DDM Global News

“Music & Mind - Music and Poems”

On October 23, Chan Meditation Center held the Chan Art workshop “Music & Mind - Music and Poems” in person and online. Dr. Joanne Chang, the instructor of this event, is a musician with rich experience in performance and teaching. In her second "Music & Mind" workshop this year, she focused on the association between music and poems as lyrics.

Joanne asked, “What is listening? When you listen to music, what do you listen to?” She referred to the Surangama Sutra on how Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva used sound to attain enlightenment and encouraged everyone to make good use of sound and music as a tool for cultivation by being clear and aware when listening, and increasing the power of concentration and wisdom through diligent practice.

Joanne stated that silence interplay with music just as emptiness does with phenomena. Silence and music or sound are by nature empty. Because they are empty, we are able to create innumerable songs and pieces of music.

Participants expressed their enjoyment of the beautiful presentation and look forward to the next workshop. Through such workshops, participants learn to appreciate beauty and goodness in daily life. The joys and sorrows recorded in the lyrics remind us of suffering, emptiness and impermanence. Using music to practice is different from music appreciation. When listening to music, we can remind ourselves not to focus solely on the melody or our own thoughts or memories that we associate with the music, or in analyzing the elements of the music, but use listening to music as an opportunity to stay focused and aware. We can focus on music or sound without duality or discrimination, letting go of our own emotions and illusory mind. Once we are rid of vexation, real compassion and wisdom can arise which are the source of the ability to benefit sentient beings according to their needs.
 
Article by Hang Yeung 
Edited by Chang Jie
Photos by Yin Ting & CMC