salixj | Hearing your Heart (Reply)

As I stated in Friday's post, I am enjoying listening to jazz music while I read my book Inside Jazz. I am reading slowly, and many of the concepts are new to me. In fact many I don't understand because, while I enjoy music, I have had studied very little. I am lost when the book talks about many things, and would like to have a personal copy of the book as well as study music more in depth.

Music reaches us in ways writing can't. It is somewhat visceral, you feel it, experience it. It gets into your blood and flows back and forth through your heart and brain. If you have knowledge of music I'm certain you can dissect the piece more intelligently than I can.

This writing prompt is based on experiencing the music, and delving into it emotionally/spiritually. It is a four-part writing prompt, taking place over the next four days.Please keep that in mind when choosing a musical piece.

Take a piece of music you have heard before and enjoy, that you have listened to in the background while you have done other things. The piece should be short enough that you can give it your full and undivided attention. Other than that the music can be of any genre, have a vocalist or be an instrumental piece.

Find a time when you can ignore the rest of the world.

In your journal write down the name of the music, the band/artist, and any other details that are familiar to you without research. Write down why you chose this musical piece, and what your normal reaction to it is. Write down your present mood.

Then plug in, close your eyes and listen. Just listen. Don't analyze, just feel. Experience.

Now write down what feelings you had. Are they the same as before? Did you hear things that were lost while your attention was elsewhere? How has your mood changed?

Listen to the piece one more time before returning to your regular day.