• What is Mindfulness?

• Mindfulness and its relationship to composing and singing

• Mindfulness and private vocal technique lessons

• M2 Project: a Mindful Music Experience

• Mindful vocal workshops

• Mindful sound meditations with master Tibetan singing bowl artist Michael Perricone

• Mindfulness curriculum for the entertainment and creative communities

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is bringing our conscious awareness to the present moment with an open and kind curiosity and a willingness to be with what is.  There are a many ways that mindful meditation informs the music I write, the way I sing and my approach to healthy voice technique.   New scientific studies show a positive relationship between Mindful Meditation, the ability to cultivate a sense of well-being and focus, and enhancement of brain health.
Mindfulness has proven to benefit our mental, emotional and physical health. The
latest studies in neuroscience have shown that mindfulness can lower blood pressure
and stress hormones, such as cortisol, it can increase the quality of sleep and boost
the immune system. When implemented in schools, mindfulness has shown to
improve test scores and students grades, as well as increasing the ability to focus and
regulate emotions. The participants also experienced decreases in anxiety and
depression.
Recent studies have shown significant changes in brain density in those attending an eight-week
mindfulness course. MRI scans of the brain revealed that the amygdala, the brain’s
“fight or flight” center, decreased in density while the pre-frontal cortex, known to deal
with executive brain functioning such as awareness, concentration and decisionmaking,
increased in density. It was found that mindfulness affects the way these two
regions interact with other parts of the brain: the “functional connectivity” between the
amygdala and the rest of the brain decreased in strength while the connections
between the pre-fontal cortex and the rest of the brain grew stronger.
As you practice the mindful meditations in this series, you will begin to experience
increased calm and heightened awareness of your reactions and surroundings. Over
time, you will be able to regulate your reactivity and emotions with finer ease and
control. You might become more aware of your thoughts and how they affect your
sense of being thereby increasing your ability to choose what you decide to focus on.
Over all, I hope you experience a greater sense of vitality, peace and well-being as we
travel this journey together.
To learn more about mindfulness practices and its applications, please visit the Mindful
Awareness Research Center (MARC) at UCLA : http://marc.ucla.edu Here you will find
on-line mindful meditation classes as well the latest neuroscience relating to
mindfulness practices.
Visit Diana Winston, Director of Education at MARC at http://www.dianawinston.com
for invaluable information. Visit Dr. Chris Chapple, Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor
of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University,
at http://tinyurl.com/q8w5obc
For more information on Jahna and her Mindful and Music projects, such as ‘M2
Project: A Mindful Music Experience’ seen at UCLA, Fowler Museum and Loyola
Marymount University , please visit jahnamusic.com

How does Mindful Meditation inform your composing and singing?

Through the practice of awareness, physiological changes occur that in turn support increased creativity, flow, a calmed nervous system and a sense of well-being.   Because of this practice, I am able to access new melodic ideas and creativity without being distracted by thoughts and worries.  This opens my mind to ‘hear’ these intuitive thoughts, therefore allowing me to access songs and harmonies from a rich reservoir that lies deep within myself.

How do you incorporate this into your vocal teaching technique?

I bring this awareness into my vocal studio by offering specific and individualized mindful practices for each student.  We begin each private session with a meditation tailored to the individual, aimed at fostering focus, relaxation and creativity.  I then weave mindful practices throughout the lesson, which incorporate vocalise and repertoire coaching,  and optimize learning and performance.  This work creates and helps to manifest the inner awareness of one’s voice, intention and performance desires. 

Jahna's voice technique utilizes mindfulness meditation along with a holistic overview of vocal muscle systems as they apply to free and solid singing, which works for all styles.  Time and time again, students have witnessed the veils of unease drop and a brilliant excellence emerge. 

What are Mindfulness Vocal Workshops and how do they differ from private lessons?

These group workshops begin with a guided sound meditation flowing into easy body movement that further awakens body and mind.  This is followed by cultivating vocal vibrations through guided voice mediation modalities. This vocal process enables students to experience physical release that occurs through the mindful awareness of sound vibrating through the body.  The day continues with a beautiful meditative journaling process enabling one to deeply tap into their individual creativity.  Workshops conclude with a concert by Jahna and Michael celebrating creativity, followed by a brief Tibetan Singing Bowl meditation and Q&A.  

Mindful sound meditations with master Tibetan singing bowl artist Michael Perricone

Jahna and her partner Michael Perricone lead Mindful sound meditations designed to enhance open awareness through the playing of ancient Tibetan Singing Bowls, .  These ambient tone meditations can be experienced as a separate event, or in conjunction with Mindfulness vocal workshops.