• Welcome
    • About Me
    • About Coaching
    • Contact me
  • Services
    • Rates
    • Packages/Rates
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Assessments
    • Recipes
      • Appetizers
        • The Best Guacamole
      • Breakfast and Pasties
        • Gluten-Free English Muffins
        • Pam’s Granola
        • Refrigerator Oatmeal
      • Cookies and Candies
        • Lemon Bliss Balls
        • Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
      • Desserts
        • Avocado Chocolate Mousse Recipe
        • Chocolate Spice Zucchini Cake
        • Coconut Crust
        • Gluten-Free Pie Crust
        • Tea Brack
        • Vegan Chocolate Pie
      • Drinks and Smoothies
        • Almond Milk
        • Burdock & Dandelion Tea
        • Cooling Summer Smoothie
        • Green Tea Golden Milk
        • Turmeric Smoothie
      • Entrees
        • Fish in foil with sweet onions, tomatoes and mojo verde
      • Miscellaneous
        • gluten-free French bread
        • Italian Dressing and Mix
        • Springtime Pesto
        • Vegan Nacho Sauce
      • Raw food recipes
        • Coconut Crust
        • Kimchi
        • Lemon Bliss Balls
        • Springtime Pesto
      • Salads
        • Chopped Salad with Grapes and Mint
        • Dandelion Greens
        • Fennel and Orange Salad with Pistachios
        • Greek Cucumber & Tomato Salad
        • Peanut, Carrot and Cabbage Slaw
        • White Bean Chopped Vegetable Salad
      • Side Dishes
        • Peanut, Carrot and Cabbage Slaw
        • Squash Puff
        • Vegetarian Baked Beans
      • Soups/Stews
        • Curried Cauliflower Soup
        • Magical Miso Soup
        • Spring Detox Soup
        • Tomatillo Cucumber Gazpacho
        • Vegetarian Chili (the best)
  • Contact me

wellnessworkscoaching

~ Coaching you forward

wellnessworkscoaching

Tag Archives: ASO

Music: From Multitasking to Mindfullness

03 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by pstevens in Annapolis Symphony Orchestra blogger, Health and Wellness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

annapolis, ASO, brain, focus, health, healthy, Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness, multitasking, music, presence, symphony, wellness

Who’s with me here: Thanksgiving has just passed, the holidays are coming, lists of to-dos are growing, your mind is racing in all directions, working is accumulating, time is disappearing and stress is building…ah yes, the holiday season has arrived. Before I get too caught up in venting my busy life, I want to share a wonderful experience with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) that helped me “put on the breaks” to this multitasking mania.

It was a week in November.  I was experiencing the overwhelmed feeling of being a full-time student, wife, and musician all while holding down a full-time job. Definitely multitasking my way through each day. As I showed up to the ASO’s Classic Series concert titled “Beethoven Eroica” I was forced to “put on the breaks” and become single-minded. The only task at hand was to listen to great music played by great musicians and led by a vibrant conductor. The program consisted of the Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin, Griffes Poem for Flute and Orchestra, Doppler Fantasie Pastorale Hongroise and Beethoven Symphony No. 3.

It is said that multitasking depresses the brain’s memory and analytical functions, and it reduces blood flow to the part of the right temporal lobe, which contributes to our creative thinking. Practicing mindfulness, on the other hand, has been shown to alter the structure and function of the brain, which is what allows us to learn, acquire new abilities, and improve memory. This creates nueroplasticity of the brain which in turn provides a mind equipped for longevity and wellness. so getting back to my experience of the concert, I immediately felt my body slow down, focus on the single task of listening and being “in the moment”, letting my senses be taken over with musical stimulation, and a relaxation effect.  I was so thankful for the movement from busy-ness to focus, or mindfulness. Jon Kabat-Zinn (mindfulness meditation pioneer) defines mindfulness as “nonjudgmental attention to experiences in the present moment.”

As my body settled into the present moment, I was able to absorb the beauty and feel of each piece on the program.  I was quite taken by the first half of the program. Conductor, Jose-Luis Novo opened the concert with one of my favorite French works, which nicely paired with the following two flute works. Being a flutist myself, I was rooting for the flutist, Kimberly Valerio, the entire time.  She totally mastered her instrument with artistry, and conveyed each piece to the audience with perfection. The second half of the concert featured the Beethoven. Staying in the present, I was able to hang on to each moving note and shift that the orchestra so graciously presented. Well done!

Upon exiting the auditorium, I left with much more than just a musical experience. I refilled my mental centers instead of depleting them, stimulated neurons, created new brain pathways, reduced stress, cleared my brain, focused my thinking, opened to mindfulness, removed distraction, and felt rejuvenated. Most of all I shifted from multitasking to mindfulness. I had no idea that this would be the result of my walking into that concert; but I became extremely grateful upon exiting that concert. Who knew – music really is the answer to moving from multitasking to mindfulness (at least for me). I hope your next experience will be similar.

Share this:

  • LinkedIn
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email

Like this:

Like Loading...

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • July 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • September 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013

Categories

  • Annapolis Symphony Orchestra blogger
  • Health and Wellness
    • Recipes
    • Wellness Coaching

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
Standard disclaimer of Liability and Privacy: The statements expressed herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This website and related services are not intended to give medical advice, make diagnoses, or hinder you from seeking care from a licensed medical professional. Any of the resources suggested by the owner of this site are for information purposes only, publicly available to anyone, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You are encouraged to consult your healthcare provider before making any changes in diet or lifestyle. The information given by the owner of this site is not intended to replace the services or instructions of a physician or qualified healthcare provider. It is the individual’s responsibility to evaluate and choose service providers that they believe will satisfy their requirements and provide care that will meet their needs. Lastly, we respect your privacy so all emails and personal information will remain confidential.

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
%d bloggers like this: