The Saturday lesson finished, I go
home, exhausted. So much to learn and do. Do I practice now when
things are fresh in my mind or do I wait—let the learning sink in a
bit before doing practice in the future? You can argue it either
way—and I've heard both arguments at various times in my life. I
believe you need to let your brain process all that you have
experienced; otherwise, you can become overloaded and do more harm
than good. My opinion.
So, I rest on Saturday and since Sunday
IS the day of rest, I don't practice that day either.
Monday—I am eager to practice what I
have learned in my first lesson. After work I begin. The practice
session goes well, but I am still awkward with the sangen as to exact
positioning as well as holding the bachi. Plus, I am unsure of how
long to practice. Is an hour a day enough, too much, not enough? I'm
not sure. I practice an hour and that seems about right since I am
tired at the end of the session without being overly exhausted.
Tuesday—I want to be as authentic as
I can when I play the sangen so I practice kneeling using a
meditation bench. I cannot kneel and rest on my legs/thighs as the
Japanese do. I'm too old for that and have very little
practice—unlike the Japanese where it is almost a daily thing. So,
I do the next best thing: rest my bum on a meditation bench that
allows you to tuck your legs under the bench and supports your bum
without all the weight on your legs.
I take up the sangen and practice is a
disaster. Kneeling and sitting are two different things. The sangen
rests differently in those two positions. I know you are supposed to
practice the same way you take your lessons, but I thought I would
attempt to changed things up. It does not go well for the first 30
minutes. I switch to the sitting position on a chair as was the
lesson. However, this doesn't go well at all—probably because the
first 30-minute session has messed me up. I surrender for the
evening.
Wednesday—The practice goes much
better but I still have doubts as to the correct positioning of the
sangen relative to my body. How much “lean in” should it have?
The itobaki should be at about eye level but the picture the
instructor has provided for reference shows it a bit lower. Is that
because the pictured player is kneeling Japanese style? The holding
of the bachi is the same. I'm not sure if my thumb has to be exactly
on the edge or if it can creep forward and flatter on the curved
front like the picture. The practice session is so-so. My back aches,
my wrist hurts, and my butt is sore.
Thursday—The soreness has not gone
away. I want to practice one hour a day—much like the proverbial
child learning the piano. But I just can't physically do it today. I
feel fine emotionally—still motivated and enjoying the instrument.
But the soreness in my back and butt, along with my wrist, dissuades
me. Sometimes you have to step back to go forward. I decide to take
the night off.
Friday—The wisdom of taking Thursday
night off pays off. I feel more comfortable with the sangen and bachi
and the positioning questions. Although I still have my doubts if I
am holding the sangen and bachi at the correct angle, I can do
nothing until my next Saturday lesson. I'm sure the instructor will
correct what is wrong. The fear, of course, is that I have practiced
incorrectly for the entire week which means I will have to unlearn
everything I have done and start anew. I hope that is not the case.
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