Sufi Poet Rumi on Gratitude in Guitar Practice

Tuesday Quotes are short explorations of music, life, and the daily endeavor of practicing classical guitar. Enjoy!

“Gratitude is the wine of the soul. Go on. Get drunk!”

Rumi

Playing and practicing music can be like watching grass grow. We know things are happening, but we may not be able to notice it.

And when we don’t see improvement often enough or quickly enough, we may well get discouraged. This is one of the obstacles we share as musicians.

But in reality, most of us play guitar for fun. We play because we love music and feel it will help us lead a richer life.

So instead of taking our challenges personally, we can accept them as part of the package. We can trust that things will come around in their own time. And more, we can sing praise for the chance to grow and learn something new.

This doesn’t mean that some days won’t be hard – they will. But we control the narrative. We spin the story.

When we focus on gratitude we stay motivated. We hold our bearings and make it through the rough patches (or don’t see them as all that rough).

And it feels good! Saturated in gratitude, guitar may be our favorite part of the day.

Hi, I’m Allen Mathews.

I started as a folk guitarist, then fell in love with classical guitar in my 20’s. Despite a lot of practice and schooling, I still couldn’t get my music to flow well. I struggled with excess tension. My music sounded forced. And my hands and body were often sore. I got frustrated, and couldn’t see the way forward. Then, over the next decade, I studied with two stellar teachers – one focused on the technical, and one on the musical (he was a concert pianist). In time, I came to discover a new set of formulas and movements. These brought new life and vitality to my practice. Now I help guitarists find more comfort and flow in their music, so they play more beautifully. Click here for a sample formula.

I also want to thank you for including more video lessons on the Bridges Guitar Series. I have learned to play Calatayud's Waltz. The most exciting thing about having done this is that I sight read the entire piece as I was learning it. Six months ago looking at a sheet of music was like looking at Egyptian hieroglyphics. Learning to read notation is empowering and I appreciate the sensible way you are teaching us to learn to read music.

-Steve Simpler