This morning, I posted a graphic on my Instagram similar to the one above.
The symbol in the graphic is a musical symbol for ‘a rest’ (more specifically, a quarter note rest). In Croatian, it’s called ‘pauza’ (a pause).
It tells the musician to stop playing or singing – and for how long.
The rest itself is a part of the music. It gives melodies beautiful phrasings and helps shape different rhythms.
It represents the essential part of music: silence.
Composers, arrangers, and performers since the beginnings of humanity have known silence – and rest (or pause) – as perhaps their most powerful tool in creating moving and beautiful music.
In a quarter note rest, a performer might release the previous musical thought and take a fresh breath before delivering the next one. In a whole note rest, they might shift their awareness to another instrument in the orchestra. And when there is a whole section of rests, the musician might put their instrument down, rest their arms, and enjoy the part of the song that’s happening around them.
They never pull out a phone for a quick game of Candy Crush. They never slouch in their chair to check out a segment of some TV show. They don’t go out and quickly play in their garden, fix a peach cobbler or a loaf of zucchini bread, or sneak out for a quick game of golf.
Rest is rest.
Pauza.
Silence. Absence of sound (in music terms) and, in life terms, an absence of activity.
I love all the different activities we call ‘rest’ and then wonder why we feel overwhelmed, tired, anxious, or depressed (unprocessed emotions can cause depression and anxiety). Rest is also different from an overplanned vacation – although vacation is also supposed to be rest.
This month, my intention is to take a few more intentional rests during my work days in order to build a habit of giving my brain the silence and space it needs – so I can create more music and beautiful experiences for others 🙂
Do you want to bring more intentional and renewing rests into your life?
How can you make it happen?
What will your life’s song look like with more rests in it?
Let me know.
Tatiana ‘Tajci’ Cameron
IN LIEU OF A SONG
This TED talk by Manoush Zomorodi on the importance of rest for the brain (at minute 4:30 she brings in the neuroscience behind it and explains the myth of multitasking).
This talk is from 2017, and she focuses on technology as the main brain ‘distractor’, but she does a great job conveying why our brains need to learn to be more in that ‘be still’ mode.
Meditation is a practice that helps us to become more comfortable in that space of ‘rest’. Much like the repetition of pushups builds up arm muscles, meditation practice helps us build the ability to be still (consequently, it can help with prayer life as well.)
Thank you for reading this newsletter about handling life’s challenges and living each moment with joy and gratitude. Every Saturday I explore holistic living, self-care tools, meaningful work, and share a personal story from my life as a musician, life coach and mother of three sons. Plus, there is always a song to inspire your creativity and reflection.
If you’re visiting for the first time, I invite you to check around, learn about me, and if you enjoyed this article, please subscribe or share with a friend.
Thank you for reading this newsletter about handling life’s challenges and living each moment with joy and gratitude. Every Saturday I explore holistic living, self-care tools, meaningful work, and share a personal story from my life as a musician, life coach and mother of three sons. Plus, there is always a song to inspire your creativity and reflection.
If you’re visiting for the first time, I invite you to check around, learn about me, and if you enjoyed this article, please subscribe or share with a friend.