Spontaneity

In my earlier years, I studied jazz and improvisation at university.  Whilst walking around the performing arts complex you were guaranteed to hear people practicing scales and technical exercises on their instrument of choice. So many hours were spent grinding over these technical challenges. We did this so it would help with our improvisation and spontaneity when soloing in the future. When our turn would come to solo in a performance, we would have a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw upon.

I often pondered if there was any such thing as improvising because all that we do as musicians is regurgitate a collection of other people’s previous ideas. I never felt as though I was truly improvising because I was subconsciously drawing from these previous influences that I had studied. I never felt as though I was truly coming up with something on the spot. I eventually developed my own style of playing after studying and trying to channel these old jazz drummers. I was able to voice my own ideas and build upon what they had beautifully created. If it wasn’t for the study of these older drummers and technical exercises, I wouldn’t be the musician that I am today and my knowledge would be very shallow and my playing would lack depth.

If I fast-forward my life 10 years, I find myself in a very similar situation in regards to my faith and prayer life. Over the past 12 months I have been drawn to older traditions of our faith and I’m seeing my generation of twenty-somethings grow more aware of God through things like liturgy, silent contemplation and the prayers of those who have come before us.

Along this journey I have found that liturgy is the ‘scales’ of prayer.  We can use these beautiful prayers that have stood the test of time to help us immensely in our own prayer life. Just like music, I am finding that tradition is the soil that spontaneity is birthed from. I am discovering that there is so much richness and depth to draw from that can help us expand our vocabulary and our thoughts towards our Father. I have also observed that through these prayers, I have found myself being more spontaneous in my everyday life as a natural response to what I have prayed.

This prayer from Saint Francis of Assisi is a great example.

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

Liturgy might not be a new practice to you, but I ask the question – what ‘scales’ are you practicing to help you find spontaneity in your own life?

Aaron Sim