Attention

Michael Landau

October 4th, 2024

"Anyone who acts without paying attention to what he is doing is wasting his life. I'd go so far as to say life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece."

Nadia Boulanger

Nadia Boulanger was a celebrated teacher of composition during the revolutionary 20th century. She taught many of the major composers of her time. 

I find it fascinating that what she taught all these great masters was to pay attention. So simple, so profound. I find it fascinating because this is what I teach in the movement arena. 

It’s pretty clear that our modern lifestyle is not doing us any good. A big part of it is the fact that we are extremely sedentary. We simply don’t move enough. It’s unhealthy, it’s depressing, it makes us stiff and sick. 

Some of us try to remedy this by exercising. A very good initiative, of course. Going to the gym and doing your reps will have mechanical benefits. It can build muscle, improve your blood circulation, accelerate your heart rate. That’s good and important. But much of the exercising I see around me is completely devoid of attention. It’s purely mechanical. Where does this leave our human intelligence?

I’ve seen this a lot in my local gym. I’ve been going to the gym with my daughter in the last months. Some people work out a lot, and they sure have muscles to show for it. But it’s often quite evident that their mind is elsewhere. They may be scrolling through social media, conversing and laughing, competing with their mates… They clearly don’t pay attention to what they’re doing. 

Doing mechanical exercise without involving your awareness is an insult to our magnificent brains. Boulanger had it very clear when she was teaching her brilliant students to pay attention. When she died, smart phones weren’t invented yet. Nowadays the need for attention has become so much clearer and more urgent, because our attention is being constantly hijacked. We are bombarded with heavy-weight stimuli in quantities and speed that was unimaginable in the 1950s. 

So again, I’m inviting you to a short paying-attention session. If you’re busy, please come back later, when you can really focus for three minutes. I mean it. Make sure you have three peaceful minutes to dedicate to yourself.

Ok, do I have your attention? Great. So now, turn your attention to your belly button. Don’t touch it physically, but turn your inner spotlight to it. Zoom in, illuminate it, sense where it is, look for some sensory information you may be getting from that spot in your body.

Now, try to detect movement. Is your belly button moving as you breathe?

If you feel it moving, make the movement a little larger. No effort, just attention. Let it stick out as you breathe in, and move back, a little closer to your spine, as you breathe out.

You are belly breathing. Don’t exaggerate, don’t force it, keep it soft and pleasurable. Just notice that it’s happening. Can you do it while reading? Try to keep a portion of your attention on it. If your mind wanders, which is common and normal, just call it back. Don’t beat yourself up; be kind to yourself.

Ok. Now let’s reverse it. As you breathe in, pull your belly button in. As you breathe out,  stick it out. Sounds contradictory, but it’s possible, of course. You’re inhaling into your chest and pulling your belly in; and as you exhale you’re letting your belly relax and move forward.

Keep it small, soft, gentle. Just make sure you’re doing what you intend to do by paying attention.

You’re not training your belly muscles; you’re practising awareness. You are training your skill of paying attention. 

Let go of it, relax your attention. Maybe your belly button has gained some presence in your self-image, or in your body awareness.

Don’t waste your life. Pay attention to what you are doing, as often as you can. It’s a skill; it’s a practice. Buddhist teachings call this: Mindfulness. Eckhart Tolle calls it: Be in the present moment.

It was worthwhile for the most prominent composers of the 20th century. It’s worthwhile for you and me.

Pay attention to what you’re doing. Practice your skill of awareness. Inhabit the present moment.

So simple. So profound.

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This is an almost word-by-word transcript of a podcast episode I recorded a while ago. Prefer listening to audio? Or whatching a video?

Here is where you can find it:

The YouTube episode video (don't forget to subscribe to my channel)

The podcast page (go to episode 9)

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