Meditate by playing violin

Are you overwhelmed trying to juggle everything in your life? Do you feel like you have to run, run, run just to keep up? With the constant noise and stress of getting through the day, it’s so important to take a minute in order to regroup.

Health experts say that meditation is the key to better living. It can help you sleep better, reduce stress, improve concentration, lower anxiety, have better relationships… The list goes on. But what if meditation just isn’t your thing? I myself find it really hard to do. Luckily there are different ways to get a similar effect. 

Playing violin can be a powerful way to focus your mind and calm your body. When you practice violin, you are focusing all your senses on a single motion. It’s like focusing on your breath, but actually easier, since you’re actively doing something. 

Using multiple senses at the same time makes it even more powerful. As you draw the bow, you can feel your muscles relax, sense the contact point of the fingers on the bow, watch the bow on the string, and listen to the sound. Your brain is constantly making the rounds, monitoring each of these stimuli. It has plenty to keep it busy. 

This focused awareness in turn allows your body to make the adjustments needed in order to produce the ideal sound. At its core, playing violin is about mindfulness. Rather than trying to do something, you concentrate on being aware of what is happening. In this way, you can learn incredible skills through effortless mastery.

Violin as meditation also gives you rewarding feedback in many ways. You get a beautiful sound for your ear, the vibration of the wood and strings for your fingers, and a deep sense of accomplishment. How’s that for instant gratification?
 
So, next time you’re feeling like you need to step off the treadmill, to find some inner peace, pick up the violin. Give your busy mind a break. Let yourself revel in the sound and feel of the violin. It only takes ten minutes and will do you so much good.