What if you could play with effortless ease…whenever you want? ?️

I taught a workshop to a community orchestra recently, in which we talked about many of the problems they face as musicians. I shared 3 big problems I see in musicians across the board, which tend to cause pain and unhappiness sooner or later.

These are three big, universal problems musicians have:

1. Excess tension.?
   Generalized excess muscular tension, which can show up in specific parts of your body after you’ve practiced for a while; such as sore shoulders, arm pain, a tight neck, or clenched jaw.
2. Lack of musical flow. ?
   It can be difficult to convey musical emotions freely and without tension when there’s a disconnect causing a tug-of-war between your logical, controlling mind and your intuitive, feeling heart.
3. Trying too hard. ☠️
   When you care more about goals and end results than your moment-to-moment experience, you’ll be more prone to negative and self-critical thinking, performance anxiety, rushing when you play, and a lack of confidence about your playing.

? These three things may seem like they need to be addressed separately, but they’re really just different facets of the same problem, which crops up again and again in a thousand disguises, wreaking havoc on your technique, musical expression, health, and experience of joy. ?

Everybody at the workshop was able to relate to these problems, but what really blew them away was the idea that ALL of them could be solved by one and the same solution.

✨ The good news is that you don’t need to address them separately. ✨

When you learn The Art of Freedom® Method I teach my students, you’ll see how easy it can be to use your thoughts in positive partnership with your body, when you have these essential ingredients in place:

✅ Clear Intention.
A desire to have a different experience, plus clarity of vision. What do you actually want?
EXAMPLE: I want to be able to play those octaves in tune consistently, even in front of an audience!

✅ Self-observation.
What’s the truth of what’s actually happening right now? What do you notice about your thoughts, your body, your reactions?
EXAMPLE: I clench up every time those I see those octaves coming up in the music; I get ready to conquer them, and my muscles tense up in fear and the wish to control my fingers – which makes everything worse.

✅ Humility.
Are you willing to admit you might not know the best way to play those octaves in tune? Are you willing to let go of your attachment to habits that get in the way?
EXAMPLE: I realize my worry, clenching and controlling habits make things harder for me in every way. I’m willing to be wrong and make mistakes, and I accept that the octaves may actually sound WORSE for awhile, as my brain re-calibrates how to play with less tension.

✅ A willingness to learn by experimentation.
Are you willing to let go of assumptions and try new ways of doing things, free of expectation and judgment?
EXAMPLE: Is it possible that your fingers are not the culprits when your octaves are out of tune? What’s happening with your hand/arm/shoulder/neck? What if you let go of paying attention to body parts, and decided to do something else entirely?

Now… guess what!

? Doing ALL of these things just means adding ONE super-simple practice into your daily routine. I give my students a few minutes of Awareness Etudes to practice every day, and when they do them consistently, they get results – GUARANTEED. ?

Maybe this sounds too good to be true, but that’s why I offer a 100% money-back guarantee ?. This process WORKS.

? If you want to feel better and play better with simplicity and ease, and these ideas have piqued your curiosity, then you’ll really want to ask me about The Musician’s Advantage™ Jumpstart. I’ll teach you exactly how to let go of excess tension in your mind and body, how to integrate your whole self, and how to be present to your experience, so that you can start improving from Day 1.

I’m offering a ‘Special Pain Edition’ for musicians experiencing pain, excess tension, or generalized discomfort in April, with great bonuses for early-bird registration in March, so comment below ASAP for details! ?

With Love & Enthusiasm,
Jennifer

p.s. Email me at Jennifer@ArtofFreedom.me ASAP if you’d like more details so I can save your spot in the Jumpstart and you don’t miss out on some GREAT bonuses for early registration!