Have you ever taken a good look at animals in nature? I mean, a really good, long look.. if you have, I’m sure that one of the things you may have noticed is that in nature, everything that takes away, gives back.
In nature, organisms use what they need, and give back, by continuing food cycles, life cycles and energy cycles.. it is just the way of balance. Even watching my cats, I can see how their lives reflect the balance of nature… so, it got me thinking about the use of energy.. in music.
I’ve heard it said that when we make music, we pull from a pool of artistic energy and bend it to our will. That there is a general well of inspiration that we can draw from and use for our creations. It makes me wonder then, how the balance is restored.. once we’ve drawn from our well of inspiration, and bent it to our will, how do we give the art back to the universe?
Do we need to perform, to give back? Well, I feel a little like that is giving to people.. although giving to people definitely has the capacity to move the passion and inspiration along a line of energy, from person to person..
Teaching is much the same, as we move the art down the line.. and in so doing, re-ignite our own passion, desire for learning, and capacity for art. So teaching and performing can definitely gift passion back to the universal pool of art and inspiration.
I do, however, feel that a very important way of returning energy to the ‘universe’ is by simply digging deeper into it. Have you ever just played? Played your instrument from your gut? Have you ever just played, without knowing where it came from, or having a plan? Those have been some of my best musical moments… and have led me into deeper experiences of music than most written music i’ve played. Playing just for the sake of playing, making music just for the sake of music… celebrating the well of passion, inspiration and art.. that is all we can do to recreate it, and give it back. That is really how I feel that we can use it properly, bend it, ignite it, evolve it and add to it.. for our own future use, for others to use, and for the good of the universal lucky packet of passion.
So this is the most fun advice anyone is going to give you today.. I can guarantee it….
GO AND PLAY!!!!!!!! 
Last year’s businesswoman of the year Megan Houghton, this year’s winner Dimity Dornan and Telstra’s Inese Kingsmill. Photo: Supplied
