The Psychological Benefits from Reconceptualizing Music-Making as Mindfulness Practice.

Area of Science:

• Music Psychology
• Mindfulness Studies
• Phenomenology

Background:

• Existing literature extensively covers instrumental practice techniques.
• Less attention is given to the sustained, contextual nature of musical practice over time.
• The concept of 'practice' in music lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework beyond skill acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the concept of maintaining a musical practice over time and across contexts.
• To utilize mindfulness meditation as a heuristic model for understanding musical practice.
• To examine the psychological and pedagogical implications of reconceptualizing music-making as a mindfulness practice.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis using mindfulness meditation as a heuristic framework.
• Drawing parallels between the phenomenology of sitting meditation and music-making.
• Review of existing literature in music psychology, education, and mindfulness studies.

Main Results:

• Mindfulness meditation is proposed as a formalized de-specialization applicable to various activities, including music.
• Sitting meditation offers a model for understanding the unmediated observation of mental content during music-making.
• This perspective can illuminate the phenomenology of the music-making process and associated 'flow' states.

Conclusions:

• Reconceptualizing music-making as a mindfulness practice provides a novel framework for understanding sustained engagement.
• This approach has significant psychological implications for musicians' self-awareness and performance.
• Pedagogical strategies can be developed to foster embodied musical practice through mindfulness principles.