Daily Affirmations
1. Count your blessings
2. Practice Kindness
3. Let go of things you can’t control
4. Listen to your heart
5. Be productive, yet calm
6. Always breathe
The Letter
Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille
THERE IS A VITALITY, A LIFE FORCE, AN ENERGY, A QUICKENING THAT IS TRANSLATED THROUGH YOU INTO ACTION, AND BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE OF YOU IN ALL TIME, THIS EXPRESSION IS UNIQUE.
AND IF YOU BLOCK IT, IT WILL NEVER EXIST THROUGH ANY OTHER MEDIUM AND IT WILL BE LOST. THE WORLD WILL NOT HAVE IT.
IT IS NOT YOUR BUSINESS TO DETERMINE
HOW GOOD IT IS
NOR HOW VALUABLE
NOR HOW IT COMPARES WITH OTHER EXPRESSIONS.
IT IS YOUR BUSINESS TO KEEP IT YOURS CLEARLY AND DIRECTLY,
TO KEEP THE CHANNEL OPEN.
YOU DO NOT EVEN HAVE TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF OR YOUR WORK.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOURSELF OPEN AND AWARE
TO THE URGES THAT MOTIVATE YOU.
KEEP THE CHANNEL OPEN…
NO ARTIST IS PLEASED…
THERE IS NO SATISFACTION WHATEVER AT ANY TIME.
THERE IS ONLY A QUEER DIVINE DISSATISFACTION,
A BLESSED UNREST THAT KEEPS US MARCHING
AND MAKES US MORE ALIVE THAN THE OTHERS.
The Four Agreements
by Don Miguel Ruiz
1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don’t Make Assumptions
3. Don’t take things personally
4. Always do your best
Entrainment : The Universal Law Of Harmony
As discussed in the last chapter of Brainwaves Frequencies, in order to understand how brainwaves are altered, we need to answer the following two questions :
(1) How can any external sound alter our brain wave frequency? We listen to so many sounds everyday. All of them must have an effect on our brainwave. Then how does a particular sound of a particular frequency bring change in our brainwave’s frequency?
(2) The frequency of alpha, theta and delta are in the range of 1 to 13 Hz. Whereas, human ears are capable of listening to sounds only within the frequency range from 20 to 20,000Hz . So how can we listen to an external sound that produces an effect within 1 to 13 Hz to attain an alpha, theta or delta level of consciousness?
Let us discuss these questions one by one.
First of all, we need to understand how an external sound can alter our brainwave’s frequency.
An external sound alters our brainwave’s frequency with the help of a simple, natural phenomena known as ‘Entrainment.’
Please notice the spelling: It is NOT : Entertainment.
It is ‘Entrainment.’
Entrainment is defined as “a synchronization of two or more rhythmic cycles.”
When two closely related rhythmic cycles interact with each other, they synchronize with each other, resulting in the conservation of energy. This is known as Entrainment.
It is actually a very common phenomena. Let us understand it with some real life examples.
Entrainment was, first of all, discovered by a Dutch scientist, Christian Huygens, in 1665 (it is that old !). One of the experiments that led to this discovery was when Huygens set up a room full of pendulum clocks and got them all started, one at a time. He found that when he came back to the room a day later, the sway of their pendulums had all synchronized. From this, he extrapolated that Entrainment represented the phenomena of synchronization of closely related rhythmic cycles and their interaction with each other to conserve energy.
So the principal behind Entrainment is very simple and has universal appeal :
“Any two vibrating bodies will entrain if exposed to each other for long enough”
i.e. they will synchronize if exposed to each other for long enough.”
It’s true of clocks and electric driers sitting in close proximity to each other; it also describes the way musicians manage to play in time together in groups, the way women’s menstrual cycles fall into synch when they live with one another, and the way our body systems interact.
Within our bodies, our various rhythmic systems never fight each other—they always fall into synchronized rhythms—and a lack of synchronization, like in the case of a bad heart valve that is not quite timed to the flow of blood, leads to sickness. It also seems to be the case that these body systems entrain, become synchronized, to the environment, to its oscillating features. There is overwhelming evidence that circadian rhythms (our biological clock) keep us entrained to the rhythms of the earth, relative to the sun, and that various systems within our bodies entrain to repetitive stimulation. Other examples are the way that two people walking next to one another will fall into step with each other, or the way that people clapping in a full room will synchronize their claps, given enough time.
Entrainment and Brainwaves
So what actually happens in the case of a brainwave is that an external audio stimuli (specialized sound with a particular frequency) is repeatedly played which results in the entrainment of that brainwave with the external sound. As this process is continued for some time, the brainwave is tuned to the frequency of external sound and thus, achieves the particular frequency level of that sound (alpha, theta or delta). This is known as brainwave entrainment.
This entrainment of brainwaves is also called Frequency Following Response (FFR) in literature.
So the methodology of brainwave entrainment is very simple. Just listen to the sound of your desired frequency using headphones, and soon, that sound will entrain your brainwaves to its own frequency level. For example, if a person is in beta stage (highly alert) and a stimulus of 10Hz is applied to his/her brain for some time, the brain frequency is likely to change towards the applied stimulus. The effect will be relaxing to the person. This is what we call the Frequency Following Response.
When the brain’s state is close to the applied stimulus, entrainment works more efficiently. Thus, when doing a sweep from one frequency to another, the starting frequency should be as close to your current brain state as possible. The sweep speed should be such that your brain’s state changes steadily with it, so that the difference never gets very large. In practice, it is difficult to determine your brain state without extra equipment (like EEG devices). However, you can safely assume that during the day, your brain is in the beta stage (about 20Hz) and you can start the sweep from there. If you are already somewhat relaxed, you can use a start frequency of 15Hz or a few Hz lower.
This is all you need to know about brainwave entrainment, the method of altering your brainwave frequencies.
However, we still need to answer another important question. From where are we going to produce these specialized sounds with a frequency range of 1-20 Hz and how can we make them hearable to human ears when they can only hear the sounds of the frequency between 20-20,000 Hz ?
The answer to this question lies in a specialized sound known as Binaural beats.
Humility
Humility may be the most difficult virtue to learn and maintain. As a society we reward arrogance and “attitude”; and our heroes tend to be loud and brash sports figures, millionaire developers, movie stars, and the like — those kinds of people don’t know, or don’t want to know, what humility is. But of all the virtues, humility is the one that life will teach us if we don’t learn it of our own accord.
A humble person rarely stumbles, the old ones say, because such a person walks with face toward the Earth and can see the path ahead. On the other hand, the arrogant man who walks with his head high to bask in the glory of the moment will stumble often because he is more concerned with the moment than what lays ahead.
The burden of humility is light because a truly humble person divests himself of the need for recognition. The burden of arrogance, on the other hand, grows heavier day by day.
“In sharing the journey of life, travel with the humble person on the quiet path.”
~ Joseph M.Marshall III, The Lakota Way
It Is Always Now
It is always now. However much you feel you may need to plan for the future, to anticipate it, to mitigate risks, the reality of your life is now. As a matter of conscious experience, the reality of your life is always now.
This is a liberating truth about the nature of the human mind. There is probably nothing more important to understand about your mind than this if you want to be happy in this world. The past is a memory, it’s a thought arising in the present. The future is merely anticipated, it is another thought arising now.
What we truly have is this moment. We spend most of our lives forgetting this truth, repudiating it, fleeing it, overlooking it – and the horror is that we succeed. We manage to never really connect with the present moment and find fulfillment there because we are continually hoping to become happy in the future… and the future never arrives.
Even when we think we are in the present moment, we are in very subtle ways looking over its shoulder, anticipating what is coming next. We are always solving a problem. And it’s possible to simply drop your problem, if only for a moment, and enjoy whatever is true of your life in the present. This is not a matter of new information or more information. It requires a change in attitude. It requires a change in the attentiveness that you pay to your experience in the present moment.
A Good Man
A GOOD MAN
IS AS STRONG
AS THE RIGHT WOMAN NEEDS HIM
TO BE
The Future of Music: Credo
by John Cage (1937)
wherever we are
what we hear is mostly noise.
when we ignore it
it disturbs us.
when we listen to it
we find it fascinating.
we want to capture these sounds
to use them not as sound effects
but as musical instruments.
composition
performance
and audition or observation
are really different things.
they have next to nothing to do
with one another.
there is no such thing as an
empty space or an empty time.
there is always something to see
something to hear.
hearing sounds which are just sounds
immediately sets the theorizing mind to theorizing
and the emotions of human beings
are continually aroused
by encounters with nature.
emotion takes place
in the person who has it.
Letter To Artists
By Wayne Shorter & Herbie Hancock
To the Next Generation of Artists,
We find ourselves in turbulent and unpredictable times.
From the horror at the Bataclan, to the upheaval in Syria and the senseless bloodshed in San Bernardino, we live in a time of great confusion and pain.
As an artist, creator and dreamer of this world, we ask you not to be discouraged by what you see but to use your own lives, and by extension your art, as vehicles for the construction of peace.
While it’s true that the issues facing the world are complex, the answer to peace is simple; it begins with you. You don’t have to be living in a third world country or working for an NGO to make a difference. Each of us has a unique mission. We are all pieces in a giant, fluid puzzle, where the smallest of actions by one puzzle piece profoundly affects each of the others. You matter, your actions matter, your art matters.
We’d like to be clear that while this letter is written with an artistic audience in mind, these thoughts transcend professional boundaries and apply to all people, regardless of profession.
FIRST, AWAKEN TO YOUR HUMANITY
We are not alone. We do not exist alone and we cannot create alone. What this world needs is a humanistic awakening of the desire to raise one’s life condition to a place where our actions are rooted in altruism and compassion. You cannot hide behind a profession or instrument; you have to be human. Focus your energy on becoming the best human you can be. Focus on developing empathy and compassion. Through the process you’ll tap into a wealth of inspiration rooted in the complexity and curiosity of what it means to simply exist on this planet. Music is but a drop in the ocean of life.
EMBRACE AND CONQUER THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
The world needs new pathways. Don’t allow yourself to be hijacked by common rhetoric, or false beliefs and illusions about how life should be lived. It’s up to you to be the pioneers. Whether through the exploration of new sounds, rhythms, and harmonies or unexpected collaborations, processes and experiences, we encourage you to dispel repetition in all of its negative forms and consequences. Strive to create new actions, both musically and with the pathway of your life. Never conform.
WELCOME THE UNKNOWN
The unknown necessitates a moment-to-moment improvisation or creative process that is unparalleled in potential and fulfillment. There is no dress rehearsal for life because life, itself, is the real rehearsal. Every relationship, obstacle, interaction, etc. is a rehearsal for the next adventure in life. Everything is connected. Everything builds. Nothing is ever wasted. This type of thinking requires courage. Be courageous and do not lose your sense of exhilaration and reverence for this wonderful world around you.
UNDERSTAND THE TRUE NATURE OF OBSTACLES
We have this idea of failure, but it’s not real; it’s an illusion. There is no such thing as failure. What you perceive as failure is really a new opportunity, a new hand of cards, or a new canvas to create upon. In life there are unlimited opportunities. The words, “success” and “failure,” themselves, are nothing more than labels. Every moment is an opportunity. You, as a human being, have no limits; therefore, infinite possibilities exist in any circumstance.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO INTERACT WITH THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU
The world needs more one-on-one interaction among people of diverse origins with a greater emphasis on art, culture and education. Our differences are what we have in common. We can work to create an open and continuous plane where all types of people can exchange ideas, resources, thoughtfulness and kindness. We need to be connecting with one another, learning about one another, and experiencing life with one another. We can never have peace if we cannot understand the pain in each other’s hearts. The more we interact, the more we will come to realize that our humanity transcends all differences.
STRIVE TO CREATE AGENDA-FREE DIALOGUE
Art in any form is a medium for dialogue, which is a powerful tool. It is time for the music world to produce sound stories that ignite dialogue about the mystery of us. When we say the mystery of us, we’re talking about reflecting and challenging the fears, which prevent us from discovering our unlimited access to the courage inherent in us all. Yes, you are enough. Yes, you matter. Yes, you should keep going.
BE WARY OF EGO
Arrogance can develop within artists, either from artists who believe that their status makes them more important, or those whose association with a creative field entitles them to some sort of superiority. Beware of ego; creativity cannot flow when only the ego is served.
WORK TOWARDS A BUSINESS WITHOUT BORDERS
The medical field has an organization called Doctors Without Borders. This lofty effort can serve as a model for transcending the limitations and strategies of old business formulas which are designed to perpetuate old systems in the guise of new ones. We’re speaking directly to a system that’s in place, a system that conditions consumers to purchase only the products that are dictated to be deemed marketable, a system where money is only the means to an end. The music business is a fraction of the business of life. Living with creative integrity can bring forth benefits never imagined.
APPRECIATE THE GENERATION THAT WALKED BEFORE YOU
Your elders can help you. They are a source of wealth in the form of wisdom. They have weathered storms and endured the same heartbreaks; let their struggles be the light that shines the way in the darkness. Don’t waste time repeating their mistakes. Instead, take what they’ve done and catapult you towards building a progressively better world for the progeny to come.
LASTLY, WE HOPE THAT YOU LIVE IN A STATE OF CONSTANT WONDER
As we accumulate years, parts of our imagination tend to dull. Whether from sadness, prolonged struggle, or social conditioning, somewhere along the way people forget how to tap into the inherent magic that exists within our minds. Don’t let that part of your imagination fade away.
Look up at the stars and imagine what it would be like to be an astronaut or a pilot. Imagine exploring the pyramids or Machu Picchu. Imagine flying like a bird or crashing through a wall like Superman. Imagine running with dinosaurs or swimming like mer-creatures. All that exists is a product of someone’s imagination; treasure and nurture yours and you’ll always find yourself on the precipice of discovery.
How does any of this lend to the creation of a peaceful society you ask? It begins with a cause. Your causes create the effects that shape your future and the future of all those around you. Be the leaders in the movie of your life. You are the director, producer, and actor. Be bold and tirelessly compassionate as you dance through the voyage that is this lifetime.
Rules For Sons
1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.
2. Don’t enter a pool by the stairs.
3. The man at the BBQ Grill is the closest thing to a king.
4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.
5. Request the late check-out.
6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
7. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
8. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.
9. Play with passion or not at all…
10. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them in the eye.
11. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.
12. If you need music on the beach, you’re missing the point.
13. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.
14. You marry the girl, you marry her family.
15. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.
16. Experience the serenity of traveling alone.
17. Never be afraid to ask out the best looking girl in the room.
18. Never turn down a breath mint.
19. A sport coat is worth 1000 words.
20. Try writing your own eulogy. Never stop revising.
21. Thank a veteran. Then make it up to him.
22. Eat lunch with the new kid.
23. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.
24. Ask your mom to play. She won’t let you win.
25. Manners maketh the man.
26. Give credit. Take the blame.
27. Stand up to Bullies. Protect those bullied.
28. Write down your dreams.
29. Always protect your siblings (and teammates).
30. Be confident and humble at the same time.
31. Call and visit your parents often. They miss you.
32. The healthiest relationships are those where you’re a team; where you respect, protect, and stand up for each other.
This Is Fucking Great
believe in your fucking self. stay up all fucking night. work outside of your fucking habits. know when to fucking speak up. know when to fucking shut up. fucking collaborate. don’t fucking procrastinate. get over your fucking self. keep fucking learning. form follows fucking function. find fucking inspiration everywhere. fucking network. educate your fucking client. trust your fucking gut. ask for fucking help. make it fucking sustainable. question fucking everything. have a fucking concept. learn to take some fucking criticism. make me fucking care. use fucking spell check. do your fucking research. sketch more fucking ideas. the problem contains the fucking solution. think about all the fucking possibilities.