Yoga

The Conductor as Yogi: Lighten-ing Ways

May 31, 2022 by Ramona Wis Leave a Comment

As I write this, it is 5:47 AM on a Saturday morning. It is light outside and has been for a while. While I prefer sleeping in a little later, there is something about these longer spring days of earlier sunrises and later sunsets that creates an expanded sense of space and time.

We can learn a thing or two from the skies, from the “lighten-ing” we experience when we look out our window in the morning or talk with a friend on a crimson-lit patio in the evening. We could pack more into our longer days (why), or we can breathe out and enjoy the extra time (why not). We can lighten our eating with the fresh, local foods available now and by drinking more water to hydrate and support our energy. We can detox from social media or from ruminating over the same thoughts we had yesterday and the day before and the day before that. We can dress simply, buy less, and laugh more.

We can say no, letting go of habits, beliefs, or practices that no longer serve us. We can say yes, opening up to FFNR (fun for no reason) and to things we used to enjoy but for too long have relegated to the back burner. We can remember that our role as a choral professional does not equal our identity nor does it mean we need to be “on” 24/7, in business task mode even with our family and friends. We can take a yoga class (or two or three) and experience the lightness of body, mind, and spirit that comes from the practice and its application to the rest of our life.

Lighten-ing is not always easy or intuitive. Challenges, hardships, and tragedies are real parts of our lives. All of us, to varying degrees, carry burdens that make it difficult to feel a lightness of spirit. But if we can make even a small change in our body or find a hint of gratitude, we can take some weight off our shoulders; we can be lighter, even if just for a moment. This is not “making light” of serious challenges, but rather, allows us space and time to increase our understanding, to feel and see the light that instructs us, guides us, and supports us.

“Do not think of yourself as a small, compressed, suffering thing. Think of yourself as graceful and expanding, no matter how unlikely it may seem at the time. When we lose this lightness, our bodies shrink. The moment the body shrinks, the brain becomes heavy and dull, and you see nothing. The doors of perception are closed.” (B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life, p.40)

We know the power of light to illuminate our path and we have experienced becoming en-lightened when we understand something for the first time. We strive to recognize our own inner light and that which exists in all living creatures. And when we learn to live light-ly, we release our tight grasp and remove the obstacles that prevent us from fully receiving the everyday riches that lie before us. Lighten-ing restores us. We grow stronger and closer to our core and to the universe at large. It is only from this place of light that we can live and love and serve well.

As I prepare to take a blog break for the summer months, I thank you, colleagues, for all you do for this community of choral professionals and the many singers and audiences that have experienced the song only you can bring forth. The power of love through music is indescribable but its light is real and so much needed.

May you experience the gift of space and time

May you see the light around you, within you, and in others

May you find healing and joy in the unlikeliest of places

May you be, and live, well

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:

The Conductor as Yogi: Living Ahimsa

May 17, 2022 by Ramona Wis Leave a Comment

Early on as a blogger, I posted “Living Your Namaste” in the wake of violence that escalated on a national level in late spring of 2020. It was a way to reflect on the moment and bring something from the yoga practice to inform our thinking so we might move toward a better life in our own corner of the world. Today, instead of the lighter post I had prepared, I am turning again to the current moment to reflect on a violent weekend highlighted by events in Buffalo, Chicago, and Laguna Woods, California. To denounce the violence, acknowledge the many who are hurting and will need healing, and to consider how we can contribute to a more peaceful planet.

Religions and ethics-based philosophical systems hold non-violence at their core. Yet, moving from knowledge to action happens in small steps all along one’s life path; some, we are aware of and many, we are not. As a human considering the world in troubling times, I think about how I can lessen harm through how I live, teach, and lead, finding some wisdom in the teachings and practice of yoga.

The very first of yoga’s Yamas (ethical principles) is Ahimsa. Ahimsa (uh-HIM-suh) is defined as non-violence or non-harming of others or of ourselves. Within the yoga practice, we learn ahimsa by mindfully breathing and moving through poses without pushing ourselves beyond our capacity today, at this time. This teaches us to be aware of ourselves, our actions, and the results of our actions. Learning that extremes can create harm, we take our practice of ahimsa off the mat by working within healthy boundaries in our professional lives and by monitoring what we allow into our bodies and our minds, including negative self-talk or too much media. Non-harming depends on valuing ourselves enough to value others.

Beyond not inflicting physical harm, practicing ahimsa toward others means refraining from harsh words, reactionary judgements, negative thoughts, or any type of ill will. Hurtful social media (thumbs down on YouTube performances, accompanied by backseat criticisms), gossip, and treating people as invisible are sometimes rationalized as the norm in a modern world or as a personal defense against someone who we believe has harmed us. To be clear, ahimsa does not mean we shouldn’t stand up for ourselves and others, especially if victimized in any way; but it does teach us to avoid thoughtless, harmful actions that are not intended to improve situations or build others for the better.

How can we model and teach ahimsa in our work with singers?

Teach singers to become aware of their physical and emotional state through alignment and breathing. They should learn to ask, “What am I feeling today, in this moment?” Help them develop tools to find better balance, use their body appropriately, sing with easeful effort, and release self-criticism—to practice non-harming in mind, body, and spirit. Show them they have agency, some control over their own life, and that from moment to moment they can adjust in small ways to move toward a healthier version of themselves. When called for, refer singers to health care professionals who can provide resources they need.

Frame your work together in the context of commitment and humility. Only by honoring self and others, as well as the music and the text and the culture from which it comes, can we have a rich musical experience. Be aware of any brewing disrespect among singers or of the artistic/educational process and use this as a teaching moment (yes, even with older adults) so the rehearsal and the ensemble community can be a compassionate model of effective leadership and followership. Monitor the words you use as you challenge singers to excellence; be aware of how the director’s ego nearing performance can unknowingly lead to coercive tactics. Build your ensemble on a foundation of learning, growing, and becoming the best version of oneself within a community of art makers.

Acknowledge each singer’s presence and value. Invisible people are hurting people. They will ultimately find ways to be seen which may result in harm to themselves or others. Don’t let a day go by without letting singers know they matter, they are valued, and they are loved. As a singer but even more, as a human.

We know the oft-used metaphor of a pebble tossed in the water, creating ripple effects that go on indefinitely, well beyond our ability to know their ultimate reach. What is that pebble for you, for me, and for those we lead?

A small, then very large way of changing the world.

The Conductor as Yogi: It’s Time for Savasana

May 3, 2022 by Ramona Wis Leave a Comment

The season and academic year are ending. The concerts will be finished. We feel a sense of accomplishment, relief, and celebration, colored with the bittersweet realization that it is still an imperfect world both in and out of our choral lives. Our limbs may feel heavy, our energy is drained, and our exhales are getting longer. It’s time for savasana.

Coming to the end of an intense period of our life demands that we rest, not only physically, but to allow all that came before this moment to sink in. As in savasana, the final pose in a yoga practice, we need to assimilate what we experienced in order to fully learn from it physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Though laying on your mat looks like a nap (and sometimes turns into one), savasana is restful awareness, a state of quiet processing of the words, movements, and feelings experienced in the practice. This is the time to release holding, detach from judgment and fear, and receive insight into what.just.happened.

How can we experience a “professional savasana” (pronounced “sha-VAH-suh-nuh”) as we end the year?

Create space. As your conducting or teaching responsibilities wind down, avoid adding more items to the to-do list that will keep your body and mind and schedule revving. Build in time to rest in simple ways, even if just sitting with a cup of coffee at an outdoor café. Know that you have nowhere you need to be right now.

Reduce sensory stimulation. Turn off the devices, even the music. Let ambient sound be your soundscape and notice how challenging—and then how restorative—this is.

Practice equal breathing (sama vrtti). Without straining, see if you can find an equal length to your inhales and your exhales, slowly resetting the nervous system to bring you to homeostasis. Feel your body release.

Allow the thoughts and emotions of the year’s experiences to sink in, without analyzing, judging, or ruminating. Listen for insight into what it all means but be content with not knowing what it all means. It just is. What you need to know will unfold over time.

Be grateful for this body that got you through, imperfect and strained at times, and for the skill set that you brought to your work (and strengthened) as you moved through the year. You showed up.

Hold space for the many people you guided and impacted, knowing their unique narratives—from painful to joyful—and recognizing how they enhanced your life. See their face, meditate on their smile and spirit, and send a silent blessing or thank-you to them.

Remind yourself that you are part of something much bigger. Universally connected, divinely inspired, and lovingly supported. Even if you don’t feel it right now, affirm it to be so and welcome it into your life.

When you are done, begin to deepen your breathing and allow your movements to be gentle and your pace easy as you go on to the rest of your day. Carry the benefits of savasana with you . . . and find a small place of peace in this world.

The Conductor as Yogi: Sing Your Authentic Voice

April 19, 2022 by Ramona Wis Leave a Comment

At least once a year I review my original mission statement for this blog: “The Conductor as Yogi blog will explore mindfulness, wellness, inspirational writings, and classic yoga philosophy and practice to encourage readers towards greater wholeness in their professional and personal lives. The Conductor as Yogi is an authentic, conversational approach to finding one’s personal voice amid a sea of chatter and to letting that voice speak in the practice of life.”

Finding our personal voice should be an easy task—I mean, our “voice” is that which is unique to us, so embedded in our being that it appears without beckoning. What we do and say and how we express ourselves should emerge from that place within that only we know, the best version of ourselves that operates fluidly, selflessly, and with an insight that others may not have.

But recognizing and living our personal voice can get complicated by the sea of chatter all around us, the expectations and actions of the wider world, and the tendency to categorize ourselves like boxes in a well-organized shoe closet. Conductor. Teacher. Leader. Spouse. Partner. Child. Parent. Friend. Colleague. Yogi. And on it goes.

Look closely. There is a thread running through all these roles that is our voice. Our nature, sensibility, style, energy, and way of connecting. The recurring themes and practices that show up in our work or play, at home or in the rehearsal room. The moments of effortless effort. The way we craft our words. The magnetic pull toward unusual opportunities that speak to us, even when reason tells us they don’t neatly fit into one of those boxes in our shoe closet.

Voice is our way of expressing our unique calling or mission or inner light or dharma. Imperfect at times, our voice is still powerful because it is authentic. While we are always learning from others, living our voice is what we are designed to do. “It is better to live your life imperfectly than to live someone else’s life perfectly,” is the key message of the Bhagavad Gita (translated as Song of God). “Let your light shine before others” is a recurring theme found in countless verses in the Bible. Our voice is given to us to be shared for good. And only by recognizing and “singing our unique voice” can we help others sing theirs.

As conductors we spend significant time melding the voices of many into one, creating a composite voice that sings uniquely to the world, imperfections and all. We know this to be a powerful experience, sharing the light of choral sound and powerful texts with a world that needs soul restoration. And when conductors are self- and others-aware, we can simultaneously teach the interdependency of our voices while honoring each individual singer, recognizing their significance and much needed place in this world. Can there be a richer way of living our life and helping others live theirs?

Finding one’s voice happens in moments of non-judgmental awareness. Pausing, breathing, buffer time, and moving meditations are designed to provide these moments, without which we will never see through the clouded layers of life that obscure our voice. The physical practice of sun salutations or the exploration of core human principles opens our heart, releasing the holding and making space to hear our voice. And our immersion in the powerful words of others, whether sages or poets, in scriptures or musical texts, inspire us and remind us of the light within from which we lead, love, and live and help others to do the same. In our families and communities, musical or otherwise.

Soon we are heading into the summer which can be a time to re-engage with ourselves and hear our voice more clearly. Let it guide us to transforming life as we know it, in small or large ways, opening a wider pathway for our voice to sing to the world. No permission needed, except our own.

The Conductor as Yogi: Rest in Goodness

April 5, 2022 by Ramona Wis Leave a Comment

Rest—real rest—can be elusive. With our ever-thinking minds, busy schedules, and life’s shifting terrain, we can find ourselves unable to really settle into a fully relaxed state. To release physical, emotional, psychological holding. To sleep well. To feel restored rather than just OK. In many ways, experiencing a state of deep rest is our greatest challenge.

There are many tools and teachings from the contemplative traditions—in meditation, in our faith, in yoga practices with breath-directed movement—for achieving a state of rest. But do you find that sometimes, these don’t seem to work for you? In other posts, I have talked about a more active approach to rest, like walking or engaging in a flow activity that focuses your whole being on one, usually repetitive activity to calm the mind and body and breath. These can be effective and can be a way to enter into a more rested state.

But to feel fully and regularly rested (or restored or whole or balanced), we need to find moments throughout our days to rest. Yes, sometimes rest is a nap but that’s not practical in the middle of a rehearsal or staff meeting or in a conversation with an anxious singer. I have come to experience a different sort of rest which I would describe as moments of holding goodness in our awareness.

Our minds are more often drawn to negative impressions, setting off our fight-or-flight impulses to prime us for active response to threat. But in a modern world, everything can be perceived as negative, from global threats to health challenges to impending concerts with lots of details and doubts. What if we actively sought to find goodness in the moments of our days and learn to hold these moments of goodness, feeling them almost as a wash of warmth over our being, transcending us, ever so briefly, out of the negative to something more whole and reassuring?

This seems mysterious but once we are aware that goodness moments are all around us and we begin to experience their effect on our system and psyche, we make a significant shift toward regular moments of rest. In those moments, we stop the mind chatter and focus on one thing. We recognize something or someone that supports or pleases or calms us and makes us smile. We become grateful and recognize wealth of a different kind. We feel reassured or remember what is most important. We see the big (GOOD) picture. We understand our unique opportunity and gift and recognize what we have done well, instead of self-criticizing and always reaching for more. We feel sufficient, part of the larger fabric of life in a most satisfied way. We begin to even our breathing, reset our nervous system, and create a felt sense of balance.

These are some of the goodness moments I have held in recent days:

Hearing, as though for the first time, the singers that always enthusiastically say “thank you” at the end of rehearsal.
Happening on a casual, coats-still-on, hallway conversation between my amazing collaborative pianists and snapping an informal picture to capture that smiling moment.
Sitting with my mom in the ER as she waited for X-rays after a fall, grateful she was not in severe pain and knowing I could reverse our caring roles by being with her to support and comfort.
Seeing four of my singers in a student-directed theatrical project and learning from the beautiful human moments they created.
Taking time in rehearsal to go deep, even when the surface stuff (notes, cutoffs, matched sound) still needs to be worked out.
Looking into a singer’s eyes above her mask, reading her anxiety and then, reassurance, from my compassionate words spoken to her as a human, not as a category (alto).
Recognizing that the decay at the end of a well-rehearsed musical phrase was for the first time, sung for its musical rightness instead of its technical requirement.
Passionately talking all-things-basketball with one of my singers and bonding over our March Madness hopes and our hometown team’s future (it’s all about defense).
Getting to know colleagues better over our shared frustrations in academia and then, making a mutual and heartfelt commitment to working toward a smarter future.
Reading a grateful response to an email of encouragement I sent to someone who is shouldering a heavy burden.

There are many more I likely missed. But these were powerful moments of goodness, brief but restful, that allowed me to feel less drained at the end of the day, less negative or fearful, and more expansive. Moments held that made it easier to “come down” and experience deep rest. Moments that led to the reassurance that, “all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well” because in those moments, all was well. (Words of Julian of Norwich, 14^th century mystic.)

These moments are all around us. Will we be open to them? This week, allow yourself to see and hold moments of goodness and experience the rest they can provide.

“If we could learn to balance rest against effort, calmness against strain, quiet against turmoil, we would assure ourselves of joy in living and psychological health for life.”

(Josephine Rathbone, 1899-1989, physiologist and founding member of the American College of Sports Medicine)

Check out these amazing women:

https://www.acsm.org/blog-detail/acsm-blog/2022/03/04/honoring-dr.-josephine-rathbone-international-women%27s-day-2022

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_of_Norwich

The Conductor as Yogi: Finish Strong

March 22, 2022 by Ramona Wis Leave a Comment

You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

Marcus Aurelius (2^nd century Stoic philosopher)

We are in the final stages of the academic year and concert season, starting to feel the call of spring and summer when we have a little more space, some time to breathe, even as we are still busy with life. Thinking of that time ahead can be encouraging, maybe it even leads to a daydream or two . . . but for now, staying on mission and finishing strong is our main goal.

How do we finish strong? What does this mean for choirs and conductors who have seen all manner of instability and adaptation in the last two years and are still not operating as we once were?

Finishing strong starts by acknowledging what we can control and what we can’t. As much as we hate to admit it, we cannot guarantee a great performance or rosters full of eager and capable singers. What we can control are our actions and attitudes, our behaviors and beliefs that have the potential to get us to an external goal. And this is a lot. Actually, it is everything.

Finishing strong depends on personal rejuvenation. To rejuvenate is to refresh, to restore, to invigorate (think “imbue with vigor”). We can’t give what we don’t have so let’s start by looking inward to create renewal on a personal level. Positive change in our thinking, re-evaluating how we spend our time and effort, and lightening up in any way we can, including cleaning through our physical spaces, produce energy that comes from clarity and release. Doing something new and doing less of what doesn’t serve us anymore means seeing with fresh eyes, which can revive our approach to our professional work.

Finishing strong thrives on stability wherever we can find it. A good workout or yoga practice always attends to the core, the part of our body that stabilizes and strengthens. With a strong core, more is possible, and injury is less likely to happen. Same with our mental and emotional life. Our relationships, our faith, the wisdom of the sages and the ages, or the most inspiring TED talk can help strengthen our personal core and provide a sense of stability from which we can act.

Finishing strong requires creativity and wise and humble choices. Strength is not always about holding on; sometimes it is in letting go that we find a whole new territory of creativity. It’s not too late to make choices about your final performances, whether that means dropping or substituting a piece, changing the concert format, or bringing in a guest. Honor what is, not what used to be, and see if that better serves the singers in front of you today. Acknowledge the pandemic era elephants in the room without lingering over what you don’t have right now. Write or share program notes that glue the repertoire together, even if our choices this year were very different to rebuild the atrophied skill of the singers or our unstable rosters. There is always a creative way to weave pieces together to tell the story of how they reflect the choir, the singers’ growth, and the era we are in. Find a positive spin as you tell the narrative we have built together and are living through—still standing.

Finishing strong is built on trust. We have to trust that we possess what we need to do the work and to adjust our strategies when life goes sideways. We have to trust that our well-intended actions have created good karma, returning good from good. We have to trust that imperfect (as everything is) does not mean unworthy, purposeless, or poor quality. And we have to trust in something greater than ourselves, knowing that we are a part of a much bigger human story that will not be fully written without our contribution.

You can finish strong this year. Rejuvenate, stabilize, create, and trust. Stay with it and you may find you are on the cusp of something much bigger than you envision.

When you go through a hard period, when everything seems to oppose you . . .

When you feel you cannot even bear one more minute, never give up!

Because it is the time and place that the course will divert!

Rumi (13^th century scholar, poet, and mystic)