Mindfulness and The Art of Choice: Transform Your Life (New Horizons in Therapy Book 3)

Mindfulness and the Art of Choice: Transform Your Life [Karen Sherman] on From the New Horizons in Therapy Series Series Editor, Robert Rich, Phd Box, a subscription that delivers hand-picked children's books every 1, 2, or 3 Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Table of contents

Years later, after I had been in her position many times and had extended myself to others who looked shy and uncomfortable, I realized how magnetic my vulnerability must have been to her. In a world of artifice, such genuineness is refreshing. Ironically, when we drop our guard and are just ourselves, we reveal a deep humanness and gentleness that connect us to humanity, and the music we make is uplifting.

Being gentle does not mean that you play only soft, lyrical music. It means that you are willing to abandon inflated approaches and open yourself to the exact texture of music so that it penetrates you completely. Think of a moment when someone revealed his vulnerable self to you through a shy glance, a quivering voice, a halting gesture, or a warm and touching musical phrase.

We cherish such moments, for they express the humanness within us. Remember this the next time you find yourself perching uncertainly on the edge of the unknown. Trust yourself, and dare to express yourself genuinely. Let go of any judgments of the sound. Simply notice its quality cultivate the art of presence.

A Guide to Making Music from the Heart p. The life in a musical performance comes through in the natural ebb and flow of its phrasing, a rhythmic elasticity inherent in human pulse, breath, and movement.

The Art of Fear

Unlike the rigid rhythms of machines, the rhythms we create and respond to most readily are flexible, like those we experience in our everyday activities— speaking, gesturing, walking, running, dancing, making love. The mind cannot comprehend a long series of notes without dividing it into small segments. Even the seven digits of a telephone number are divided into a group of three digits followed by a group of four. Similarly, musical phrases strike the ear in groups of two, three, and four notes divide-n-conquer: Music is the same. Even in instrumental music, which does not have words, our familiarity with the language of music gives us a sense of which notes in a phrase require emphasis.

As in speech, we create that emphasis by making a louder sound, or by pausing minutely before a sound, or by both of these methods. For all its romanticism and emotional volatility, the music of Chopin is meticulously notated to reveal a sophisticated polyphony that is often highly contrapuntal.

This vision-oriented player is like a dancer who relies on chalk marks on the floor to know where to step: He moves awkwardly instead of easily and fluidly. Smooth, confident movement can occur only if his whole body knows the steps, so that he is free to dance without keeping track of every spot his feet have to touch. So instead of forcing your body to control your instrument, tune into your sensations, trust your innate coordination and musicality, and let yourself move spontaneously.

Let your body make the music. It has a brilliant mind of its own. We have one lifetime in which to express ourselves and to connect to others. A performance is in that sense a microcosm of life: We have one chance, and we want to give it everything we have. When we give freely, we experience our passion and vitality, which is a gift to us in return. We get frightened at the moment of performance not only because we want to do well but because we feel so alive.

We fear life itself, the feeling of our heart beating, of letting music and vital energy flow through us beyond our control. We are walking containers of life, and when we walk onto a stage to perform, we feel that intensely. If you allow it to flow through you, you transform it into fearlessness.

We need to view our thoughts with a sense of humor. We can communicate with an audience in spite of our random thoughts. Magic can happen amid the ordinary reality of how our clothes feel against our skin and how our minds chatter. If we take our thoughts too seriously, we get caught up in them and lose touch with our heart and with the main event that is taking place. When that connection is lost, we may even lose our place in the music. But if we take a light, friendly attitude toward our thoughts and just let them come and go as they habitually do, we can maintain a sense of command and confidence.

Ensemble performing celebrates the human heart in a special way. When our subtle musical impulses and rhythms meld with those of another performer, we experience an intimacy akin to lovemaking. When we perform in a large ensemble, we experience a heightening of our devotion to music through expressing that devotion simultaneously with many other musicians.

May 22, Katy rated it it was ok. Some nice anecdotes and a few good suggestions in here, but honestly I found most of this completely alien to my music-learning and -performing experiences and not helpful or relevant at all. The author seems like an awesome person who I would love to get a drink and talk with, but for me this particular book just wasn't what I needed. Jul 14, Ryan Schmidt rated it really liked it.

This book was an inspirational boost of morale, a collection of many new perspectives, and echoed much from my teacher. Exactly what I needed this summer! The author is a pianist, and although some ideas are universally applicable, some sections get into the minutiae of piano playing that do not matter to me at all. My only complaint, such a good book! Jun 13, Catherine rated it really liked it. As an adult learner, this was my first foray into reading about how to be a better pianist. What a great way to start! This is part-musical guide, part life-coaching guide! Many of the suggestions on how to become a better musician, can be directly applied to how to be a more authentic person.

Having said that, there are lots of great practical lessons on how to approach your practice, eg. What I found especially useful were the last sev As an adult learner, this was my first foray into reading about how to be a better pianist. I really liked how it ended with a chapter on "Generosity".. Oct 22, Kayleigh rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is just a great book to read about music, creativity, and ergonomics, all in one.

It was a pleasure to reread, and I highly recommend it. Jun 25, Yennie rated it really liked it. Bruser does a great job describing all of the techniques that will help a musician become more in tune with themselves pun intended. I think everything she talks about will be useful for musicians of different instruments and of different levels. Especially having recently gotten into meditation, I think everything she talks about is very useful and will help my growth as a musician. May 21, Ken rated it it was amazing. I've come to know a few books on practices, but a chapter in this one made me want to own this for the family's musical journey.

Far from just detailing the techniques to physically preparing the body for a practice, it sheds light on how to open up one's inner vulnerability to let the audience to listen one's music from his or her heart. Apr 11, Tony rated it liked it. I think almost everyone will find something useful in this book.

This book is a good one, but I think it caters more toward professional and aspiring concert musicians, rather than amateurs. I picked it up specifically because I've been struggling with my own practicing; I fall into the category of one who is uncomfortable with my instrument and frustrated by my inability to express myself.

I think that some of Bruser's early "steps" in her process are more applicable here, but some of the later steps seem to be more concerned with drawing out nuance and subt This book is a good one, but I think it caters more toward professional and aspiring concert musicians, rather than amateurs. I think that some of Bruser's early "steps" in her process are more applicable here, but some of the later steps seem to be more concerned with drawing out nuance and subtlety from the instrument.

That is, the advice here is for people who are already quite good at their instrument, able to "hit the notes" but not able to get the kind of sound or emotion that they're looking for. I have no doubt that for, say, a student studying musical performance at university, practicing 5 hours a day and competing at auditions and recitals, this is incredibly helpful. But for the amateur looking to revitalize his playing and lost as to how to get to a more comfortable position in his own playing through a couple hours a week of practicing, adding subtlety and nuance isn't is principal concern yet.

Perhaps it should be, I don't know. So while helpful, I sensed a large gap between myself and what I perceived to be Bruser's intended audience; like I had accidentally walked into the advanced workshop where they were all talking about how to better express Mozart when I should have been in a beginners class.


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Apr 11, Beccy rated it liked it. The most valuable concept I gained was the idea that as you practice you make yourself hyper-aware of your surroundings--instead of trying to tune them out completely. Usually we are told to "focus," or "concentrate" and ignore anything that might distract us. Her idea is to do the opposite as you practice.

Notice the feel of the bench under your thighs, the quiet buzz of the light fixture, the draft coming from the hallway. When you become accustomed to noticing every minute detail that yo The most valuable concept I gained was the idea that as you practice you make yourself hyper-aware of your surroundings--instead of trying to tune them out completely.

When you become accustomed to noticing every minute detail that you can perceive with your senses, in a relaxed manner, you can perform on stage without your environs distracting you. The audience member who sneezes, the reflection of the woman on the wood of the piano, etc. Apr 24, Amalie Simper rated it it was amazing Shelves: I really enjoyed that this book was geared towards multiple different instruments and all the points in her ten step practice plan in part 2 could be related to any musician.

I had many of the questions in my mind and really appreciated her answers. The best, very best chapter of the whole book was the last chapter. It was a book that resonated with me and I considered my own teachers and which parts they instilled in me and our lessons, and the I really enjoyed that this book was geared towards multiple different instruments and all the points in her ten step practice plan in part 2 could be related to any musician. It was a book that resonated with me and I considered my own teachers and which parts they instilled in me and our lessons, and the outs I had about my own current students and what parts I could improve in my own teaching to help them practice better.

When a book inspires me to be a better teacher and gives me specific things to share and portray to students today, not just in the future, it was a worthwhile read. I will be purchasing this book to reference in the future instead of just checking it out at the library. Oct 31, Shimin Li rated it liked it Shelves: This book tells us how we should practice and what kind of thoughts we should have. It tells why we should relax and how we could do it. The book contains many differents ideas, things about piano, violin, viola, percussions and flutes,etc.

Quotes from performers and teachers. Also there are questions from readers and answers to them. One message it gave me is to remember to enjoy. Not thinking about how hard things are, just relax and enjoy what's in front of me. Try to not forget about the cur This book tells us how we should practice and what kind of thoughts we should have.

Try to not forget about the curiousity at the beginning. This book reminds me of my lovely violin I played in 8th grade. Sep 21, Mikael Lind rated it liked it Shelves: Kind of repetitive, but it has some important points to make. Try your best, yes, but my god, I was stiff as a refrigerator before I started to practice yoga, and this book should have focused more on how you develop an agile body. I suggest you don't buy this book; borrow it at the library, read about her philosophy of prac Kind of repetitive, but it has some important points to make.

I suggest you don't buy this book; borrow it at the library, read about her philosophy of practicing, and then buy a book about back exercises, yoga or stretching and work your way forward from there. Oct 18, Elizabeth rated it liked it. This was a good book to help me get spirit back into my music.

Lately I have been so stressed about several different things. I enjoyed the warm up suggestions, the sections specific to clarinet players and the memorization suggestions playing by heart. I especially enjoyed the author's advise on allowing your feelings to happen and to effect you music. There were times when I thought she repeated herself within This was a good book to help me get spirit back into my music.

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There were times when I thought she repeated herself within her different topics, but other than that it was a good read for any musician. Jun 15, Michael Anderson rated it really liked it. Very entertaining book, though a bit repetitive in places, the author describes attitude and practices that hopefully result in better, more enjoyable and effective musical practices and performances.

Dr. Andrew Weil's Spontaneous Healing

These include meditation, breathing, posture, listening techniques, rhythmic balance, relaxation, and related methods. I may be able to apply some of them to chess playing, possibly. All in all, a good book. Dec 28, Acer Pseudoplantatus rated it liked it Shelves: The bulk of it unfortunately was tedious and annoying, even though there are some beautiful thoughts. Aug 10, Sarah rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: A very good book for musicians of all stripes.

It puts forth steps for starting your practice sessions, with breathing and stretching exercises, then moves on to tips for really expressing things with your music yes, even while "just practicing" , outlines posture for various instruments, and has other extremely interesting tidbits and not so tid-bits having to do with all aspects of expression through music. This wasn't exactly what I expected.

However, it contained some interesting suggestions and new perspectives. I found it to be moderately useful. I initially scoffed at the stretching idea. However, after trying them I actually like them quite a bit. It is doubtful I would go through the whole rigamarole before each practice session, though. Jun 09, Anne-Marie rated it liked it Recommends it for: Recommended to Anne-Marie by: This book was helpful.

The author has a lot of "revelations. And she wants people to meditate before they play an instrument Nov 28, Virginia Franklyn rated it really liked it. I skimmed the parts of this book that didn't apply to me. But stretching and relaxing before practice and performances, thorough memorizing as a tool to help you quickly recover when you make a mistake, finding something to love in each tune even those you don't love - I'm looking at you, Loch Carron , and recognizing the bravery of performance and competitions resonated with me.

Dec 03, Jon Thysell rated it it was amazing Shelves: For an amateur musician like me, without the benefit of a formal musical education, this book has opened up a variety of avenues and expanded my appreciation for practicing and what it means to make music. Not to say this book is only for amateurs, given the amount of space she dedicates to the issues that professional, performing musicians face. A book I will read again and again.

Exploring the music therapist’s use of mindfulness informed techniques in practice

Mar 18, Lena rated it it was amazing. This book strips you down to the core as a musician. You gain an insight into the things you thought you only struggled with. I highly recommend it! It'll help you with practice and performance! Jan 21, Kala rated it it was amazing. Zen meets cello or any other instrument practice. This book is a good reminder not to let perfectionism suck the joy out of practicing. Her ideas may also apply to other areas of life that involve presence and discipline. Aug 04, tamarack added it. There are no discussion topics on this book yet.

Author of the highly acclaimed book The Art of Practicing, pianist Madeline Bruser is a Juilliard graduate who has trained in mindfulness disciplines for 35 years. She has performed as soloist with the San Francisco and Denver Symphony Orchestras and has taught workshops at the Juilliard School and other conservatories throughout the U.

Her book has sold 75, copies and has been t Author of the highly acclaimed book The Art of Practicing, pianist Madeline Bruser is a Juilliard graduate who has trained in mindfulness disciplines for 35 years. Her book has sold 75, copies and has been translated into Korean, Chinese, and Italian. Bruser's mindfulness training began at 29, after she had won many awards and prizes as a young artist but was still dissatisfied with how she felt onstage. In search of greater relaxation and confidence in performance, she began practicing mindfulness meditation, which transformed her playing and teaching.

Her book, published in , presents an approach to practicing that combines traditional conservatory training with mindfulness techniques to help musicians release tension and unleash their full potential. Bruser served on the Committee for Pianists' Wellness for the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy from to , and she has retrained pianists with practice-related injuries since Her research on the physiological mechanics of piano playing has included interviews with leading arts medicine professionals in the fields of physiatrics, physical therapy, and hand therapy, as well as with teachers of the Alexander Technique, Body-Mind Centering, and Laban Movement Analysis.

Bruser founded Golden Key Music Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping musicians unlock their innate talent and fulfill their deepest artistic potential, thereby raising the level of musical performance for the benefit of audiences worldwide. With chapters on everything from Modern Romance, the Working World and Aging to Pop Culture, Money, and much more, Jokes, Puns and Riddles contains the most ridiculous quip for every conceivable occasion.

There are gibes, barbs, and insults, knock-knock jokes, and one-liners, doctor jokes and lawyer jokes, animal jokes and family jokes, and throughout a seemingly endless supply of bad puns. This delightful cook book is a fantastic addition to any kitchen. Whether as a party snack or a light meal, meatballs and skewers are always a welcome supplement to any meal. However, this book is not only dedicated to the meat lovers among us, as it offers many simple and innovative vegetarian dishes, seafood recipes and sweet treats. With over 50 mouthwatering recipes, there is something for every taste waiting to be discovered.

The ultimate do-it-yourself guide for the outdoors enthusiast, completely updated for today's outdoorsman and now in full color. This latest fifth edition of the award-winning Complete Outdoors Encyclopedia will again prove to be the most effective outdoor skills instruction book ever published. This monumental guide to the outdoors is produced for the first time in full color, featuring more than 1, photographs and 1, diagrams and illustrations.

Why are African Americans so underrepresented when it comes to interest in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism? In this thought-provoking study, Carolyn Finney looks beyond the discourse of the environmental justice movement to examine how the natural environment has been understood, commodified, and represented by both white and black Americans. Bridging the fields of environmental history, cultural studies, critical race studies, and geography, Finney argues that the legacies of slavery, Jim Crow, and racial violence have shaped cultural understandings of the "great outdoors" and determined who should and can have access to natural spaces.

Believe or not, anyone can be great at cycling. Let Hello, Bicycle empower you. Hello, Bicycle is a practical guide to the bike life with real-world advice, covering everything you need to know to up your bicycling game and ride with confidence and style. When we look for a meditation teacher, we want someone who has an intimate knowledge of the path.

With How to Meditate , the American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun presents her first book that explores in-depth what she considers the essentials for an evolving practice that helps you live in a wholehearted way. Dare to dream, keep a joy journal, learn how to set your day. With these tools and techniques, you can immediately begin to use the art and science of blissology to create a life that is truly fulfilling and successful.

Scientific evidence has proven that kindness changes the brain, impacts the heart and immune system, is an antidote to depression and even slows the aging process. A cardio workout to fit every morning schedule! You know that exercising in the morning is the best way to exercise regularly, manage weight, and energize your day. Morning Cardio Workouts explains how to maximize the benefits of your morning exercise routine. She explains that healthy posture comes from a new sense we can learn to feel, not by training our muscles into an ideal shape. Drawing from 35 years of helping people improve their bodies, she shows how habitual movement patterns and emotional factors lead to unhealthy posture.

She contends that posture is the physical action we take to orient ourselves in relation to situations, emotions, and people; in order to improve our posture, we need to examine both our physical postural traits and the self-expression that underlies the way we sit, stand, and move. You will connect the forms to follow the yang-style sample routines, or create your own to address your health and fitness needs. Fat is not just excess weight, but actually a dynamic, smart, and self-sustaining organ that influences everything from aging and immunity to mood and fertility. Sylvia Tara reveals the surprising science behind our most misunderstood body part and its incredible ability to defend itself.

Exploring the unexpected ways viruses, hormones, sleep, and genetics impact fat, Tara uncovers the true secret to losing weight: This unique book contains a wealth of knowledge on food and health. Yogi Bhajan combines ancient Indian medical teachings with his own practical experience as a master of the healing arts and a master chef. My World is no ordinary word book, it is a visual adventure through hand-drawn illustrations, with lots of things to find and a huge heap of humor.


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  8. Parents and children alike will enjoy poring over the pages, discovering the expected and unexpected things you find in the city and the park, in the toy box and the fruit bowl, on the farm, in the wild and more. From the ragged fin fire fish to the amazing lizard fish, our oceans are home to more than 20, species of fish, making up a dazzling array of sizes and patterns.

    This fantastically illustrated collection offers a detailed overview of the natural history of fish. Engage your child in outdoor play, nature outings, and environmental explorations.


    1. The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heart?
    2. Exploring the music therapist’s use of mindfulness informed techniques in practice?
    3. ?
    4. Chase and be chased in a game of capture the flag. Use the power of the sun to craft your own shadow prints. Explore the stars on a late night walk. Create a field guide to your neighborhood. Through 52 ideas—some classic and some new— Let's Go Outside! Whether you're in the country, the city, or anywhere in between, this book is sure to help you get outside—and run, dance, hike, or camp—with your preteen.

      Hear thunder crash, feel your toes touch sand, and watch leaves drift softly away on a quiet stream. The simple poems in Breathe and Be help children learn mindfulness as they connect to the beauty of the natural world. Mindfulness teaches us how to stay calm, soothe our emotions, and appreciate the world around us. This boxed card deck includes 50 creative mindfulness games, visualizations and exercises divided into 5 categories to help children feel grounded, find calm, improve focus, practice loving-kindness and relax.

      Whimsical full-color illustrations on both sides of the cards break down each practice into easy-to-follow steps. Tips on individual cards plus an 8-page instructional booklet show modifications that make these activities inclusive for children of all abilities. This delightfully illustrated board book brings the fun and benefits of authentic yoga practice to infants and toddlers.

      Yoga Bug guides children through ten authentic yoga poses named after insects that unfold in an irresistibly whimsical flow of play, imagination, and movement. Kids will want to return to them again and again. In the late s renowned Polish poet Julian Tuwim, was asked to write three poems for children. The publisher Przeworski connected the three poems into one book, Locomotive, and commissioned illustrations from celebrated Polish illustration duo Lewitt and Him.

      Locomotive was the beginning of a creative partnership that lasted many years. As a child, Katherine Johnson loved to count.