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Rice Wine (piano) and — What is relaxing music?

by | May 3, 2019 | ,

 

Brian Eno once said,

“Ambient music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting.” But how does that happen?

Relaxation is more than soft sounds. We find it between tension, release, movement, and stillness. We find it in a flowing reflection of nature. Calm often appears as we reflect on nature. A piano’s single voice presents a simplicity that blooms into a complex garden. A synthesizer’s atomic construction of sound seeks to reflect the inherent beauty of math and physics.

Perhaps I conflate ambient and relaxing music. But aren’t both about a sense of connection between environment and self?

Good music is alive, ebbing, flowing, and cascading into itself. It is interesting that with nature, we can ignore it, not recognizing a beautiful flower sitting next to us, or be completely enthralled and find a new vibrant sense of meaning.  It is there patiently waiting for our recognition, as ignorable as it may be interesting.

 

What is Productivity?

Productivity is many things. For some, it is about doing a lot in a little time.
But, truly, productivity is so much more. It is about:

  • Setting yourself up for success.
  • Being focused where you want to be.
  • Doing things that you find meaningful.
  • Being creative, sometimes even in harsh environments.
  • Forging your own paths.
  • Finding your voice and delivering it well.
  • Knowing and actively deciding on your obligations.
  • Knowing where and how to say “no”.
  • Avoiding procrastination.

Too often, many of us fall into just going along with and fighting whatever the world throws at us. “Go with the flow!”, we say. Meanwhile, we might think, “I’d like to do that one thing. Maybe one day I will.” The days go by. The goal never arrives, and then we wonder why or blame circumstance.

But when we learn to take charge of our lives and the world
around us, we start living life with intention.

“I should do that,” becomes “This is how I start”. Deliberately forging a path to our goals and dreams, we figure out what we want in life and then start taking steps there.

Of course, striking out may seem scary. It takes courage to live life with purpose and on purpose. Roadblocks and worries, fears and concerns show up everywhere.

This is my passion. I want to help you to find that sense of your own unique play to meet the world so that you can:

  • Create a life that is yours.
  • Find and follow an inner guide in a way that works for you and those you care for.
  • Decide on your obligations and meet them while building the world you want.

Productivity Journal

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