keithbecky@gmail.com

Hi. I am new to the community, so thought I'd put in a comment. I had a 50 year career as a symphony percussionist, so naturally music affects me very deeply. What's maybe interesting to this community is how mindfulness has affected my experience of listening. Playing in a symphony orchestra seems glamorous and exciting to many people, but there are also long stretches of boredom and a lot of burnout. So toward the end of my career there were a lot of pieces I thought I'd never want to hear again, ever! But I started listening to music with my whole body, kind of like a musical body scan, noticing where my body was responding. I always envied people in the audience, because I knew that a lot of them were hearing the same thing I was, but with "beginner's mind", and hearing it on a much more emotional level. So I'm pleased to report that I am making listening to music (mostly classical and jazz) with new ears, and appreciating it in a way that I haven't before. Kind of like mindful eating. So I can hear a piece by Tchaikovsky, for example, that I'd played dozens of times and which I was sick of, and feel the tremendous emotion that the composer expressed. It's really wonderful to experience life on a deeper, richer level, and all you have to do is pay attention. My second grade teacher told me to do that. Better late than never. Peace to you all. Congratulations for choosing the path of wisdom. Keith

Hi. I just signed up for the program and am very enthused about it. I also struggle with judgment of the judgmental. Donald Rothberg, a member of the teachers council at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, has done a lot of work on "Transforming the Judgmental Mind" including retreats based on that theme. Anyone interested can access his talks on Dharma Seed. Look under "teachers" then "Donald Rothberg" then "talks by this teacher", then "transforming the judgmental mind". In fact, he is doing another retreat (online from Southern Dharma) starting on Sunday, Oct. 25, Donald is a superb teacher. Good luck with the struggle! That's a tough one.