“Maybe play can be practiced just like yoga and meditation can. Maybe it even needs to be practiced.” — Victoria Brouhard

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One of the things I treasure so much about the Songtaneous space is the lightheartedness and sense of play we can create there. After reading Victoria’s post, I realized that this is one of the reasons I hold the space for Songtaneous every month. Even when I’m tired. Even when it’s hard because I’m busy or sad.

It’s to practice playing. I do so little of that elsewhere in my life, I need the practice (*grin*). Practice showing up with my talents, my insecurities, my self and opening up to connect with others.

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Have you ever watched how kids can become “instant” friends? They separate from us stodgy adults (*smile*) and approach each other with openness, curiosity and delight, usually jumping right into doing. Inventing some game with complex and changeable rules that they make up as they go along. (Does that sound like life to anybody else?)

I’ve noticed that in many areas of my life “making it up as I go along” has made things easier for me. In a lot of cases — directing my group, coaching my students, facilitating Songtaneous — it even works better.

Because I’m more open and honest. More authentic and available and less entrenched and invested in doing things a certain way.

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I love watching how the people who come to Songtaneous show up. How they’re open and curious. And delighted in and generous with themselves and each other.

Not bad for day’s play.

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Some thoughts on what and how

“We often make the mistake of thinking we have to know how to do something instead of thinking that we are going to do something. Intention creates direction. The what dictates the how.”
— Julia Cameron, Supplies

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“That’s because my life and success have been more of an unfolding and an allowing than a “getting.” Some of the best things have happened unexpectedly because I deeply knew the what but I didn’t push the how.”
— Christine Kane

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(and from this blog – Look Ma … I’m an Expert?)
This approach usually gives me permission to move from “whether” (or not) I should do something to “how” I could do it.

Can you believe I’ve been writing this blog for a year? (Me either. *smile*)

Yup, I wrote my first post May 29,2008 (a mere month after finishing my degree at McNally Smith) and I’ve been prattling on about spontaneous singing, singing communities, and the power of improv ever since.

Looking back, we’ve covered a lot of ground … from missions to musical movement and weddings to web launches. I couldn’t resist listing some of my favorites below. Besides, the “experts” say you’re s’posed to list posts occasionally so readers can mine your blog. (Happy Spelunking! *smile*)

Up next? Continued posting and preaching about communal singing, spontaneity and the power of improv. I’ll add a resources page and post listening lists more regularly (I’m thinking monthly).

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Some of my favorite posts from the past year:

• Planning to Improvise, August 2008
• How to Survive a Solo, October 2008
• Duets with Anthony Cox, December 2008
• Sarah, Meet Stuck, January 2009
• I Came for the Improv, March 2009

I’d love to know which posts you enjoyed. You can leave me a note in the comments section.

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One last thing … If you enjoy my blog, would you please recommend it to your friends? Remember, they (and you) can subscribe via e-mail* or a web-based newsreader (RSS). (I just started using an RSS reader. It puts all the blogs I read (see sidebar) in one place and has actually increased the number of blogs I read, while decreasing the time I spend wandering the web … a little.)

Thanks again for reading.

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