Listening to Music is Meditation by Rachel Duvall

Published Thursday, February 25, 2010

     Dance with Rachel every Wednesday night!

"Music is the festive dress of silence."  -Chamalu

Listening is an art and a skill that when developed can enhance communication in all parts of your life. A simple way to develop your listening skills is through the use of music. By concentrating your focus completely on the sounds, silences and vibrations of music, you can bring yourself into a more relaxed meditative state as well as heighten your awareness of yourself, your body and the world around you.

In Nia [dance], in order to develop our listening skills we use a practice called RAW, which stands for Relaxed, Alert and Waiting. Using this simple acronym as your guide, listen to one of your favorite pieces of music. 

Begin with RAW:

  • Relaxed Body: in a comfortable seated position, find the sensation of relaxation or the absence of tension through out your body.
  • Alert Mind: empty out the mind as much as possible so you are not preoccupied with thoughts or images but awake, conscious and aware.
  • Waiting Spirit: have a sense of wonder, be present and open to what comes next.

Begin the song and listen to:

  • The sounds and silences
  • Rhythms, voices, changes in pitch, tone and mood
  • One particular instrument or sound.
  • The music as a whole

Once the song has finished, take a few moments and notice how you feel.  Is your mind clearer? Do you find your body is more relaxed? With this new heightened sense of awareness, begin the song again, but this time, get up dance. You may discover a much richer and fuller movement experience.




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