She said, “TheCyCle™ has been the thing I've had the most success with. I do it every morning, and then always before I practice in the evening.”

[TheCyCle™ is a Primal Alexander™ Technique Awareness Etude I teach all of my students right from the very beginning.]

When I asked what had changed, her answer was so simple.

“Before, I'd sit down and immediately start working on whatever concerned me most—orchestra repertoire, difficult passages, whatever was pressing. I knew I should begin with fundamentals, but they never seemed as interesting.”

Then she paused.

“Now, if I do TheCyCle™ first, I'm in the right frame of mind to work on fundamentals. It gets me there much faster. And consistently.”

I love that observation because it points to something we so easily overlook.

Most musicians think the quality of a practice session begins with the first note they play.

I know from experience that it doesn't.

It begins with the state of the person who shows up to practice.

We arrive carrying the whole day with us—rehearsals, teaching, emails, family responsibilities, unfinished conversations, deadlines, expectations. Then we wonder why our practicing feels scattered or rushed.

TheCyCle™ gives us a way to arrive and tune our SELVES before we begin. ✨

During our session I laughed and said, “It's like using a magic eraser.”

As the day goes on, we accumulate all sorts of mental and physical clutter. Before practice, we get the opportunity to wipe the slate clean, come back to ourselves, and begin again.

That doesn't just change how we feel.

It changes the quality of our attention.

And the quality of your attention shapes everything that follows—what you notice, how you move, what you learn, and ultimately, the music you're able to make. 🎶

Perhaps the most important practice habit isn't the first scale you play.

Perhaps it's learning how to show up and be yourself. 💛