10 Comments
Nov 3, 2023Liked by Vajradarshini

Thank you. I’m loving all the connections I’m picking up. This, an inspiring signpost. It’s easy to slump into what’s easy and this makes me want to give myself and my life a good dogshake! x

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A good dogshake, what a great image!

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Nov 3, 2023Liked by Vajradarshini

I'm so appreciate you writing your newsletters. I always look forward to them. Thank you! X

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Thank you! You are one of the people I think of when I write them!

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Nov 3, 2023Liked by Vajradarshini

Ohhhhhh

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Gosh I’m struck by how strongly this wisdom resonates in me. I feel very inspired, and compelled to buy the book. I’m accumulating quite the library of recommendations! I have a sense of how all six rules involve a sense of flow in our experience - and how I potentially artificially interrupt flow to try and control things. Interesting reflection. Thank you.

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Do buy the book, it's brilliant. Plus it's fab to have a library of unread books waiting for you!

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Love the philosophy of improv. We use it at work too with the fantastic Alex Menhams (based in Suffolk) he runs workshops and classes too. Worth checking out -great fun!

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Wonderful stuff.

1. Be there

2. Say no! Might move you to a new situation.

3. Any cycle can be examined/explored at any point. Clockwise? Try anti-clockwise.

4. My favourite graffiti “Only the mediocre are always at their best.” When stuck, Lower your standards. Via Manjusvara “Wolf at the door”.

5. Yorkshire saying. “The man who never made a mistake never made owt.”

6. A favoured strategy of mine as a teacher. Make a plan then bin it if the student(s) agenda is at odds with it. You as the teacher need to wing it!

Very hard to actually explain in words what I do when improvising playing music/jazz. I think I am mainly listening to what comes out and checking how it works with what else is going on. Pattern matching, chord sequence and especially note choice. Feeling with my fingers but barely consciously. Should feel

Like “relaxed awareness”.

To other players/group: am I responding to them? Are they responding to me? Can feel like knowing what they will do. Call and response. Very intuitive. Do not overthink it, in fact barely think at all, just listen and feel.

I’m done. X

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Wow,! while reading this, knowing I had in mind to bake for tomorrow's gardening session, following the suggestion to start anywhere, decided to put the ingredients on the table, then started weighing them, result! they're now already baked! ( Easy peasy recipe which I used to make a half bake ie six date & apricot biscuits by Tamal Ray 👌

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