Use classical music to really engage and meet the world in flow.
In this special series Registered Psychologist Greta Bradman takes you on a classical music journey for wellbeing, pairing simple exercises with incredible music.
Do you put on music when you’re driving somewhere, or getting into a work task, maybe the dishes? How does it help?
Chances are, if you’ve used music in this way, you’re already using it to help you cultivate engagement or ‘flow’.
In his book Flourish, psychologist Martin Seligman describes engagement as a state where you experience “being one with the music, time stopping, and the loss of self-consciousness during an absorbing activity”. Flow researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes the same experience as being in “flow” and Seligman tends to use this word a lot too.
In a flow state, it’s quite possible you’ll lose track of time, you won’t really be aware of thinking anything in particular.
In this state, far from the emotional activity that happens when you’re cultivating positive emotions, it’s quite possible you won’t really think about what you’re feeling at all. This is about deep immersion and engagement You might even have a sense of time stopping, that sense of “where’d the time go?” as you come out of it.
Harnessing flow in your personal and professional activities supports a range of positive outcomes including greater wellbeing, satisfaction with life, happiness, self-esteem and confidence. You may experience a sense of having more energy for tasks, as well as experiencing less depressive symptoms and psychological stress, less physical symptoms of illness and a greater quality of life.
Csikszentmihalyi encourages us all reclaim our own experience of the present moment and of our life. He argues that too much time spent focusing on the future – in preparing, contingency planning, worrying – can make us disconnected from this moment. In turn, we lose touch with what’s really working for us, as well as having less room to focus at a high level on activities that might contribute well to now and to the future. He believes that putting in effort to build engagement with the present moment is an important opportunity for you to build on what a ‘good life’ really means for you.
It’s time to meet the world in flow! Hit play on the ABC Classic Music for Wellbeing: Engagement playlist above and use it as a backdrop to help build engagement with tasks that you enjoy and require effort.
Tips for using classical music to meet the world in flow
Choose your own adventure
If you select path A, you’ll need a dirty cup/glass and a kitchen sink along with the ABC Classic Music for Wellbeing: Engagement playlist above.
If you choose path B, pick another effortful task where you can balance effort/challenge with interest/satisfaction. Anything from housework to a job that requires your attention, or some time with your hobby. or perhaps some physical exercise.
First up, get curious
Approaching a task with a curious mind can help you let go of judgment and get into it more easily.
When you start to listen to the music, take two minutes to ask ten questions about what you’re listening to. There are no right or wrong questions to ask. This is about stimulating your curiosity.
Here are some examples:
- Where was the music recorded?
- How many people have listened to it?
- Is that a vibration that comes from the wood?
- How does the wood change the sound the instrument makes?
Ask anything you like! In aiming for ten or more questions, you might notice there’s a moment of challenge that happens, where you run out of questions.
This is normal and a golden opportunity! Push through and you will likely find a new realm of even more left of field questions.
Congratulations when this happens. You’ve entered the curious mind territory!
Get into flow
As the playlist continues, take three deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Whatever task you’ve chosen for this exercise, it’s time to get into it. As you did with the music, approach your task with curiosity.
Don’t expect to ‘feel’ anything with this exercise (though if you do, that’s ok!) Rather, allow any feelings to come and go like the weather. Just keep bringing your attention back time and time again to the task, and allow the music just to provide a backdrop and a rhythm for your focus.
With engagement comes a wonderful opportunity to build your sense of satisfaction and fulfilment, as well as learning more about your own experience in the here and now. And in so doing, you are expanding your potential to meet the world in flow.
Greta Bradman is a soprano, Registered Psychologist and ABC Classic presenter.
Music for Wellbeing: Engagement playlist
Ludovico Einaudi: I Giorni (The Days)
Ludovico Einaudi (piano) [05:59]
Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: V. Menuets I & II
Peter Gregson (cello) [04:24]
Cristóbal de Morales: Parce mihi domine
Hilliard Ensemble, Jan Garbarek (saxophone) [06:30]
Philip Glass: Metamorphosis II
Sally Whitwell (piano) [08:19]
Arvo Pärt: Fratres, for 4, 8 or 12 cellos
Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Tamás Benedek (conductor) [11:46]
Modest Mussorgsky (arr. Olga Scheps): Memories of a Promenade II
Olga Scheps (piano) [03:24]
Hildegard von Bingen: Hymne: Cum vox sanguinis Ursule
Ensemble Organum, Marcel Pérès (conductor) [10:30]
Max Richter: Vivaldi's Four Seasons Recomposed: Spring
Daniel Hope (violin), Konzerthaus Kammerorchester Berlin, André de Ridder (conductor) [09:38]
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90: III. Poco Allegretto
West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Asher Fisch (conductor) [06:16]
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 2 in G major 'A London Symphony': II. Lento
Rochester Philharmonic, Christopher Seamen (conductor) [09:14]
Robert Schumann: 5 Stucke im Volkston op. 102: II. Langsam
Martin Fröst (clarinet), Olof Wendel (cimbalom), Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra [03:08]
Justin Hurwitz: First Man “Armstrong Cabin”
Studio Orchesta [01:12]
Florian Christl: Inspiration
Florian Christl (piano), The Modern String Quintet [07:08]