Clarity = Confidence

I have not written for a while, but have been teaching and playing a lot. This always leads me to thinking a lot and trying out the ideas that surface as I teach and play. Lately there is a theme of teh week that presents itself in the weekly lessons. A few weeks ago it was this idea of:

CLARITY & CONFIDENCE

It started out as a question of:

How do I make something clear to my students and how does a student make something clear for themselves?

This in essence is:

How am I teaching?  How are you teaching yourself?

When we are both doing this in meaningful, creative, articulate ways, it is Clear. When this happens, something in us becomes clear and ideas resonate.

When we have these moments of CLARITY there is CONFIDENCE.

When we have CLARITY and CONFIDENCE together there is movement and magic in our self and in our playing. 

Teachers, are you reading the student to make sure that you are clear? When they do not seem clear are you confident that you can teach it another way? Are you open to the present moment and willing to offer suggestions and ideas to make something clearer? Are you able to make it a metaphor? Are you free to think and live outside the box and in your self and your students world to... Make the Music come to life?

Students, how are you receiving clarity from your teacher/s? Do you have the confidence to ask questions when you do not understand? Remember, clarity=confidence. Are you stopping at the point of confusion? OR, are you finding ways yourself to turn the confusion into something clear? For it to become clear in your mind, heart, spirit, WHOLE SELF... So that the music comes to life? 

And, having made a distinction between the student and teacher relationship, which is important, it is also true that we are all students and teachers in this together...

I believe and have witnessed so innumerable times myself and with my students this "clarity" and how these moments add to confident playing and music making.

It adds hope to and gives you another reason to go into and beyond the confusion, to move into clarity. 

It is challenging, exciting, meaningful and necessary for personal growth and in becoming a great person and musician. These kind of moments of confusion into clarity is the learning process and  is what great students and teachers love. This dynamic of transformation into the great mystery of you and the music!

Share with us some of your great moments!

Heartfully,

Jennifer