Writing on playing freely

Why “sit up straight” is actually making you tense There’s something piano teachers tell every student, usually starting around age seven or eight. They say it with good intentions and genuine concern.…

Photo by Dominique Stueben on Unsplash There’s a moment in every musician’s practice that tells you everything about their relationship with difficulty. It’s not the moment they play the hard passage. It’s…

Why every specialist looked at the wrong thing — and the 3-second practice that changes everything. Photo by Benoit Vacherie on Unsplash A guitarist walked into his first lesson with me last…

Have avery tense neck? RELAX HARDER! The moment you noticed the tension in your hand, you paused with concern. The passage you’d played a hundred times suddenly had a new quality —…

Photo by Nadin Mario on Unsplash Your left shoulder creeps up while you play violin. You notice it, pull it down. Five minutes later — it’s back. You’ve been told to “just…

Sergio had practiced a particular jump in Rachmaninoff hundreds of times. He knew the notes. He knew the fingering. He could execute it — sometimes. But every time he approached that passage,…

Most musicians who come to me for Alexander Technique lessons come for the pain-relief. What they stay for is the newfound ability to channel their Soulforce. Think of your body like a…

The AI Revolution is here — and it’s moving faster than most people realize. As a musician, I’m asking myself, “Will my music career survive? What can I do to thrive as…

The AI Revolution is here — and it’s moving faster than most people realize. As a musician, I’m asking myself, “Will my music career survive? What can I do to thrive as…

Soulforce Letter — Music, Power, & the Sacred Plus a fun show on 8/2/25 in Philadelphia and other announcements. What’s ours to do in these turbulent times? This is something I ponder…

We are currently in a space between stories. If there is one word that describes how many of us feel these days, it’s “disoriented.” So much is changing so quickly, the news…

https://medium.com/media/7ee39947b6cdd3bf4acc5d23051bc1aa/href I was a guest on the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association podcast “Take Note”! Host Mark Despotakis and I talked about the role of the arts in today’s chaotic world, as well…

You may have noticed that it’s getting harder to get recognized and to thrive as a musician. Funding for the arts is being cut. Many of the traditional avenues for professional advancement…

All to many talented musicians suffer from injuries like tendinitis, back pain, and numbness. In fact, studies ( 1 , 2 ) show that from 50–90% of all musicians experience injuries at…

This blog post features excerpts from my new free guide, “Five Ways to Get the Recognition & Love You Deserve as a Musician.” Get the PDF guide for free here . Have…

“It’s fricking impossible to get booked anywhere,” B, a gifted musician and band leader, told me in a recent conversation. “I’ve spent all this time and money on creating my album, and…

Plus, POWERFUL guided practice Today I’m going to share the benefits and limitations of mindset changes for peak performance, what I consider a more holistic and resilient approach, as well as a…

This Violinist Found the Secret to a Beautiful Sound — and It Wasn’t More Time or Effort (Case Study) “I tried recording myself playing violin last week and I was mortified! It…

Here’s the Only Justification for the Arts that Matters in the 21st Century Many artists and arts advocates have a secret fear — that our art doesn’t really matter, that it’s not…

The secret is making space for a little bit of nothing On the surface, arts administration doesn’t seem like a sexy job. You don’t get to be up on stage blowing the…

What Scientists Can Learn from Artists on Transforming Public Understanding Close your eyes and bring to mind a time when you heard music that moved you to tears. Very likely, this experience…

How Soulforce Transforms Arts and Music Schools into Dynamic Hubs of Inspiration and Growth Imagine a community arts school where creative energy flows naturally — where students are eager to learn, teachers…

Discover the surprising benefits of embracing accountability — reach your creative goals faster, more consistently, and more joyfully Many creatives have a love/hate relationship with accountability. 🙈 On the one hand, it…

It’s facing the parts of yourself you’ve been ignoring. When you’re feeling stuck creatively, it could be your psychological shadow at work. 🤔 What is your shadow? It’s not the “bad” part…

Cultivating Intrinsic Motivation in Young Music Students “I told him that he doesn’t start practicing without me constantly nagging him, I’m going to stop paying for his violin lessons,” Robert’s mom, Lorrie,…

Artistic Masterpieces Move Us — But To Where? (Plus, how this knowledge fast-tracks creating your own masterpiece) There is a certain magic to artistic masterpieces like Michelangelo’s Pieta or Mozart’s Requiem .…

(And how to reclaim its mind-bending creative potential) What if you had access to a limitless source of creative inspiration, flow, and pleasure? ✨ It would be so much fun, right?! Making…

Insights for a soul-led creative livelihood Just had an amazing meditation session this morning. 🧘‍♀️ Got a ton of insights into how to craft a fulfilling artistic livelihood. I meditate every day…

(And how to ensure your masterpieces matter) What does artistic mastery mean? 🤔 Ask 10 people and you’ll get different 10 answers. 💪 For some, it means creating in accord with tradition.…

Or is suffering necessary to artistic mastery? Who had it right? The Picasso’s “Old Guitarist” or Bob Ross’s “happy little clouds?” >> Can a happy artist be a great artist? 😁 >>…

Creating a masterpiece is hard. This is a feature, not a bug! We all know that creating an artistic masterpiece takes years of training, blood, sweat, and tears. So many challenges come…

A step-by-step guide! Step 1: Embody a disempowered stance towards money This will allow you to either become a sell-out or a starving artist Step 2: Advance technique and technology for their…

It turns out they a lot about you. Creative blocks?Inner critic?Tension and injuries?Burnout?Lack of motivation?Difficulty making a living?The secret fear that your art may not matter in today’s world? These are not…

An Initiation into an Evolutionary Artistry “We fear our highest possibilities. We are generally afraid to become that which we can glimpse in our most perfect moments, under conditions of great courage. We enjoy and even thrill to godlike possibilities we see in ourselves in such peak moments. And yet we simultaneously shiver with weakness, awe, and fear before these very same possibilities.” ― Abraham Maslow, Motivation and Personality

The Postconventional Stages of the Arts: Spiral Dynamics Yellow & Turquoise The following is the third of three posts that will comprise a complete Spiral Dynamics analysis of the arts. If you're…

The Conventional Stages of the Arts: Spiral Dynamics Blue, Orange, & Green The following is the second of three posts that will comprise a complete Spiral Dynamics analysis of the arts. If…

“[Egyptian art] was…a continuous exercise in the development of individual consciousness.” — John Anthony West, Serpent in the Sky The analysis of each stage includes the following:[1] · The basics of each stage, including an overview of its worldview and sphere of concern, core values, motto, and percentage of world population at this stage[2] · The role of the arts in a society at that stage · That stage’s approach to the arts · How the stage views mistakes and success[3] · A list of examples of art forms at that stage

Upcoming Soulforce Arts Institute events for the Spring of 2024

“[Egyptian art] was…a continuous exercise in the development of individual consciousness.” — John Anthony West, Serpent in the Sky The following is the first of three posts that will comprise a complete…

As a young boy, I often struggled to make sense of the world and my place within it. There were simply so many perspectives on life, art, relationships, and everything else. What made this so confusing and difficult was that the people in my life from whom I sought guidance—parents, teachers, friends, favorite authors, political figures, and others—spoke so compellingly and with great confidence, as though they held the one truth about what’s most important in life. The trouble was that, despite their confidence, the perspectives they espoused often contradicted what others said, and so were a source of conflict. Inhabiting this complex and confusing landscape, I sometimes felt like a helpless billiard ball, bouncing from one perspective to another as I sought to make sense of it all.

“It is often said that in today’s modern and postmodern world that the forces of darkness are upon us. But I think not; in the Dark and the Deep there are truths…

The key to resolving the meaninglessness crisis that now pervades our society lies in recognizing that the perspectives that largely gave rise to it—modernism and postmodernism—are themselves but individual stages in the ongoing development of human consciousness. In other words, there were stages that came before these, and there are stages that will come after.

“When you get curious about a part, you naturally gain clarity regarding what it’s all about, which typically results in a newfound compassion for all it’s been through and is trying to…

Healing the Inner Critic "When you get curious about a part, you naturally gain clarity regarding what it's all about, which typically results in a newfound compassion for all it's been through…

Why I'm Offering Alexander Technique Lessons at a 90% Discount I've read a lot of marketing advice over the years. One of the biggest takeaways was never to compete on price, since…

"Why Artists Need Community" Plus Special Announcement! I still remember the moment I realized I didn't have to do it all on my own . For many years, I had questioned my…

Superficial Purpose & Shallow Expressivity "...our patient has no grasp of the whole, he sees only isolated parts and gets nowhere. In developing his plan, he relies purely on his powers of…

Discovering the Place Where Your Art, Well-Being, & the World's Hunger Meet "Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how'." "• Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning…

The Purpose of Art is to Experience a Larger Interconnectedness "Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else." "• Bukkyo Dendo, The Teachings of Buddha The Story of…

A Story of Artistic Purpose "A human being is a spatially and temporally limited piece of the whole, what we call the "Universe." He experiences himself and his feelings as separate from…

After playing her piece for me in a lesson one day, Sara, who was twelve at the time, asked, “Why does my music sound so robotic?” What a great question! What self-awareness! I was so pleased she had asked this because even though she had gotten all the notes right that day, her playing had sounded rather robotic. I was glad to know we were both on the same page about feeling emotionally unsatisfied with her performance. The stage was now set for discovering what to do about it.

Let’s imagine that you’re up on stage, playing a demanding and dynamic piece of music. You play all the right notes, you have perfect technique, you have a brilliant sound, you look like you’re trying to exorcize a demon from your instrument, and yet after the performance you feel unfulfilled and unmoved. You tried your hardest, but you just didn’t connect with real inspiration or genuine feeling. Why not?

Art matters… right? This question can bring up mixed feelings for many artists. On the one hand, every artist and art lover carries an unshakeable, if unspoken, knowledge that art does matter, that it has inestimable value, and that the creation of art carries out a life-giving purpose in our world.

To many, it can seem like our world has lost its mind. Our current and past ways of making sense of the world are proving ineffective to meet the increasing pace and complexity of life. Many of us used to make sense of the world and our place within it through the lens of religion, national or ethnic identity, political ideology, or the promise of technological progress. However, more and more of us are waking up to the realization that these lenses are no longer adequate to save us from ecological destruction, social and financial inequality, or the rise of authoritarianism. In fact, these very lenses often seem to be the source of the problems we now face and which they purport to address! Where else are we to turn for answers?

Why do money and selling sometimes feel icky? In part, it's because we're wired to give and receive freely. When you give your gifts freely and they are freely received, it feels great because it affirms the place inside you that was meant for giving and receiving freely.

(See below for an invitation to our second roundtable conversation about reimagining how we make a living in the arts.) What is it like to make a living in the arts? Many…

(Plus, invitation to roundtable conversation on how to align your livelihood as an artist with your Soulforce. See below.) One of the most frustrating experiences as a musician or artist is creating…

"Art & Money: Rotten Fruit?" or "Why Do So Many Gigs Pay So Little in both Money and Fulfillment?" (Plus, an invitation to a roundtable conversation) The #1 challenge most professional musicians…

Why is it so hard for many musicians and artists to make a decent living? Fundamentally, it has to do with the conflict between the true purpose of the arts and the values of our market-based economic system.

When you learn ancient shamanic powers as a modern day performer, your performances will gain incredible depth and creative power. You will be able to lead your audiences on an entrancing experience, one that mimics the healing underworld journeys of ancient shamans.

Why do money and selling sometimes feel icky? In part, it's because we're wired to give and receive freely. When you give your gifts freely and they are freely received, it feels great because it affirms the place inside you that was meant for giving and receiving freely.

What do Spiral Dynamics stages Orange, Green, Yellow, and Turquoise look like in the arts? This video features an overview of each stage plus many examples of each stage as it shows…

Why do money and selling sometimes feel icky? In part, it's because we're wired to give and receive freely. When you give your gifts freely and they are freely received, it feels great because it affirms the place inside you that was meant for giving and receiving freely.

Hello friends! I was on the "Brain Conversations" podcast recently, which is hosted by my Alexander Technique colleague, Diana Rumrill. We started by talking about how the left and right hemispheres of the brain have different takes on the world, as well as different modes of operating.

An overview of Spiral Dynamics, explanation of common misconceptions, and how it relates to the arts. Spiral Dynamics is a developmental model that describes the various stages of evolution that humans go…

In order to awaken from the meaninglessness crisis that pervades our society, you need to grow your consciousness. The truth is that the meaninglessness so many people feel simply comes from having…

Many in our society have the feeling that life is essentially random and meaningless. This can be a scary and depressing point of view, one which leads to many individual and societal…

How to motivate yourself to practice or make art - without willlpower! You've probably had times when you just don't feel like practicing or working on your artistic projects. When you feel…

Do your arms and hands get too tight, stiff, tired, or even numb and tingly when you make music or do your art? In this video, I share three simple, powerful ideas…

It's possible to put in an enormous amount of effort into your art, and to have perfect technique, but still feel unmoved during the creative process. This is because no amount of…

Is virtuosic technique sufficient for true mastery of your art form? Well, it's certainly necessary, but it's not sufficient by itself. Any approach to artistic development that focuses too much on technique…

One of the essential roles of musicians & other artists is to help humanity celebrate the mystery of life. This activity is central to all human cultures and is responsible for some…

Do the arts have a purpose? If so, what are they meant to actually *do*? Our society says that the arts are nice, but are essentially a luxury. But deep down, every…

As a musician or other artist, you know, deep down, that your art matters. And yet, our society views the arts as mere luxury items, entertainment, or hobbies. This can make you…

Transcendent art isn't just for the masters. You can do it, too! But how? First, you have to remember the true purpose of the arts, which not just self-expression--it's *illumination*. The purpose…

Has technology made us less creative and less connected as a society? After all, not that long ago, our Saturday evenings would have been spent gathered around someone's piano, singing our favorite…

Money and selling so often feel "icky" for many musicians & other artists. We need to make money in order to survive in our society, but turning our art into a commodity…

Can repetitive strain injuries make you a BETTER musician? Repetitive strain injuries are feared in the music and arts world because they can be debilitating and difficult to treat. But my own…

Have you ever noticed that there is something deeply wrong about the arts world? Our cities are choked with drab, boxy buildings, parking lots, and billboards. Our most popular music is vacuous…

Hello friends! Here's another excerpt from my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." It's from Chapter 1, which is…

When you don't have enough time to practice, what's usually behind that isn't actually a matter of having enough time. It's more commonly a matter of motivation. And what's behind a lack…

The arts have the potential to connect humanity with the larger forces of nature. If this potential were fully realized, this could have a transformative effect on humanity's relationship with our planet.…

Hello friends! Here's another excerpt from my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." It's from Chapter 1, which is…

While the arts are certainly valued highly by many our society, they are never at the top of the list when considering how to solve "hard" issues like poverty and climate change.…

Hello friends! Here's another excerpt from my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." It's from Chapter 1, which is…

Does practicing feel like you're just going through the motions, checking off the boxes so you can get on to the next thing? Or playing a gig? Or teaching or taking a…

At first glance, it's not at all clear what musicians, artists, painters, and poets can do about climate change and biodiversity loss. But when you understand the deeper commonalities to these challenges…

Hello friends! Here's another excerpt from my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." It's from my chapter on the…

Hello friends! Here's another excerpt of my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." This excerpt is from my chapter…

Hello friends! Here's another excerpt from my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." This is from my chapter on…

Hello friends! As many of you know, I am writing a book about what musicians and other artists can do through our art to be of service in these turbulent times. I…

Here's an excerpt from my upcoming book, Soulforce Arts: The Vital New Role for Musicians & Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind. This excerpt is the opening of my chapter…

Hello friends! I'm so excited to be nearing completion of my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists In A World That's Lost Its Mind." It's about…

Hello friends! Here's another section from my upcoming book, Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists In A World That's Lost Its Mind. It's from Chapter 1, wherein I…

Hello friends! Here's another section from my upcoming book, Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role of Musicians & Other Artists In A World That's Lost Its Mind. It's from Chapter 1, wherein I…

Hello friends! Here's another installment of my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role for Musicians & Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." Let me know what you think! We'll…

My newest recording! I composed this one during the darkness of the first COVID winter. I plan on writing 6 of these Jazz Fantasies for solo violin. Let me know what you…

This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital Role For Musicians & Artists in a World That's Lost Its Mind." I'm sharing it here to get feedback on…

Hello friends! Here is another excerpt from my upcoming book, "Soulforce Arts: The Vital New Role of Musicians & Artists in a World That's Lost It's Mind." "‹In Chapter 6 "The Yoga…

Hello friends! Here's the next installment of my invitation for feedback on the material from my upcoming book, Soulforce Arts: The Vital New Role for Musicians & Artists in a World That's…

"A Dark Waltz" is a waltz in the Gypsy Jazz style, written, produced, and arranged by Joseph Arnold. - Joseph Arnold, violin - Daniel Dickison, guitar - Dave Hartl, accordion - Dylan…

This past March I went on a two-week immersion in the Amazon Rainforest. I brought my backpacking violin along and recorded one of my favorite pieces of all time - Jay Ungar's…

Listen to this guided meditation when you're tired, but you still need to get up and do more. The "secret" is to really allow yourself to be tired and not to fight…

The most powerful spiritual practice I've ever encountered is what I call, "Asking the Mystery for Help." It's based on the ancient principles of gift, offering, and sacrifice (although you don't need…

The "Knowledge of the Soul" is all about feeling, vitality, and those qualities that make each of us unique as artists. Teaching technique and repertoire - while it has its challenges -…

Why does a gig feel fulfilling or soulless? Why do are we proud of some students, but resent others? And what's up with high-level artists so often being a**holes? It all has…

This past March I went on a two-week immersion in the Amazon Rainforest. I brought my backpacking violin along and recorded one of my favorite pieces of all time - Bach's Chaconne…

I'm back from my two-week immersion in the Amazon Rainforest! It was a life-changing experience being in such remote place, getting to know the indigenous peoples of the forest. In this video,…

I'll be going to the Amazon headwaters in Ecuador for the next 16 days. I'm traveling with the Pachamama Alliance (pachamama.org), which is a climate change advocacy organization that also helps the…

In order to achieve effortless mastery, we need more "effortlessness" skills. Learning how to operate in the "receiving mode" is one of the most powerful effortlessness skill that I know. In this…

I have a student in grad school, getting a degree in music therapy. He was feeling overwhelmed with work and asked me about ways to improve his time management. Instead, we ended…

How do you play something really fast, but without getting tense? After all, tension and effort actually interfere with your ability to play fast - just think of how fluidly a hummingbird…

It's a cold, rainy day in Philadelphia and I didn't really feel like talking, so I decided to play violin for you, instead! Day 24 of 100 Days of Soulforce: - Improvisation…

"Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul." "• Marilyn Monroe There is a direct analogy between the struggle many…

When you're doing something difficult like playing music and you're getting tighter than you'd like to, what's happening to your "sense of space" in that moment? Are you getting tunnel vision? Or…

Does your back get tired or even painful when you stand or sit for long periods? Sometimes it can feel impossible to find a comfortable way of sitting and standing, no matter…

What is the full flowering of "playing from the heart"? What does it feel like, and how do we get there? At its deeper reaches, playing from the heart means becoming a…

The Spirit of the Gift rests on a deeper truth than the belief that we are all separate beings in a world of other. When we live and make art from this…

The Spirit of the Gift helps us understand: - How to feel more at home in the world - How to make a living while doing something meaningful - How to make…

When you practice music (or dance, or other creative arts), does it feel more like you're "toiling" at music, rather than actually "playing" music? Why does this happen, despite our intuitions that…

You try to have good posture, but then why do your shoulders or back still hurt? You try to fix your slump by sitting up straight, but then you find yourself back…

Watch a live Soulforce Arts lesson with Joseph Arnold, violinist, Alexander Technique teacher and founder of the Soulforce Arts Academy, and Alyssa Lahoda, violinist. Day 16 of 100 Days of Soulforce: -…

What do you do when your shoulder pain just *keeps* coming back? How do you stop your back from hurting when you play? Have you tried *everything* to release the tension in…

One of the keys to understanding how to release excess tension in performance and practice is the difference between the "Doing Mode" vs. the "Receiving Mode." In the "Doing Mode," it feels…

You want to play more deeply from the heart. You want to teach this to your students. However, this longing can be frustrated by common misconceptions about what it means to play…

"Playing from the heart" is what happens when you listen to your "Inner Audience Member" as you play. Your Inner Audience Member is the part of you that generates feelings about what…

"Code Red for Humanity" On August 9th, 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report which raised grave and urgent concern about human-induced climate change. The report states that world-wide…

Playing from the heart is universally desired as performers and as audience members. It's what brings our performances *alive*, as opposed to being robotic or overly effortful. But how to you actually…

We all love to play from the heart while on stage, but what about in the practice room? Are you just going through the motions as you do your scales and exercises?…

Excellent self-care is on the of the Six Pillars of Soulforce Artistry because when you're doing really well, your art will shine and you'll be an inspiration to those around you. If…

You probably notice excess tension during or after your practice time or performances. Whether it's a minor annoyance or a full-blown injury, this tension makes your body uncomfortable, can limit your playing…

One part of you may sometimes feel like what you do as an arts educator as little bearing on the world at large. After all, does teaching dance or music really stop…

What does "playing from the heart" really mean? Is it something that only some people have, or happens only sometimes? Or can it be learned and mastered like any other skill? It's…

As performing artists, we *know* that what we do makes a difference - we touch the lives of many people through our performances and teaching. And yet, the story we get from…

Interbeing is a term coined by Thich Nhat Hanh, who was one of the great Zen masters of the 20th and 21st centuries. Interbeing is both a philosophy and experience, one that…

Life purpose means going beyond merely have a "career" in a particular field, but really living out, as David Whyte says, "The story you were born with." Another important idea is that…

What's "100 Days of Soulforce"? I'm embarking on a mission to spread the word about Soulforce Performing Arts because I believe it is a needed message for artists of all kinds in…

The Six Pillars of Soulforce Performance Arts What it means to be a performing artist has clearly evolved over time - we have enacted rituals, glorified religious or political ideals, provided secular…

When we begin to let go of rigid adherence to traditional approaches of mastering our craft, there can be a fear that all standards of excellence will be left behind. After all,…

Muscle tension affects everything we care about as musicians. Do you want effortless technique? Let go of tension. Do you want a resonant, haunting sound? Let go of tension. Do you want…

Does your life as a musician feel like a blues song sometimes? Not enough money Not enough respect And then your lover leaves you! You could let this get you down, or…

It's the end of your semester and you've been losing your voice more and more frequently. You're trying to take it easy in rehearsals, and even though you've been massaging your jaw…

Sometimes playing, teaching, and practicing music feels like a slog. Maybe you think, "Man - when will this gig be over?" Or you just practice your pieces mindlessly so you can get…

Does this sound familiar? You're standing on stage, the fast passage you've spent 5 hours practicing is coming up, and you start to lock up worse than a deer in the headlights.…

You're practicing and you feel tight in your muscles - so you stretch, right? But after 5 more minutes of practicing, the pain and tension is back, and maybe even worse than…

The Soul Force Music Deep Dive conversations are about how to give inspiring & powerful performances (musical performances that have "Soul Force"), how that connects to the role of musicianship in an…

Many of the musicians we talk to describe their biggest challenge as a musician as "not having enough confidence." And when we dig into this lack of confidence, we often find stories…

Your music teacher may be the very first person you talk to about the pain, tingling, or numbness that you've been experiencing. They might have advice some helpful for you, but what…

For many musicians, mistakes are a source of fear - and even shame. You get really focused on not making mistakes and this often takes the fun out of playing music. Furthermore,…

Numbness and tingling can be especially challenging for musicians not only because they feel bad and can interfere with your playing, but because the root cause of numbness and tingling is often…

It's easy to dismiss the arts as "impractical" in times of trouble or great need. After all, does a song or a painting feed a hungry child or solve a global pandemic?…

My fellow musicians, What's the role of music in a world that's falling apart? Even after the gig hiatus of the next several months, do you really want to go back to…

The Six Pillars of Soulforce Performance Arts Hello all! I'm starting to write a book on Alexander Technique for strings players. The working title is "Your Body Is Your Instrument: Sound Better,…

In this video I present a self-compassion exercise aimed at relieving anxiety created by researcher Kristen Neff, as well as talk about the importance of having intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivations in performance,…

Have you ever noticed that you get tighter when you're learning something new or difficult? Is practice a time of stress or tension for you? Then you might be maxing out your…

"Relieving Performance Anxiety - Part 1" In this video I give information on the causes and relief of performance anxiety. Included are tools from the Alexander Technique, Open Focus, mindfulness meditation, lessons…

The Three Misconceptions Stretching can be vital to your health, well-being, and performance. As with anything, however, how you stretch is as important as what you stretch. There are three main points…

I'm starting monthly classes at the Philadelphia Shambhala center in center city! Details: 10/20/18, 11/17/18, 12/15/18 (more dates coming soon - check the Shambhala center website )10:00-11:30AM $25 at the door, $20…

"The Awakened Body" The essence of awakening is making what's currently unconscious, conscious. This matters because what's currently unconscious is not always benign, and often has palpable effects in your life. The…

It's often difficult to remember the sense of freedom and ease you may experience in Alexander Technique lessons. So, I often record the guided body/mind meditations I give during Alexander Technique lessons…

Some of us achieve the highest levels of mastery through incredible struggle, strain, angst, and pain. Others of us achieve the highest levels of mastery seemingly without having to try hard at…

"The Empowered Body" There are countless options available to you for pain-relief, stress-reduction, and the general well-being of your mind and body. How do you know which are truly lasting and truly…