Wow! Two bows and Gassho! to Mr. Ross. An expressive and articulate sum of
what (I believe) most of us feel entering the Shakuhachi. I especially
like the part about not playing at all _ nada, Mu, emptyness _ in the
natural world. A very koan-like experience, e.g., 'If you have a staff, I
will give you a staff. If you have no staff, I will take it from you.''
(Basho).
John in Polson
> When I play for others, or myself, I usually
> close my eyes, have very few or no thoughts at all, and am in a state of
> intense listening. I mainly listen to the sound of the shakuhachi, be
> inside the sound, but am also aware of the audience and all sounds and
> smells, breezes etc. around me. I once played just after an East Indian
> dance troupe and as they were filing out off stage their ankle bells made
> quite a sound. I didn't try to filter it out. I find that though I am aware
> of all sounds I am not bothered by them. I can enter this state in a
> recording studio too. It allows real creativity.
>
> It wasn't always this way. It took many years. I'm grateful that this
> happens quite often now. It beats cotton mouth and sweaty palms and
> thinking "do they like it, hate it or aren't I good/terrible etc".
>
> I believe I'm not so much in a state of concentration (trying to shut out
> stimuli) but one of awareness, of taking everything in. Accepting what's
> going on and just being a part of it. Sometimes out in nature I pick up my
> flute, then without playing put it down. "I can't add to this".
>
> I played at a funeral once and that helped me to realize both how
> unimportant I was in/at that moment (it's not about me) but also how
> powerful shakuhachi can be in a situation where finding just the right words
> is so difficult.
>
> Of course when I put my flute down I usually return to my old sarcastic New
> York self.
>
> I'm at my best/freest when I'm not around, and blowing shakuhachi. It's a
> wonderful break from myself, the world.
>
> I don't want to put a name to this state. Just grateful for it.
>
>
>
> Peter
>
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