Rational Mind, Emotional Mind, and Wise Mind
At any given time, our state of mind exists on a spectrum. At one end of this spectrum is emotional mind: a state in which our emotions dictate our decisions. The emotional mind is more reactive and intuitive than analytical. At the other end of the state-of-mind spectrum is rational mind: a state in which we consider the facts at hand and make decisions logically and intellectually. Our rational mind gives us a clear view of our present circumstances, along with our past experiences.
We’ve all been in situations when our state of mind veers dramatically either toward the emotional mind or the rational mind. When we’re overcome by emotions like fear, sadness, or even joy, our base psychological state takes the driver’s seat. We don’t have access to the rational thought we need to navigate our present situation. But remember: emotions are not inherently bad. They are important signals that are deserving of consideration. When we are stuck in rational mind, we are only operating based on facts and logic. If we don’t have access to our emotions, we can’t fully process the meaning of our actions. Emotions connect us to other people much more than logic.
According to the practice of mindfulness, the ideal state of mind is a balance between emotional mind and rational mind called wise mind. In wise mind, we have access to both our emotions and our intellect – neither dominates the other. This allows us to act effectively, which means that we are mindful of our goals, and we are able to do what is necessary to accomplish them in our present situation (not the one we wish we were in, or the one that would be more fair or comfortable). Effectiveness means that instead of focusing only on what feels right, or on what we think is correct, we focus our actions on what works, based on both our intellectual and emotional intelligence.
In the Practice Room
If music were to be associated with only one side of the state-of-mind spectrum, it would be the emotional mind. Music as an art form has long been prized for its ability to either convey or inspire emotional states. For example, many sixteenth and seventeenth-century writers believed that art, poetry, and music could physically alter the blood and spirits of a person, resulting in a direct physical experience (affect) or a passive mental experience (passion). The arousal of affections and passions became a primary goal of Baroque composers. Later, composers like Beethoven, Wagner, and Mahler were lauded for their music’s ability to portray various emotional aspects of the human condition.
But what role does emotion play in the practice room? Just because I love the way a piece sounds doesn’t mean I can pick it up for the first time and let emotion carry me to a perfect run-through. The irony that musicians encounter every day is that in order for us to eventually produce the type of transcendent performance that conveys and inspires emotion, we must approach our practice methodically, rationally, and logically. However, an over-abundance of methodical logic in the practice room is also capable of crushing one’s emotional connection to a piece. We need the same wise mind balance in the practice room that we do everywhere else.
The tendency to veer into rational mind or wise mind is different from person to person, so it is impossible to propose a formula that will work for everyone. Instead, I recommend feeding each side of the mind in a balanced way, alternating between exercises like the ones listed below.
Exercises to feed the rational mind:
Slow scales, arpeggios, or long tones with a tuner, drone, and/or metronome
Spotlight an excerpt of a piece and alternate between performing it half tempo and performance tempo.
Spotlight an excerpt of a piece and deconstruct it, practicing only one layer of it at a time (rhythm, articulation, pitches, fingerings) with a metronome.
Play through a section of a piece, stopping on random notes to check them with a tuner.
After identifying a difficult spot that needs improvement, devise a technical exercise around the skills required in that section. For example: if you struggle with a certain rhythm, incorporate it into a scale exercise. Then repeat that exercise in all twelve keys every day.
Rational mind exercises focus on logical analysis, which in many cases can be provided for us by the practice tools we use every day. As always, the goal is to avoid any qualitative self-analysis (or at least to notice it when it occurs, then move on).
Exercises to feed the emotional mind:
Play or sing a piece (or etude, or simply a melody) that you love
Listen to a recording, or part of a recording, that you love
Play or sing along with a recording of music you enjoy, improvising an accompanying bass line, counter-melody, harmony, etc.
Choose an etude or piece that you know very well (to the point of memorization). Play through it with a focus only on exaggerated musical expression, rather than on technical perfection.
Choose a single word or phrase that encapsulates the music you are currently practicing, and write it in your music before the first measure. Take a moment to hear that word or phrase in your mind before playing, and try to embody it while you play.
These exercises are designed to encourage the emotional mind to participate in our practice sessions, and to guard against the robotic type of performances that can result from an over-emphasis on technique over music. Although technique must be practiced, we constantly need to remind ourselves that it exists to serve musical expression.
My final recommendation is to keep track of the types of exercises you are incorporating in the practice room. If you find your practice room mind leaning too heavily toward either rational or emotional mind, make an effort to incorporate at least one exercise from the other side of the spectrum. The goal of course, is not only healthy and balanced practice, but a true wise mind in performance.