Hey there,
I wanted to share something that’s been very useful for me during quarantine: morning no-noise sessions.
After morning meditation I head right into the studio without looking at the news, phone, email, social media, etc. This way, no matter what happens the rest of the day, I am moving my projects forward.
If I get an uninterrupted hour or two that is huge, but even just 30 daily mins of pure focus time in the morning can be a game-changer.
The notifications can scatter your creative process. There is so much noise right now. Try no-noise focus morning with whatever creative project you’re working on, it’s magic. Put the phone far away, turn on do-not-disturb, and dive in.
Don’t stick your fresh mind in the information firehose without using it first.
Anyhow, I hope you are centered and doing well. Here’s your transmission for the weekend…
Thinking
Don’t be afraid to do something just because its easy. Good art isn’t complicated. It just needs to be authentic. (via my Twitter)
Creativity
I pull a card from Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies deck every morning when I get in the studio. It helps to get through creative blocks or add perspective to any creative project.
If you don’t have a physical deck, there are a handful of sites you can use for free. I think this one is the best. (You can buy physical decks on eBay but the online is the same. I like having the physical cards…)
New music
New music from our 29 Palms project just came out today. Listen here
Psychedelics
Absolutely loved this article. So much exciting progress is being made in the understanding of the way psychedelics heal us: “Neuroscientists uncover how magic mushrooms ‘rebalance’ the brain”
Music production
For electronic music producers: Ableton is giving out a digital version their outstanding book on creative strategies for free right now. Grab it here.
Listening
I just added a bunch of new music to my ambient playlist. I curate this list constantly which is now over 27 hours with music for vibing out, meditation or deep-work. I’m always looking for new music, so if you have any suggestions, hit me back.
Reading
If you’re feeling the turbulence of the state of things right now, Jack Kornfield has a fantastic article in the NYT about coping strategies from the Buddhist perspective.
Cooking
A lot of you may know this already, but this was news to me. I use a lot of green onions in cooking and you can regrow them easily in a glass of water. Welcome to the era of Infinite Scallions, my friends.
Watching
This video about how Marcus Aurelius dealt with a pandemic in ancient Rome is seriously mind blowing. I’ve watched it a few times and shared it with a ton of friends. It will make you feel better about the state of things.
Quote
“Music is the mediator between the life of the senses and the life of the spirit” – Ludwig van Beethoven
-Justin