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YOUR
REAL VOICE - the vocal ezine for real people
May 1,
2006
#23
FEATURE EDITORIAL
I Have Found the Answer!, Part 2
Let's pick up where we left off two weeks ago with our relaxation
experiments. Many of you sent in emails letting me know what your
specific relaxation issues are, and as usual the throat and high notes
win the tension Olympics!
Here is another exercise that's even better than the one I included two
weeks ago. This exercise is a little more subtle, so it takes
more focus and more relaxation to get, but that's the whole point, so
it's worth working on until you get it. Read through this
completely before you try it so you understand all of it first.
The point of this exercise is to "vacuum out your brain" and be aware
of your body. No thinking, just feeling allowed. Start by
closing your eyes and being as still and comfortable as possible.
Become still and relaxed enough that you can feel your heart beat in
your chest. At first, if this is difficult to sense, place your
hand on your sternum bone (the chest bone in front of your heart) and
feel your heartbeat with your hand. You want to be able to feel
your heartbeat just by being present and feeling it with the nerves in
your chest, but if you have to practice with your hand first, that's
fine. The goal is to be able to feel it without having to touch
it with your hand. Once you can feel your heartbeat, relax and
become even more still. Become still and relaxed enough that you
can feel your blood pump throughout your body. That's right...if
you become still enough you CAN feel it. And I don't mean "just
imagine it" or fake it. Actually feel your blood flow throughout
your body.
It takes stillness, focus without effort and a lot of sensory
awareness. You are being still and using your nervous system at
the same time. Usually we have to have some sort of movement in a
muscle to have sensory awareness, but this is the opposite
process. We are feeling without moving, which takes a much higher
state of awareness and relaxation to do. Once you are able to
feel your blood flow throughout your body, relax even more and sense
deeper into your nervous system. Feel your body energy moving
throughout your body. "But what's that?" you ask. It's what
is commonly referred to as "life force." You are attempting to
feel the energy that keeps you alive and allows your body to
work. It's the same energy system that makes you shiver when you
are cold, or that makes you feel "keyed up" when you get excited.
We are not used to having to FEEL this energy, we just use it a lot
without noticing it. By being able to feel it through stillness
and relaxation, you are able to tap into the energy source that
actually makes your voice work. Your sound is made by air, but
it's your body energy that allows you to sing by powering the whole
thing. If you can feel it, you can use it, but you've got to be
relaxed enough to feel it WITHOUT movement first!
For the third and final set of exercises on this subject, stay tuned
until our next issue in two weeks. In the mean time, DO the
exercise and email me at info@sing-in-tune.com if you have any
questions about how to practice the relaxation processes or would like
book titles. I can easily assist you by email.
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Contact Athena by e-mail at info@sing-in-tune.com
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