Perfect Practice: The Art Of Zen

We are in the midst of a fast-moving age where algorithms reign supreme. Designed to perfection, they engulf you in an endless supply and demand chain of rapid, yet small, boosts of serotonin. It is a digital chasing of the dragon, of sorts. An Alice in Wonderland-esque rabbit hole pervaded by doom scrolling. A black hole filled to the brim with complete nonsense and consumerism.

This constant surplus of targeted marketing distraction tactics leads to mental chatter, white noise, and a downright utter renunciation of oneself. Welcome to the future, a time of complete cognitive pollution. How can anyone function in this cyberspace era where our individuality, smallest niches, and interests seem to be bought and sold by corporate entities and presented to us in a toxic sludge and slop?

I have not come up with the answer, and I cannot claim I know anything at all, but I have found a way where I feel preserved and rejuvenated. That is through my religious belief of perfect practice. Yes, I’m “talking about practice” (Allen Iverson quote). This is a concept of committing myself to an idea and making a habitual application of bettering myself and my craft. The moment I put the screen down and told myself to schedule 1 to 3 hours of my day dedicated to my instrument, tenor sax (the supreme being of all instruments), it made me feel in control of myself again.

Practice was the pathway to narrow my focus, eliminate the outside noise, and process information to eventually allow me to just be. When practicing, there is a Zen-like state that is achieved. You must commit yourself to thinking, and relieve yourself of thought. I found the art of intentionality and the medium of a creative outlet like music conjured a strong sense of purpose. It was a way to funnel intense and focused cognition into nirvana. Or maybe that’s insanity? The world may never know.

Turning my phone off and assembling my saxophone showed me the beauty in the mundane. To see the light glisten off of the gold lacquer, and to hear the suction and sealing of pads, the clinks and clanks of the keys comforts me. That bliss led to a divine sense of accomplishment. To silence distraction and actually dedicate yourself to one concept for 3,600 seconds made me feel alive again.

Rudimentary saxophone specific exercises like long tones (when I create sonic bliss by sustaining one note for as long as I can on one breath) or practicing a scale and thinking of how I can be creative within that parameter creates endless possibilities. The only thought in my head is how I can take this concept and make it as musical as can be. I call this Perfect Practice: The Art Of Zen. It allows you to sit with your thoughts and be so focused on what you want to achieve that, before you know it, the world becomes silent and you just exist. No ads, no algorithm, just artistry.

I implore anyone to pursue perfect practice in all facets of life by taking your time to be diligent in one simple concept. Rinse and repeat until it feels like breathing. There is true beauty in intentionality, and that can be so freeing. You must think to not think.