Lessons on Tuning the Mind, Body, and Spirit

The Body Instrument.

I experience the world through the eyes (and ears) of a musician.

The relationship a musician has with her instrument is sacred. It's a bond unbreakable, a bond that shapes the way we think, the way we move, and the way we perceive.

For the musician, her instrument is an extension of her body. With eyes closed, she can coax out spell-casting phrases and trance-inducing rhythms. The vocalist treats her voice preciously, not straining nor letting her voice lay silent.

We must remember that our minds are an extension of our bodies, and our bodies are an extension of our minds. While one wouldn’t throw a cello against a wall or take a knife to a drum head, one may easily do the same, metaphorically, to their minds and bodies. Every cruel word about our bodies, every disparaging remark about our abilities and the intimate workings of ourselves is like a weapon taken to the most vulnerable parts of our being. Why are we so comfortable causing ourselves harm, while taking pains to not injure the objects that are extensions of ourselves? Are we not worth more than our tools? Our bodies are our instruments, our minds the inner wonders of our being.

Treat yourself with kindness, with the same loving tenderness you reserve for the instruments that move your outside world.

We are a Body Instrument. Every single one of us. No matter who you are, no matter your life experience or how you travel through this wide, wonderful, terrifying world, you can learn how to tune your mind, body, and spirit. And if you allow it, I will walk with you, in gratitude, along the way.