Singing As a Tool For Inspiration (Part 3)
By Fabio Ramesha Nani
Techniques to consciously draw inspiration
Now that we’ve clarified what inspiration is, I’d like to share with you a practical technique to attract it when we’re singing or doing anything that requires inspiration and creativity.
Singing from the Heart
Sit upright and away from the back of the chair, if possible. Take a few long, deep breaths and relax the body. Close your eyes.
Become aware of your heart; feel it throb inside your chest. Now move your concentration from your physical heart to your spine, at the level of the heart. This is an important nerve and energetic center. That’s where we experience emotions, feelings, even the intuitive perceptions that we may have from time to time.
In the previous newsletter we talked about how expressing too much emotion when we sing leads, ultimately, to dissatisfaction. In this exercise we’re going to use the breath to consciously draw into our heart all the good, uplifting qualities that we want to express with our singing.
So, focus on that center in your spine, at the level of the heart. Feel it expand as you keep concentrating on it. Now take a long, deep breath and imagine that along with the breath you’re inhaling any good quality you want to express: love, kindness, sweetness, compassion, forgiveness, courage, joy, peace.
When you exhale, imagine that you’re sending these qualities out to the world with your outgoing breath. Repeat this several times, until you feel a real connection with the both the qualities you’re seeking to express and the world you’re sharing these qualities with.
Now apply this to your singing. Pick a song that you like. Be clear about the qualities you want to express with the song. Do the breathing exercise and consciously draw those specific qualities into your heart. Then sing the song, and every time you inhale feel that you’re consciously drawing that inspiration into your heart; as you sing, feel that you’re sending the inspiration out with your voice, sharing those qualities with all who hear you.
This might seem a little cerebral at the beginning, but the more you do it, the more you’ll be able to get into a flow. Soon you’ll start to feel that it’s not you singing anymore; a higher Consciousness will take over and use you as a channel to inspire and uplift your audience.
This exercise can also make an amazing difference in your sound. I suggest you record yourself, before and after, and hear it for yourself.
Have fun with this!
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Questions?
Feel free to contact me about any singing-related issue or doubt that you might have. I will do my best to help you find a solution for it.
