Dear Guests, Welcome to my blog which I treat like a creative garden where I regularly plant and change this and that be it poetry, philosophy, an Oboe Brilliance lesson, an essay of some kind, or a journal about composing. Visit every Monday for oboe coaching which is also helpful for many melodic instrumentalists. Musically yours, Kathryn

"How do you compose?" That is the most commonly asked question I hear.
This blog is a window into my creative process and philosophies as a composer and instrumentalist. At times it may contain music, photos, and poetry as well. May you enjoy, return, and benefit!

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19

The 5 step focus

One of the times in my life that flashed before my eyes during a life review, was when I created the 5 step focus. At this time I was meditating as usual as I had for the 11 years prior to this day by sitting in a half lotus and focusing my mind on my breathing and posture. On this day, I was meditating at the ocean (Smith's Point in Montauk L.I.) I was meditating for a long long time. When the tide started to return, I added to my focus (step 2) adding to my attention absolutely everything that I could hear. I listened to the waves breaking as far along the shore as I could, the sea gulls, the people far away, the whistle of the lifeguard... then (step 3) I added all that I could smell - I got a good wiff of suntan lotion and salty air as the wind increased - and breathed deeper and slower. (step 4) greater awareness to all I could sense - by this time my skin was really burning and I could feel some grains of sand digging into me, I knew that I'd have to stop and get into the water in the near future. (step 5) I continued step 4 but with my eyes open.

The ocean was shimmering, undulating and so alive. I felt completely one with the entire beach. I savoured this beauty, kept meditating with my eyes open. After a little while I got up, - kept meditating this way - and swam in the ocean. It was SO amazing.

Ever since then I've been practicing and teaching this 5 step focus.

Now, what interests me is that when I consider the common denominator of all the scenes from my life review that flashed before my eyes, I notice that they all are times when I am fully present and engaged savouring life - as in the above example - living with my available senses, drinking in the intoxicating magnificence of life itself in that moment - allowing myself to feel my true emotions in an unedited way - allowing myself the full joy and attention to be fully alert to stay safe.

I've taught this 5 step focus to most, not all, students of all ages for the past 17 years at the start of music lessons. For the first year I did this, I only taught half, as a test. The half that did meditate remembered more, played more musically, and enjoyed lessons more. It was well worth the time it took out of lessons, to start by meditating. It also helped my students do better before performances, competitions, and tests, because it helps the student snap into the state of being of the 5th step, through excellent practice.

Later in life while studying Sufism, I added the 6th step where I ask myself the questions "Who is looking through these eyes? Who is hearing through these ears? What is in my heart right now?"

So, when i compose, I prefer to approach creating from the 6th step which has been how I aspire to operate all the time, and for the work to be appealing to hear from this state of being. Sometimes even in my dreams I am conscious of the 5 or 6 step focus.

Musically Yours,
Kathryn