Good Stuff
Guitar Dharma
We live in an age of increasing speed. Even the pitch of concert A has risen from 415 to 440 cycles per second in the last 250 years. In the world of guitar, some strive to be fast and technically correct. It sometimes seems as if music has become an Olympic sport, with the goal to achieve a score of a perfect 10.
But what happens if we slow down, look inwards, and instead focus on our own personal experience of playing our instrument? What happens if we shift our focus from our head to our heart? We can move away from dualistic thinking of good and bad, and instead explore the path of Guitar Dharma, a path grounded in our own awareness and as rich as it is individual in nature.
Buddhist teachings tell us that there are 84,000 dharma doors, any of which can led to a clear awareness of how things truly are. The number 84,000 is symbolic and means that anything can open to us the doors of understanding. This includes music in general, and playing the guitar in particular.
Guitar dharma shows us a heart-felt, spiritual path. While there is certainly a place for technique, the primary focus is not to master techniques, but rather to nourish our spirit and express our own truth. We do this through our individual experiences of connection, developing awareness, cultivating what is skillful, and trusting in our own abilities and creativity.
For info on Guitar Dharma workshops, please click here.
A short booklet on Guitar Dharma is now available through the
store.
