, then the next day show up with a haircut.

Coming from Nashville, Mrs. Prather was always cold and thought we would be too. She wore a sweater every single day, even during warmer days. If she thought you were underdressed for the weather she had sweaters, for both boys and girls, she would insist you wear. And if you liked the sweater, you could keep it.

She was big on memorization and for our weekly spelling tests, she would not call out the words to be spelled but expect us to write the list of words out—with the correct spelling—from memory. Sissy L HATED that part, and I can still recall one of our grandmothers drilling her spelling lists on the way to school on Friday mornings.

Mrs. Prather was not musical so when it was our turn to do something for our school’s monthly assemblies, we recited poetry as a class. I didn’t know it at the time, but we were reciting the poems chorally, with the girls taking a part, then the boys, then together with Mrs. Prather directing us. Lines from “Casey at the Bat” and “Trees” and “The Raven” still come to me at the oddest times!

Other than those memorized poems, what I learned from Mrs. Prather I cannot specifically recall. She had boxes of tissues on her desk, insisting we wash our hands if we had need of them. The sweaters she gave out seemed to go to the children who really needed them and might be the only warm thing they owned. She taught us to think for ourselves and laugh at ourselves. She never seemed impatient except when it was important and believed in keeping her word. She shared a small portion of her life at a time when teachers were encouraged to hold themselves above their students and their parents. And she had faith in us.

Most importantly, at a difficult time in our country, she comforted us and told us it would be all right. For classes of eight, nine- and ten-year-olds, that made a huge difference. The nightly news seemed to show our city and country going up in flames, but she told us to never doubt the good in people. I like to think she would say the same things during the present difficult times for our country.

To those of you teaching in difficult circumstances, I wish for you the wisdom of my beloved Mrs. Prather. And that your wisdom will influence your students–for the good–for years to come.

 

Choral Potpourri/Choral Ethics: Letters (emails), We Get Letters (emails)

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“Letters are among the most significant memorial a person can leave behind them.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

It’s been a while since I shared correspondence from Ye Olde Choral Ethics Mailbag (Inbox) with you. Today I’d like to share letters from two ChoralNetters with similar problems. And as you can guess, these two folks are not the only ones who’ve had to deal with these “new normal” problems.

Robin* tells me, after in-person learning this past fall, her district is going back to remote learning until the beginning of March. She’s not especially happy about it but understands the wisdom, with the Omicron variant running rampant in their community.

Some parents in her choral parents’ group are definitely NOT happy about it. A few are trying to force her to hold in-person rehearsals at a local church. After speaking with her department chair (who is also struggling with remote versus in-person rehearsals), it seems having one rehearsal per week in-person, not on school property or during the school day, would be acceptable. The only problem is the parents want it every day and during the school day. Her department chair is understanding BUT has made it clear if she does what her choral parents want, his hands are tied. Robin feels her job is on the line if she chooses to go along with the parents.

Robin has explained over and over once a week in-person rehearsal, not during the school day, is as good as she can do for right now. If things improve, COVID-wise, it may change. She thinks remote sectionals during the school day, then an in-person rehearsal once a week will work very well. There does not seem to be any way their usual March concert will happen, but a late April/early May concert certainly is possible. And this strategy will be helpful toward that purpose.

Her gut tells her to do what her department chair suggests and not be swayed by the parents. The parents might be angry, but everyone is angry right now.

Robert* had remote rehearsals for his community chorus, with parking lot concerts, almost from the beginning of the COVID nightmare. It was not up to their usual standards, but it was something and something is better than nothing as far as he’s concerned.

During the fall, they were able to have in-person rehearsals and a nice winter concert in early December. The December concert was almost back to their usual level of performance and the Board was satisfied. Or so Robert thought.

The first Board meeting of the year was last week, and Robert was chastised for the quality of that December concert. He tried to explain, after more than a year of patched together rehearsals and performances in unfamiliar and frankly, crazy venues, the singers were getting used to singing together in-person again. As the music professional, he told them it was going to take a while for the chorus to get back to normal, plus they were singing in masks. And no one has sung in masks like this before.

The Board wants to take a vote amongst the chorus’s singers about what to do if they have another lock-down. Robert thinks they should do what they did before, since he still believes “something is better than nothing.” The Board thinks they have a reputation to uphold and to do nothing might be better this time. Robert’s gut to telling him to get out of there!

My solution for both situations is the same; trust your gut. How many times have I said that here on ChoralNet? Many times, I assure you. Your gut, that little voice inside you, almost never leads you astray. But some of you forget to trust yourself because it seems too easy. “Too easy” is simple and you don’t want simple, you want something to agonize over because it somehow seems more correct. With all the difficulties in the world right now, go with simple, you’ll be happier.

If you have a Choral Ethics dilemma, you can always email me: with Choral Ethics in the subject line.

Until next week, be well and be safe.

*Name Withheld

 

 

 

The Conductor as Yogi: Know Thyself

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“Know Thyself”

Ancient Greek maxim

The new year traditionally brings resolutions—you know, the same ones we make most years and which, in about two weeks, sort of disappear . . . ?  It’s hard to avoid the idea that we “should” be doing something new when the calendar rolls over.  And yet, January 1st can bring discouragement even before we start on a plan of improving our lives in some way.

Lasting change needs a good reason, one that is internally motivated and authentically embraced.  We all have experienced change imposed on us by an outside source or event (pandemic, anyone?).  But if you look back at your life, the positive, lasting changes came only after some self-study, connecting deeply with who you are at your core, apart from the world’s opinion, to honor your place and follow your unique path of giftedness and contribution.  Real change reflects decisions that you make based on knowing yourself, not based on everyone else’s expectation of you.

In the yoga tradition, self-study is Svādhyāya, one of the inner observances or behaviors that make up the Niyamas, the second of yoga’s Eight Limbs. Nicolai Bachman (2011) describes the benefits of svādhyāya this way:

“Through svādhyāya it is possible to understand anything about ourselves. Self-observation is the key to understanding who we truly are. . . . [S]elf-observation gives us the power to convert old, harmful behavior into new, helpful action.”

Bachman, pp. 197-8

Self-study is not self-absorption, self-pity, or self-aggrandizement.  It is stepping outside ourselves with the most objective eye possible (not easy) and watching what we do and when; learning what takes us off center and what loops we keep running even if we know, intellectually and emotionally, it leads us away from what we really want.  Self-study helps us recognize whose opinion we value more than our own and if we stay with it long enough, to learn why that is.  Self-study also helps us see what we do really well, with the most joy and least (felt) effort or to see how we might have evolved over time, which can help us redefine our goals for the future.

Svādhyāya is focused on learning about our true self, the one that is not concerned with how we look to the outer world.  Until we “know thyself,” we can’t live an authentic life and will continue to make choices that don’t feel right because they aren’t, to us.  In our professional life, this could show up as programming repertoire we think we “should” do, even though we don’t really connect with it as a conductor, have no interest in teaching it, or it’s not what our ensembles need or can reasonably perform right now.  Or it may push us to take a job with an impressive title even if our heart and unique skill set are really most joyously suited to the middle school choir.

Knowing thyself has incredible benefits.  When we stop living someone else’s life, we experience a new-found enthusiasm and energy.  Life feels more fluid, even amidst challenges, because we are operating from our true source.  Knowing thyself opens the pathway to finding out how we can serve and offer our gifts in the way only we can, in this time and place we find ourselves.  And this can motivate us to take better care of our physical and emotional bodies, as well.

We don’t need January 1st to make change; we just need to study ourselves with a fresh pair of eyes, informed, as we choose, by inspirational or sacred writings that have stood the test of time.

“The ultimate goal is complete self-knowledge, with the realization that we are a changing outer shell surrounding a pure, unchanging, inner light of awareness.”

Bachman, 198

 “Know thyself” has some merit, it turns out.

Dr. Ramona Wis is the Mimi Rolland Endowed Professor in the Fine Arts, Professor of Music, and Director of Choral Activities at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois and the author of The Conductor as Leader:  Principles of Leadership Applied to Life on the Podium.  Dr. Wis is a 500-hour CYT (Certified Yoga Teacher) with training in yoga history, philosophy, meditation, energetics, pranayama (breath work), anatomy, Sanskrit, and the teaching, sequencing, and adaptations of asana (posture-based) practice. Reach her at: 

 Check out:

Nicholai Bachman, The Path of the Yoga Sutras:  A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga.  Boulder, CO:  Sounds True, Inc., 2011

 

Leading Voices: A Gift for the New Year

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For this month’s blog, I would like to offer you a gift for the New Year.  It is the gift of observation, with a twist of non-judgment.  Obtaining the ability to observe selected interactions without judgment will transform your teaching and your relationship with yourself and others.   It can bring new insights and revitalize your instruction.

The only prerequisite to accepting this gift is that you have an open mind as you begin to train yourself to look at an experience with an “outside” perspective or a non-judgmental eye.  And that’s the kicker; true observation is judgment-free.  It is somewhat like meditating, where you learn to become aware of your thoughts and allow them to come and go without placing value or judging upon the experience.

A Few Definitions

Merriam-Webster definition of observation: (emphasis added) 
A statement about something you have noticed: a comment or remark. 
The act of careful watching and listening: the activity of paying close attention to someone or something in order to get information. 

Dictionary.com (emphasis added) 
An act or instance of noticing or perceiving. 
An act or instance of regarding attentively or watching. 
An act or instance of viewing or noting a fact or occurrence for some scientific or other special purpose.

Some definitions do hint towards a subjective interpretation, such as “An act or instance of noticing or perceiving.” (Dictionary.com, emphasis added).  But for this discussion, I will use the scientific definition of Direct Observation, where you only watch interactions, processes, or behaviors as they occur – Not how or why they occurred. 

Where to Start?

The sky is the limit on what area you might be interested in observing.  The challenge is not in finding a relevant experience but staying engaged in the process and not giving up.  It is easier to keep the standard New Year’s resolutions, such as joining a gym, cutting back on carbs, or partaking in Dry January, than to observe without judgment.  

I think the main reason observation without judgment is so difficult for teachers is because of our training and educational enculturation.  Whether it be our childhood experiences in school, undergrad studies, graduate work, or teacher in-services, classroom assessment and instructional evaluation are drilled and embedded into our teaching psyche. 

Whatever event or experience you choose to observe, plan on repeating the observation for at least a week or so.  Do not hastily judge the effectiveness or non-effectiveness held within the process of non-judgmental observation.  It is a challenging experience that just takes time and spaciousness (more to come on spaciousness). 

Three Obstacles You Will Need to Overcome

1. No Judgement – When you first start implementing direct observation, the biggest obstacle you will face is not getting pulled into self-judgment and placing value (positive or negative) on the experience.  It will take about two to three weeks to become better at not judging and assessing habitually. 

2. Forgetfulness and Forgiveness – Once you select an event or situation to observe, you will probably get caught up in your workday, forget all about what you were going to watch, and then remember hours later.  Don’t give up.  Forgive yourself and try again.  I put sticky notes that read “Observe” on my computer monitor, classroom piano, and whiteboard to remind me and keep the idea fresh in my mind.

3. Start Small – The purpose of observation is watching an event or activity as an observer and not as the participant.  Practice your observation skills on something small like how you walk down the hall and then expand to investigate your posture while teaching or playing the piano.  Below are a few suggestions that may give you a few ideas.

Observation Possibilities for the Novice 
Observe how your students enter the classroom or how you start each rehearsal.

Observation Possibilities for the Curious 
Teach your students the 10 to 1 Countdown Warm-up Activity (see below) or
observe how you react to that challenging colleague (good luck on that one).

Observation Possibilities for the Bold 
Have your ensemble complete a Rehearsal Sequence Form (see below)

10 to 1 Countdown Warm-up Activity

1. Teach the choir the countdown sequence: 10  1  9  2  8  3  7  4  6  5  5  6  4  7  3  8  2  9  1 10 
2. Select a conducting pattern and ask the choir to place a number on each ictus. 
3. Have the ensemble chant the countdown sequence as they watch and respond to your conducting gestures. 
* Become aware of how the choir responds to your conducting gestures regarding dynamics, articulations, accelerando/ritardando, etc.  Remember – “Just the facts ma’am” – no judgment. 

Rehearsal Sequence Form Instructions:
1. Distribute the Rehearsal Sequence Form to your ensemble. 
2. For questions 1–4, ask the choir to reflect on past rehearsals and write down what steps were taken to learn the music.   
3. For questions 5-8, ask the students for their ideas on what should come next (example responses can be found at the end of this post under Postlude).   
* This activity will give you an excellent non-judgmental view of your students’ observations.

Observation and Self-Generation

https://presencebasedcoaching.com/books

An exceptional book that has influenced my personal life and transformed my teaching is Presence-Based Coaching: Cultivating Self-Generative Leaders through Mind, Body, and Heart.  Self-Generalization is a tool we can use to discover our habits while teaching and working with others.  The four-step process of Self-Observation, Realization, Reorganization, and Stabilization allows us in a non-judgmental way to discover, label, choose and initiate new responses while teaching.  The section on Self-Generation in chapter two gave me the skills I needed to uncover my habits and become more present and aware in the classroom.

1.  Self-Observation (p.51) – First, observe yourself in action with no judgment. 
“I’m talking a lot.” 
“I’m rote teaching now.”   
“I’m modeling correct vowel placement now.”

2.  Realization (p.52) – Next, become aware and name what you observed. 
“I talk a lot during rehearsals.” 
“When rehearsing a new song, I do a lot of rote teaching.”   
“I model correct vowel placement a lot.” 

3.  Reorganization (p.54) – Now observe this habit when it occurs and be aware of another possible choice. 
“I could talk less and have the students sing more.” 
“I could have the students focus more on music reading techniques.” 
“I can ask a student or section to model correct vowel placement.” 

4.  Stabilization (p.55) – Finally, integrate this new awareness and possibly modify your teaching.
“I will talk less and have the students sing more during rehearsals.” 
“I will initiate new strategies to help the students become better readers.”   
“I will ask a student or section to model correct vowel placement.

Give Yourself a Break

Doug Silsbee (2008, p.43) calls our habitual responses and reactions to events and interactions Interpretive Structure.   Our unique and particular Interpretive Structure can become limiting and challenging as we learn to work with others. Unfortunately, due to our habits and conditioned responses, we tend not to comprehend or see the possible opinions of others and exclude many factors that could help our understanding. 

To help reorient ourselves and create stronger relationships, Silsbee offers five interactive approaches that can improve our connections with our students, colleagues, and family.  These qualities can help bring awareness and understanding as we relate and work with others. 

Interpretive Structure

Spaciousness – This is the absence of our learned and conditioned responses and habits.  Use this if you start having an emotional reaction to what you observe.  Silence is ok. 

Compassion – This is the awareness and recognition of our shared humanity.  As you observe, give yourself and others a break – breathe. 

Unconditional Positive Regard – This is our acceptance and support of others.  It also strengthens our ability to differentiate between the person and their actions.  

Resonance – This focuses on active listening that improves mutual understanding – but, it may not lead to an agreement.

Neutrality – We strive for no attachment, investment, or desire for a particular result – we try not to have an agenda.  With neutrality, we intentionally acknowledge that we are both connected to and distinct from the other person.

This past year, I incorporated the Self-Generation and the Interpretive Structure paradigm into my teaching and social interactions with great success.  Incorporating spaciousness, compassion, unconditional positive regard, resonance, and neutrality into your non-judgment observations will help you get a clearer view of your habits and idiosyncrasies.

TL;DR – The Gift of Non-Judgmental Observation

Since I have incorporated the gift of non-judgmental observation into my instruction, I have made several discoveries about myself, along with a few remedies.  

#1 – I used to walk down the halls a bit slow, with rounded shoulders.  I now walk a tad faster with a lifted sternum.   

#2 –  I tend to talk too fast during rehearsals.  Now when I become aware of a rushed teaching pace, I breathe, reset, and slow down.   

#3 – During rehearsals, I tend to look at the music much more than I look at my students.  I now put my music down more, step away from the piano, and have the students help me during rehearsals by referring to their scores for where we are beginning and their starting pitches.

I encourage you to give yourself the gift of non-judgmental observation and see what happens.  It’s weird; you might not think that greeting your students by name at the door and showing that you are available to them would make a difference.  But it does.

You won’t know unless you watch what happens when you try.

Postlude

Here are a few examples of a few Rehearsal Sequence Forms completed by my 9/10 Treble Choir for I See the Light, Arr. By Mac Huff.  

Resources

Schön, Donald A. Educating the Reflective Practitioner.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint, 2016.

Silsbee, Douglas K., and Richard Strozzi-Heckler. Presence-Based Coaching: Cultivating Self-Generative Leaders through Mind, Body, and Heart. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2008.

The Conductor as Yogi: Dare to Pause

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“Few things are so pressing that they cannot wait for a moment of breath.”

T.K.V. Desikachar

Maybe you have had this conversation, usually with family or friends who are not in music or in teaching:

Them:  “Are you on break now?  How nice that you have all that time off!”

Us:  “Oh, I am never really off.  There’s always programming for the next concert and score study and all the management and . . . .” (our list goes on).

There’s certainly truth in our response.  Before we can walk into that first rehearsal after “break,” we have to choose repertoire and take the time to order it or find it in our libraries or arrange it for our imbalanced ensemble.  We have to manage our rosters (who is returning? who has not answered my emails?), our spaces, our budgets, and our protocols (ever evolving).  Even if you are the ultimate planner and make lots of decisions in the summer ahead of the season beginning, there are always tasks to be managed and surprises along the way.

What “break?”

My usual strategy has been to devote some time every day to work, getting the structure in place for the semester and concerts ahead and communicating with singers and others, where needed, in order to hit the ground running when we return.  My intent in this daily practice is to spread out the work, to avoid an avalanche of tasks at the last minute. Generally, this works for me.

But there is a downside to this strategy, one that I have become more and more aware of.

Without any true pause in the workflow, we never really experience restoration— a physical, mental, and emotional “clearing,” a release from the decision making and time in our heads and in front of our devices that characterize our lives.  Without a separation from the endless task list, we train ourselves to be “on” at every moment, to never fully let go, and to see life from one perspective: do.  Without a pause we just keep churning it out and so, when we return to our teaching and conducting schedule “after the break” we feel like we never had one.  Like we have been conducting one long musical piece that has no rests. Not one. Can you imagine how anxious and heavy we would feel with a piece like that, especially if it lasted for hours or days or weeks or months?

Yes, the ebb and flow of tempo, the variation in dynamics, the change of key—they all offer some modulation in our feeling state.  But it is the rests in the score, the silence between movements, or in our mindfulness experience, the pause at the top of the inhale or bottom of the exhale, where something really powerful happens.  Where we move from external to internal awareness, where we realize the effect of the action, and where creativity and insight and rebuilding of energy can take place.

Dare to pause.  To truly detach, to stop, to observe, to sit. Trust that the space in time and heart and mind will bring what you need and surprise you in ways you cannot envision when constantly working.  For a moment, or several moments during the day, or (most challenging), several days during the break, take a true pause.  You might find that it punctuates everything else you do, giving it greater meaning and leading to a deeper experience, just like that artfully placed rest in the music where it all makes perfect sense.

Dr. Ramona Wis is the Mimi Rolland Endowed Professor in the Fine Arts, Professor of Music, and Director of Choral Activities at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois and the author of The Conductor as Leader:  Principles of Leadership Applied to Life on the Podium.  Dr. Wis is a 500-hour CYT (Certified Yoga Teacher) with training in yoga history, philosophy, meditation, energetics, pranayama (breath work), anatomy, Sanskrit, and the teaching, sequencing, and adaptations of asana (posture-based) practice. Reach her at: 

 

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