1. Yoga for Singers
1.1. Both yoga and singing rest on a foundation of awareness, control, and use of the breath. Both require control of a strong and flexible body developed for freedom and endurance. Both demand mental concentration and the ability to coordinate mind and body. Both lead to knowledge and expression of the soul.
1.2. Practices of yoga as tools to develop, maintain, and greatly enhance the art of singing in all facets: physical technique, breath control, mental focus, musical flow, expressive communication, and radiant performance.
1.3. The philosophy and structure of yoga match the art of singing at almost every point.
1.3.1. Yoga in its purest form is like singing, and singing in its purest form is like yoga.
1.4. Clarity of mind provides an accurate perception of things as they are and leads to union with the higher self, and is the goal of all yoga practices. (321)
1.5. Yoga works from the outside in.
1.5.1. Building on a foundation of ethical behavior and personal growth, a yoga practice includes physical postures, breathing practices, concentration practices, meditation, contemplation, and deep relaxation. (322)
1.6. Yoga practices can be designed specifically for many purposes and activities. (322)
1.7. For the student singer
1.7.1. yoga practices are developmental in nature as well as productive in the areas of self-confidence and performance anxiety. (322)
1.8. For the working singer
1.8.1. yoga practices can support and continue to refine all the elements of the art of singing, culminating in confident and radiant public performance.
1.8.2. 2 areas of concern: prevention of accumulated tension and relief from the accumulates stresses encountered in rehearsal, performance, and vicissitudes of daily life.
1.9. developing a keen awareness of specific areas of the body helps the singer relax problem areas at will. This awareness is developed both in mentally focused physical practice and in deep relaxation practices that move combined breath and awareness from point to point throughout the body. (323)
1.10. Daily practice of conscious control of the breath creates the ability to use the breath in whatever way is needed. (323)
1.10.1. Use of ratio treats the breath in four separate parts: inhalation, suspension with the lungs full, exhalation, and suspension with the lungs empty. (323)
1.10.1.1. Inhalation and suspension with lungs full are energizing
1.10.1.2. exhalation and suspension with the lungs empty are calming
1.10.1.3. each part of the ration can be lengthened for development of that part of the breath. (323)
1.10.2. any concentration practice that uses the breath as a mental focus not only quiets the mind but continually reinforces the singer's relationship to the breath. (330)
1.11. Use what has been developed physically as preparation for working with mind and emotions. (323)
1.11.1. Concentration exercises develop the mind's ability to focus on a single point without distraction by learning to let go of thoughts and emotions that naturally arise.
1.11.1.1. singers require this ability to focus solely on what they are doing without being distracted by thoughts and feelings that raise questions about how they are doing which undermine confident performance. (323-324)
1.11.2. Meditation: the state of mind that appears following prolonged concentration.
1.11.2.1. "All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness." (Eckhart Tolle) (324)
1.11.2.2. practice of letting go of thoughts and feelings that arise uninvited brings the mind to brief moments of stillness and silence, which is the entrance to our intuition. (324)
1.11.2.2.1. It is the accumulated effect over time of these brief moments that begins to change resistance into acceptance, reaction into response, fear into confidence. (324)
1.11.2.2.2. meditation has the power to free the mind and emotions from tension and stress and open the singer to the wealth of creative possibilities.
1.12. Wellness
1.12.1. tension and stress frequently contribute to or cause physical strain and even injury to various parts of the body affected by the complexities of performance. (324)
1.12.1.1. the ability to negotiate these areas physically demands a body developed for strength, flexibility, and balance.
1.12.1.1.1. Example: sets can include steep stairs, varying floor levels, raked stages. Yoga postures that strengthen feet and legs, lower back and torso, and shoulders and arms as well as the that keep hips flexible and the neck free to rotate will help prevent injuries that might occur onstage. (324-325)
1.12.2. travel: restoring circulation in the legs can be done with "Legs up the Wall" Posture, which entails lying on the floor with the legs resting straight up against a wall.(325)
1.12.3. an ongoing yoga practice, adjusted to the needs of a particularly singer, is possibly the best way to stay in excellent physical and mental health and remain at peak performance ability as long as possible. (325)
1.12.4. yoga practices promote good health on every level:
1.12.4.1. physical postures promote stability; smooth function of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints; strength; flexibility; balance; and refinement of structural alignment.
1.12.4.2. all postures are coordinated with the rhythm of the breath. this expands and strengthens the breathing mechanism. Deeper fuller, and slower breaths provide full oxygenation of (and reduce stress levels in) the whole system.
1.12.4.3. concentration and meditation practices are avenues for changing negative thought patterns and attitudes and behaviors that obstruct productive and joyful living.
1.12.4.4. deep relaxation techniques yield the profound rest and clear awareness that are crucial for the health of the entire mind0body system. (326)
1.12.5. A daily yoga practice should include several physical postures that work the body in all positions (standing, kneeling, prone, supine, and seated)... and in all directions (upward extension, forward bending, backward bending, lateral bending, and twisting).
1.12.5.1. construct a workable sequence with the help of a book on yoga or a teacher who is also a singer, and then practice and adjust the sequence to fit your particular needs. (327)
1.12.5.2. Examples: see page 327
1.13. The mind-body system
1.13.1. Naturally resilient is given a chance to restore itself regularly.
1.13.2. the act of singing engages the whole person, and the practices of yoga compliment that act by training the whole person: body, breath, mind, and spirit. (332)
2. Foreword
2.1. You can go far, but only so far, without knowing what is right for your voice, your body, your repertoire, and your spirit. (ix)
2.2. If you do all the hard work in the study and the rehearsal, then you are free during the performance. (x)
3. Jahn Chapter
3.1. Develop awareness of the mind-body connections, and you will master your body. (8)
3.1.1. Yoga recognizes and uses the breath as the great bridge between the conscious and unconscious, the voluntary and the reflexive.
3.1.2. The mind-body interface doesn't separate one system from the other but joins and unifies two aspects into a healthy and fully actualized whole. (9)
3.2. Singing is on a certain level nothing more than gaining conscious awareness and voluntary control of actions that are normally unconscious and relive.
4. Moliterno
4.1. Testimonial/Example: We used postures like Mountain Pose and or Warrior One to release tension in the body and connect me with the ground. Feeling my leg muscles engaged and my feet planted firmly on the floor helped me to feel more secure. We used pranayama or breath exercises to release tension within the muscles of the respiratory system. We used hip openers to release the tension in my jaw, and shoulder openers to release the tension in my tongue.
4.2. Yoga practices can help refine the artistic elements of singing because it frees the mind from thinking about technicalities
4.3. “Human voice is not an apparatus to be understood in isolation.”
4.4. Breath is energy, connects the mind to the body, guides physical effort, and gives us feedback. It can become the focal point for listening and awareness. When we truly listen, the breath is the best teacher and indicator of technique.
4.5. The voice is part of an energetic system of the bodymind matrix (from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head) The vocal mechanism and how it operates is a manifestation of the body’s energies
4.6. Wellness is synergistically promoted by virtue of the health, beauty, and authenticity of the voice. Every person’s nature (or soul) is audible in their voice. We practice the awareness of our authentic selves, communicated through our authentic voices. Practicing reveals the depth of theory as it is experienced through physical awareness.
5. Alexander technique
5.1. "End-gaining": holding onto a fixed goal or end that results in vocal misuse or damage (290)
5.1.1. giving this us lets a new identity emerge that is based on different decisions, choices, and gestures (291)
5.2. changes in coordination and posture are synonymous with changes in personality and character; changes in vocal technique are synonymous with changes in aesthetics. (291)
5.3. "to do nothing means to become able to choose among many possibilities: many reactions, sounds, interpretations, phrasings, ways of interpreting whole roles... From that space where you do nothing, an adaptive response arises. (291)
5.3.1. Suspending reactions is a listening function, which is receptive and nonjudgemental, and can inform your actions in rehearsals and performances. (292)
5.3.2. It's not a matter of becoming passive, but becoming ready: ready not to act, and ready to act in a thousand ways at a moment's notice. (292)
5.3.3. Since the orientation of the head, neck, and upper back affects the coordination of the whole body, a good way of inhibiting your habitual misuses is by becoming attuned to your primary control. (292)
5.4. Your task as a singer, then, is not to become totally relaxed but to balance out all the tensions and energies that your voice requires to be strong and free. (293)
5.5. "Faulty sensory awareness": disconnect between what we're doing and what we feel we're doing. (293)
5.5.1. This unawareness leads you to misread information, receive it in an incomplete and distorted manner, and interpret it through a filter of assumptions, fears, and desires. (294)
5.5.2. Proprioceptors: nerve endings in muscles, tendons, and joints that allow the body to send itself. Freeing the neck will help you develop your sensory awareness and narrow the gap between what you do and what you feel that you're doing. (294)
5.6. Breathing
5.6.1. Breathing is a function of coordination: you breathe as you coordinate yourself.
5.6.2. Your postures are inseparable from your attitudes, so breathing is in effect a function of how you use yourself, or how you react to every situation in life. (295)
5.6.3. React constructively and you'll breathe freely. (295)
6. Meditation and Relaxation Techniques
6.1. The more physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy the singer, the more focused he or she can be on the passion and beauty of the song, rather than the mechanics of vocal production. (309)
6.2. Meditation: noninvasive, compassionate, and healing-oriented approach to health and wellness. It is traditional natural approach to regaining energy, balance, harmony, and equilibrium. (310)
6.2.1. Can be done sitting, standing, walking, or running.
6.2.2. Creates a state of therapeutic emptiness, which reduces stress, increases relaxation, and makes it easier to be creative.
6.3. Breathing exercises: foundation of meditation. They control the airways and bring about deep tranquility through using the diaphragm. Also help singers focus, develop awareness, and heighten concentration.
6.3.1. increase lung capacity, enhance energy, and enrich vocal quality.
6.3.2. Four basic breathing exercises help singers develop concentration and improved lung capacity. (313) They help the singers perform better and give deep relaxation.
6.4. Concentration exercises: controls the mind so that one can control the body.
6.4.1. essential for singers because is directs energy to the tongue, throat, and lungs. In this way the singer can control the voice according to his or her needs. (311)
6.5. Spiritual exercises: involve the entire autonomic nervous system, organs of special sense (vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch).
6.5.1. use Mother Nature or natural setting to enhance the circulation of vital energy (energy that exists on three levels: body, mind, and spirit).
6.6. Every singer should develop a regime of these activities, as best suited to his or her nature, culture, and temperament. (319)
7. Thesis: An integration of yoga principles and stretches/postures into a singer’s technique and practice will result in a more well-rounded and artistic performance.
7.1. Guiding Principles:Awareness Control Breath Authenticity Function Practice Wellness
7.1.1. Awareness and Function
7.1.2. Control and Breath
7.1.3. Wellness, Practice, and Authenticity