you may not be inspired enough to pick up the instrument for the usual reason

of practicing to become a better player and at those times

perhaps you could be inspired instead by thinking about how it's making you a

better human being

so I want to give you three examples of that the first is that

it's putting us in the state of mind in helping us to learn to achieve the

state of mind

the great mystics have encouraged in their followers on the path to enlightenment

throughout the ages the second is

it brings us face to face with and thereby gives us the opportunity to

overcome what is widely regarded as one of the greatest challenges

of being human and third it teaches us to think

and perceive in the ways that the greatest minds have thought

and perceived throughout history so let me elaborate

that state of mind of the Mystics it's being one

with the experience we are in it's being completely present in the now

it's what happens when we're focused on what we're doing without distraction

releasing potential distractions as they come up and we suddenly feel like

two hours was only five minutes and the challenge the great challenge we face

it's the ego for when else are we more tempted to compare ourselves

we tend to look at the person who's more advanced than we are

and potentially become discouraged or

we look at them and start picking at the flaws to bring them down closer to us

or we look at the person who is currently not as advanced as we are

and we think at least I'm doing better than they are and

sort of push them down in a way to lift ourselves up

instead we could be looking at that person is more advanced and be

purely inspired not bothering about their flaws but looking at the beauty to

carry us forward and lift us up

and we could look at the person who's currently not as advanced

and just think about how much better they could get and help encourage them

we have the choice

whether to let this inevitable juxtaposition become a

comparative competition driving us all downward or an

inspiring awareness of unity that lifts us all upward

now this

most outrageous claim to think and perceive in the ways of the greatest minds

I'm going to need backup on this so I will bring to the witness stand

Albert Einstein brilliant mind of

the 20 century who changed our perception forever especially through

his relativity theory

and here's what he had to say about the discovery of the relativity theory

he said

"My discovery was the result of intuition and music

was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result

of musical perception." musical perception

he's not talking about making your hands work better he's not talking about

memorizing a great piece of music

he's talking about truth about how when we bring a balance between our own emotions

the structure of the piece

and represent it through expression in dynamic, rubato and vibrato

that we have such truth that reach directly to

the heart of our listeners

much as he had to balance the forces he was picturing

in his mind and his being of Physics in a way that was musical enough

for it to be true so

the next time you need a little extra inspiration

maybe one of these ideas will help and if along the way

we at Strings By Mail can provide you with the music the strings

the accessories or even a little advice that you need

please don't hesitate to be in touch I wish you an inspired practice

and I thank you for watching