Relaxation

The ability to relax is an invaluable tool. Learning how to relax is one of the most important skills for a performer. But we often get very up tight when we practice. We want to get the studies right as well as the difficult passages. We want to perform to the best of our abilities, but very often the more we try the more we tense our bodies. By becoming tense we stand in our own way. We become our own enemy. A body free from tension helps us achieve our goal with ease, peace and freedom.

Incorporate relaxation exercises into your practice session. When you feel tired, frustrated or tense use relaxation techniques for a few minutes and return to your practice when you feel refreshed. Stand up and stretch. Take a deep breath through the nose and let the air out slowly with an audible sigh of relief. Do this a few times until you feel refreshed. Relaxation is a skill and like any other it needs to be practiced.