Flow State and Music: The First Mindfulness Experience
When the music starts, suddenly clarity washes over me. I feel my hand, my fingers on the fretboard, the sound in my ear, the rhythm in my leg, the notes in my eye, and the groove
That was a Friday afternoon full of tension, when I should feel happy for the upcoming weekend. Last week, our teacher was not happy with the performance we bass players had. Because of that hard 16th note-funky-bassline, with the giant leap on the bass neck.
Performance test
Today, Mr. Lopez is going to check our performance one by one, and we are going to perform the piece on stage, playing along with the drummer and a guitar player.
On my seat, even with a full week of practice, my palm is still sweating. The room is full of silence, bass players practicing the piece on the fretboard quietly.
"Who is going to go first?" Mr. Lopez asks with his strong, low-end tone. "Shit...I'll go." I said.
Where flow meets practice
I go onto the stage, take a shaky deep breath, look at the drummer, and wait for her cue. "...3, 2, 1."
When the music starts, suddenly clarity washes over me. I feel my hand, my fingers on the fretboard, the sound in my ear, the rhythm in my leg, the notes in my eye, and the groove in my soul.
I feel everything lock in. I am in complete control of the music, while I am also within the music.
Everything seems so effortless. I know where my fingers are going, I know exactly how to lock the next beat. I play music.
After the final note, I'm still a bit dizzy, wondering what just happened. Then I hear the claps and screams from my classmates.
I move my eyes to Mr. Lopez. He is smiling and clapping, saying, "Well done, kid."
One of the most memorable performances
That was the mind place where practice meets presence, where the soul dances with the music, and where a musician finds the reason for playing music.
It was almost 10 years ago, even though the performance was in a classroom, that was one of the most memorable performances I've ever had.