Strumming On the Tip of the Iceberg
IT CAN START WITH JUST A STRUM!
When a student encounters difficulty with a seemingly straightforward action such as strumming a guitar, I believe that this is merely the "tip of the iceberg." The visible struggle with the physical motion is not the root of the problem, but rather, a manifestation of deeper patterns that are ingrained in the individual's use of themselves. What is immediately evident – the awkwardness, the lack of fluency, the excess tension – is only the surface of a much more extensive and complex set of learned behaviors.
This "iceberg" metaphor is crucial because it emphasizes that what is apparent is only a small portion of a much larger issue involving the student's overall coordination, their habitual patterns of movement, and the interplay between their intention and their physical response. The aim of the lesson, therefore, is not simply to correct the strum, but to bring to awareness and to re-educate the habits and patterns that cause the problem to manifest in the first place.
THE UNCONSCIOUS HABIT: A GREASED TRACK OF TENSION
I've been thinking about how our responses to everyday activities, like strumming a guitar, are often governed by unconscious, habitual patterns. When an individual decides to perform a strum, the mind automatically retrieves the most commonly used pathway for that action.
This is a learned response, and it can be understood as a form of classical conditioning, much like Pavlov's dogs who associated the sound of a bell with food. The repetition of a movement with excess tension creates a "greased track" in the brain, a neural pathway that becomes the default response.
This pathway, due to repetition, is the strongest and most immediate option available to the individual's bio-computer when they want to perform that action. This means that the habit of excess tension is not necessarily a conscious choice, but rather, a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior that the body defaults to.
The example of Pavlov's dogs highlights this point clearly. Just as the dogs learned to salivate at the sound of the bell, an individual learns to respond to the intention of strumming with a specific physical response.
If that response has included excess tension repeatedly, then that tension will be an automatic part of the movement. It's not that the individual necessarily wants to be tense; they simply have trained their body to be tense as part of the response.
INHIBITION: THE POWER OF THE PAUSE
The key to breaking the hold of these ingrained habits, I've come to understand, lies in the power of inhibition. Inhibition, in this context, means pausing before immediately responding to the intention to perform the movement.
This pause is not merely a delay; it is a deliberate disruption of the automatic response. The student is encouraged to not immediately jump into the activity. Instead, they are invited to create a space between their intention and their action.
This act of inhibition is a critical intervention; it is what allows them to move beyond the familiar, tension-filled pathway. By inhibiting, the individual creates an opportunity to become aware of their habitual response and to introduce a new, more beneficial way of moving.
CONSTRUCTIVE THINKING: REDIRECTING THE PATH
After inhibiting the automatic response, the next step involves constructive thinking. This is a deliberate and focused act of thought that aims to change the relationship of the student to themselves before, during and after the movement.
Constructive thinking can take various forms, including noticing places of ease in the body, asking questions about the movement, or bringing awareness to one’s state and experience. This kind of thinking is not abstract intellectualizing; it is a way of redirecting the individual's attention to the quality of their experience. It is a means of engaging with the body and mind in a way that is both mindful and intentional.
I've learned that what one pays attention to is what one gets more of, so by directing awareness to ease, a student can begin to cultivate ease. This is a critical shift: instead of simply performing an action, the student is now engaged in the process of creating the conditions that allow the action to be performed with greater ease and efficiency.
THE SPACE BETWEEN: EXPERIENCE AND CHANGE
The act of inhibition and constructive thinking creates a "space" between the intention and the action. In this space, the student has an opportunity to experience the effects of their constructive thinking.
This is a key point – the student can choose to do the movement as they think or to notice the experience. This awareness is a crucial component of the learning process, allowing them to see, to feel, and to understand how their thoughts and their actions are linked.
The goal is to move away from the automatic, habitual responses that are associated with excess tension and towards a new way of moving that is more aligned with ease and natural movement. This is a process of mindful exploration, of paying attention to the subtle shifts in sensation and awareness that come with constructive thinking and inhibition.
CULTIVATING NEW PATHWAYS: THE POWER OF REPETITION
Each time an individual performs an action with conscious awareness and constructive thinking, they are not merely improving the current movement; they are also actively cultivating new neural pathways.
I've discovered that these new pathways, created through the practice of ease and intention, begin to replace the old, tension-filled pathways, so that the new experience becomes the default. As the individual engages in this process repeatedly, the new pathways grow stronger, and the old patterns of excess tension lose their dominance.
It's similar to creating a new path in the woods by walking on it repeatedly. With each walk, the path becomes clearer and more accessible; similarly, the pathways of ease become more ingrained and natural through consistent practice.
It's been noted that if the excess tension is practiced repeatedly, then that becomes normal, and that if ease is practiced repeatedly, then that becomes normal. The body and mind are dynamic and adaptable, and the goal is to intentionally shape these pathways through conscious practice and awareness.
THE GENERALIZED BENEFIT: BEYOND THE STRUM
The benefits of this approach extend far beyond the specific task of strumming a guitar. The practice of constructive thinking, combined with the inhibition of the habitual response, improves the individual's overall use of themselves. This is because, in the context of constructive thinking, many different processes happen such as breathing and the beating of the heart.
The lessons learned through the practice of strumming have a ripple effect across all of a person’s activities, including those that are seemingly unrelated to the movement of strumming. This is because the same principles of awareness, inhibition, and constructive thinking that are used when strumming can be applied to any activity in life.
When a person learns to move with more ease and less tension, they not only change how they play the guitar, but also how they walk, talk, and engage with the world. The process of consciously changing the way they do things in the world is not just about physical movement, but about the interplay of their thinking and their experience. It's about learning to approach life with more ease, awareness and presence.
THE TEACHER'S ROLE: FACILITATING THE JOURNEY
The teacher's role in this process is crucial. They do not simply provide instructions; they act as a guide, helping the student to navigate their own patterns of movement and to discover new possibilities. The teacher provides a supportive and encouraging space where the student can experiment and explore.
The teacher is also a model of awareness, and must be attentive to themselves and to the student during the process of the lesson.The teacher is also aware of the emotional state of the student, and should provide an atmosphere in which the student feels safe to experiment with their thinking and their movement, so that they are able to notice the benefits of this approach.
CONCLUSION: A PATH TO EMBODIED AWARENESS
The example of strumming the guitar offers a powerful metaphor for understanding habit, change, and the potential for embodied awareness. By understanding the mechanisms of ingrained habit and by employing the tools of inhibition and constructive thinking, the individual is not only able to improve their strumming but to transform their relationship to movement in all aspects of life.
This approach highlights the idea that movement is not just about physical action, but about the interplay of thought, intention, and experience. It is a path of lifelong learning, of continual exploration and refinement that promises greater ease, efficiency, and presence in everything we do.