| Meditation presents an interesting paradox. It | | | | answers pop into your head. You can also try |
| requires humility and acceptance, and yet it | | | | writing it on a piece of paper and putting it under |
| results in self-empowerment and increased | | | | your pillow.b. Toning - Toning is a way to use your |
| confidence. | | | | singing voice to achieve extraordinary calm, |
| Low self-esteem, which affects and can cripple | | | | connection to spirit, connection to others and |
| many creative artists, leads us to believe that | | | | physical relaxation. Take a deep breath, filling your |
| we're not worth much, and therefore our ideas | | | | diaphragm and then your lungs. On exhalation, |
| (our songs) probably aren't either. This low | | | | choose a vowel, pitch and volume that feel |
| self-esteem is a distant cousin to humility. Humility | | | | comfortable and effortless, and sing a steady |
| involves accepting ourselves for who we are, | | | | tone until you're ready to take a new breath. For |
| which includes our limitations. | | | | more ideas on using music as a tool of spiritual |
| So, our goal is to humbly seek answers from | | | | connection and creativity, I highly recommend the |
| within (meditation) and from above (prayer). Even | | | | book Essential Musical Intelligence by Dr. Louise |
| more important is to accept the answers we | | | | Montello.c. Rest your gaze - Find something that |
| receive. Accepting them, even if we don't like, or | | | | you find soothing to look at. Some people use a |
| are surprised by what we hear, can enrich our | | | | landscape picture, a burning candle, a spot on the |
| lives with peace and contentment. The answers | | | | wall, a flower-it really can be anything. Focus on |
| may also hold lots of wonderful ideas for our | | | | the object and gaze at it deeply, letting thoughts |
| creative endeavors. | | | | come and go and staying present in the |
| Artists sometimes have the experience of music, | | | | moment.d. Journal - Write your question at the |
| words, or other ideas, coming to them from "out | | | | top of a piece of paper, or on your computer, |
| of nowhere". Where is this "nowhere" and how | | | | and answer the question in a stream of |
| can we go in there after all of those great ideas?? | | | | consciousness style.e. Walking Meditation - Pose |
| How do we get from the point of damaging low | | | | your question to yourself at the beginning of your |
| self-esteem (giving a microphone and stage to | | | | walk. While outdoors, become very present in the |
| our inner critics and then beating ourselves over | | | | moment and notice the things around you. When |
| the head about what we're hearing), to genuine | | | | thoughts and answers flow in to your mind, notice |
| humility, meditation, self-acceptance and creative | | | | them and then bring your attention back to |
| bounty? | | | | everything you're seeing.f. More Meditation Tips - |
| Here are some suggestions: | | | | If you find yourself analyzing or "figuring things |
| 1. Practice gratitude - When you're so busy being | | | | out" during the meditation process, gently let go |
| grateful for all the things you have (your health, | | | | of that and ask the question again. Don't judge |
| your mobility, a few bucks in your pocket, food | | | | any of your ideas or answers-simply collect them. |
| & shelter, friends & family) and that you're good | | | | 3. Prayer - prayer allows us to humbly |
| at (face it, there's only a small percentage of the | | | | acknowledge that there is a life force bigger than |
| population with musical gifts and even less who | | | | ourselves. Many of the artists I spoke to for my |
| are doing anything with them!), your inner critic | | | | book, "The Creativity Interviews" ( spoke of |
| won't stand a chance! A great practice (which | | | | being a channel for something bigger-that their |
| even Oprah Winfrey is known to promote) is a | | | | creative works were simply a communication |
| daily list of things you're grateful for. | | | | from spirit, and that their job was simply to |
| 2. Meditation - There are countless books, tapes, | | | | express it. That IS a humbling thought! |
| videos and classes that teach people how to | | | | I hope this article will help you to find inspiration, |
| meditate. Here are some basic tips and I | | | | while letting go of the struggle to find it. I also |
| encourage you to explore further.a. Ask a | | | | hope that writing a gratitude list, at least once, will |
| question - If you're busy struggling to figure | | | | help you to connect with your gifts, strengths and |
| something out (how those two lines are going to | | | | abundance. |
| go together, what chord structure to use for the | | | | This article was originally published on the Muses |
| bridge, or how you're going to make rent this | | | | Muse Songwriter's Resource website (October |
| month), try letting go of the struggle and simply | | | | 2004) |
| letting the question of what to do "hang out" for | | | | (c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services. |
| a while. Ask it, and then sit quietly and see what | | | | |