The EASE Approach to Creative Flourishing
Making music can be a struggle. We fight creative blocks, battle perfectionism, judge our work harshly, and get caught in cycles of self-doubt. The inner critic never seems to quiet down. We compare ourselves to others, chase trends instead of our authentic voice, and often create from a place of anxiety rather than joy. But the reality is it is possible to feel at ease when creating music — art of any kind. How? EASE. Attending to the four elements of EASE facilitates creating music from a place of presence and authenticity rather than struggle and reactivity. It’s about working with the creative process instead of fighting against it.
For musicians, producers, artists, and humans, being means creating. Authentic creative expression and authentic life are the same thing. EASE draws from Stephen Batchelor’s secular Buddhism and Insight Meditation, as well as Kenny Werner’s and Stephen Nachmanovitch’s thoughts on musical mastery and improvisation, to help navigate the creative process with greater ease and less suffering. EASE is a mnemonic for “embrace, allow, savor, enact.” EASE helps to shift how we relate to creating and being creative beings. It’s not a goal or an ideal.
E – Embrace Creating
Practice accepting the full reality of the creative process – the uncertainty, vulnerability, blocks, and breakthroughs. Work on welcoming creative challenges as part of authentic expression rather than fighting against them. Love all the shit that comes with creating music; it’s all necessary for everyone.
A – Allow What Arises
Practice allowing thoughts, feelings, and impulses to be present without immediately trying to change or fix them. If it’s too difficult to allow it, just note it—what’s being thought and felt.
S – Savor the Ease
Notice and appreciate those moments when the inner critic goes quiet or creative anxiety melts away—no matter when or how little. Savor the relief and calm that emerges. It’s proof that creating music with ease is always possible.
E – Enact Skillful Practices
Not just practicing your instrument or tools. From this place of clarity, engage in practices that serve both your creativity and your relationships: honest communication, sustainable effort, present-moment awareness, ethical collaboration, etc.
Examples of EASE-ily Creating Music
During Jamming: Embrace creative uncertainty → Allow ideas to flow → Savor moments of pure play → Enact skillful listening
During Mixing: Embrace technical challenges → Allow the song’s character → Savor when perfectionism releases → Enact skillful decision-making
During Collaboration: Embrace different perspectives → Allow creative tension → Savor breakthrough moments → Enact skillful communication
During Creative Blocks: Embrace the stuck feeling → Allow frustration without judgment → Savor when pressure lifts → Enact skillful patience
When You’re Stuck
Think of EASE:
- Embrace whatever is happening.
- Allow any thoughts, feelings, or senses.
- Savor any sense of those reactions stopping or lessening.
- Enact some skillful practice to grow on.
- Ask: “How can I be more skillful in how I’m talking to myself right now?“
- Ask: “How can I be more skillful with my attention for the task at hand? Is there a mismatch in my practice of attention right now?“