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The Tao of Guitar Playing

November 9, 2012 By Klaus Crow 19 Comments

Last Updated on May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

Photo Topwalls.net
Since an early age I have always been interested in Zen and Taoism.

Reading about these philosophies and later on applying and incorporating them into my life changed everything…

…from teaching guitar, practicing guitar, songwriting, performing, relationships, friends, marriage, parentship, business to even the smallest details that make part of my life.

My guitar playing got so much better and my guitar playing life got so much more fulfilling because I let everything go.

I let go of everything that I thought I needed to do, everything that I was afraid would happen if I would not live up to my expectations. I let go of approval, reputation, money and my limited believes that were taught by my envoirment. I finally got everything without trying to get it.

The philosophy of Taoism and Zen makes everything in life so much more pure, enjoyable and above all it makes you feel free. Free from your past and future burdens that you constantly carry with you.

When you free yourself from regrets (past) or expectations (future) which takes daily practice, you’ll start thinking and feeling differently after a while.

Things become easier. You’ll grow without trying to grow and you’ll succeed without trying to succeed. It’s the way of the Tao.

Don’t believe my word for it but try it yourself. Here are some of the philosophies from the Tao Te Ching applied to the guitar lifestyle design.

Read slowly and thoughtfully:

– Play guitar for fun, let go of goals and expectations and you’ll unlock the mystery.

– Be Yourself. Don’t compare or compete with other guitar players.

– Stay behind everyone else and you’ll be ahead.

– Teach guitar but don’t control. Teach without being present. Have faith in the student.

– Let go of all things, manifestations and succes and you will be perfectly fulfilled.

– If you care for people’s approval of your songs or guitar skills they will always be in control.

– Allow things to come and go. Let the tao of guitar playing take it’s course.

– Do not seek, do not expect, be present and welcome all things on your path.

– Stop thinking and all difficulties will end.

– Have no goals and you’ll succeed in everything you do.

– If you do not hope or expect, you will never be dissapointed and your spirit will remain light and free.

– Express yourself fully and then be still.

– Haste makes waste. Go slowly. Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

– Be free from any plans or think about where you are heading. Let the tao lead you wherever it wants.

– Accept what is there and the Tao will work for you.

– Keep setting goals and there will always be more to be done, stop setting goals and nothing will be left undone.

– When you see you already have everything and that everything is enough then everything is possible.

– Practice guitar, write a song, record, perform, teach and then step back.

– Let the Tao unveil.

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Comments

  1. A. Minor says

    November 9, 2012 at 10:31 pm

    Great message. Thanks for the inspiration.

  2. Javier Alonso says

    November 9, 2012 at 11:31 pm

    I completely agree. Empty your mind, unload your heart, and all flows differently, by itself. And it applies to everything, not just guitar.

  3. Klaus Crow says

    November 10, 2012 at 11:02 am

    Thanks for your comments guys!

    Best regards,
    Klaus Crow

  4. Rob says

    November 10, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    Hi Klaus,

    Great wisdom and you send them just at the right time; the Tao already worked for me, thanks.

    Rob

  5. Wu says

    November 12, 2012 at 1:17 am

    Thank you so much for this beautiful message. It light my soul. Thank you.
    I was thinking about to translate this blog in my own language ; French. Do you think it’s possible ? Keep me informed ;)
    Lud.

  6. RON GRIFFITH says

    November 13, 2012 at 4:30 am

    I’m new to your web page and I think I’m going to learn something new at 71.

  7. Klaus Crow says

    November 18, 2012 at 1:18 pm

    Hi Ron,

    That’s very nice to hear.
    I hope you’ll learn and enjoy much more.

    Best regards,
    Klaus Crow

  8. John Oswald says

    November 23, 2012 at 8:43 pm

    Thank you Klaus
    Like Rob this message came at exactly the right time.
    Thanks for taking the effort to share something that really helps.
    I was struggling to enjoy performing my work, but this helped more than I could have imagined.

    Thanks again.
    John

  9. Don Cook says

    November 30, 2012 at 2:26 am

    Just found your site today and am totally amazed. Great site and I agree with the philosophy. It will be visited regularly.

  10. Klaus Crow says

    December 2, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    Hi Don,

    If we could all live by just one of the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching we would be happier guitar players and have a better world to live in. :)

    Best regards,
    Klaus Crow

  11. Bryan says

    December 23, 2012 at 2:22 am

    I found this article through something I found on StumbleUpon, and really enjoyed this message. I have been trying to get better as a guitar player for years, and I have found that “letting go” of striving recently has really helped me develop. Keep up the encouraging “work.”

  12. Hiram says

    December 29, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    In 1962 I was 14 & had been playing for about 1 1/2 years and my teacher put on a recital – typically music and dance schools do this as a way to bolster student confidence but also as a marketing method. My teacher, Guy Smith, told me to take the attitude expressed in “If you care for people’s approval of your songs or guitar skills they will always be in control.” when I took the stage. Been doing it that way ever since – it’s powerful!

  13. Lou F says

    January 25, 2013 at 5:25 pm

    I have to agree with the idea of playing while calm, it’s usually when I can really hear what I’m doing.

  14. Howard Black says

    February 6, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    As a fellow Taoist, I’m very glad you posted the guidelines suggested by the Tao Te Ching. Thanks!

  15. Norbert says

    March 30, 2013 at 9:14 pm

    For those who wanted this in french:
    Depuis son plus jeune Γ’ge, j’ai toujours Γ©tΓ© intΓ©ressΓ© par le Zen et le taoΓ―sme.
    La lecture de ces philosophies et plus tard sur l’application et les intΓ©grer dans ma vie, tout a changΓ© …
    D’enseignement de la guitare …, la pratique de la guitare, Γ©crire des chansons, jouer, relations, amis, mariage, parentship, des entreprises aux moindres dΓ©tails qui font partie de ma vie.
    Mon jeu de guitare a tellement mieux et ma vie a jouer de la guitare tellement plus gratifiant parce que je laisse tout aller.
    Je laisse aller tout ce que j’ai pensΓ© que je devais faire, tout ce que je craignais se passerait-il si je ne serais pas Γ  la hauteur de mes attentes. J’ai laissΓ© aller de l’approbation, de la rΓ©putation, de l’argent et ma limitΓ©e estime que furent enseignΓ©s par mon envoirment. J’ai finalement eu tout sans essayer de l’obtenir.
    La philosophie du TaoΓ―sme et Zen fait tout dans la vie tellement plus pur, agrΓ©able et surtout elle vous fait vous sentir libre. Libre de vos charges passΓ©es et Γ  venir que vous transportez avec vous en permanence.
    Lorsque vous vous libérer de regrets (passé) ou des attentes (futurs) qui prend la pratique quotidienne, vous pourrez commencer à penser et de sentir différemment après un certain temps.
    Les choses deviennent plus faciles. Vous deviendrez sans essayer de grandir et vous rΓ©ussirez sans essayer de rΓ©ussir. C’est la faΓ§on de le Tao.
    Ne croyez pas ma parole pour elle, mais essayez vous-mΓͺme. Voici quelques-unes des philosophies du Tao Te Ching appliquΓ©e Γ  la conception de style de vie guitare.
    Lisez lentement et pensivement:
    – Jouez de la guitare pour le plaisir, lΓ’cher des objectifs et des attentes et vous dΓ©bloquerez le mystΓ¨re.
    – Soyez vous-mΓͺme. Ne comparez pas ou en concurrence avec d’autres joueurs de guitare.
    – Restez derriΓ¨re tout le monde et vous serez en avance.
    – Apprenez la guitare mais ne contrΓ΄lent pas. Enseigner sans Γͺtre prΓ©sent. Ayez foi en l’Γ©tudiant.
    – LΓ’chez tout, les manifestations et les succes et vous serez parfaitement accompli.
    – Si vous prenez soin de l’approbation des gens de vos chansons ou des compΓ©tences de guitare, ils seront toujours en contrΓ΄le.
    – Laisser les choses aller et venir. Laissez le tao de la guitare prend son cours.
    – Ne cherche pas, ne vous attendez pas, Γͺtre prΓ©senter et d’accueillir toutes les choses sur votre chemin.
    – ArrΓͺtez de penser et de toutes les difficultΓ©s se terminera.
    – N’a pas d’objectifs et vous rΓ©ussirez dans toutes vos activitΓ©s.
    – Si vous n’avez pas espΓ©rer ou attendre, vous ne serez jamais déçu et votre esprit restera libre et lΓ©ger.
    – Exprimez-vous pleinement et ensuite encore.
    – HΓ’te fait des dΓ©chets. Allez-y doucement. La nature ne se dΓ©pΓͺche pas, et pourtant tout est accompli.
    – Être libre de tout plan ou pensent savoir oΓΉ vous vous dirigez. Laissez le tao vous mΓ¨nera oΓΉ il veut.
    – Accepter ce qui est lΓ  et le Tao va travailler pour vous.
    – Gardez l’Γ©tablissement d’objectifs et il y aura toujours plus Γ  faire, arrΓͺter de fixer des buts et rien ne sera laissΓ© de cΓ΄tΓ©.
    – Quand vous voyez que vous avez dΓ©jΓ  tout et que tout est assez alors tout est possible.
    – Pratique la guitare, Γ©crire une chanson, enregistrer, jouer, apprendre et prendre du recul.
    – Que le Tao dΓ©voiler.

  16. Norbert says

    March 30, 2013 at 9:15 pm

    I hope this is an ok translation, I’m not fluent so I did the best I could :)

  17. Mike Campanile says

    April 4, 2013 at 4:45 pm

    Thank you for this post and this website. I’m going through a tough learning curve right now of finding myself as a musician and transitioning from intermediate to advanced skill. Because of that I’ve been surrounding myself with musicians who are better than me and consequently comparing myself to them even though their songwriting style is different. So I’ve been questioning myself and not feeling 100% motivated, confident and most importantly in love with my guitar playing like I have been this year. This post took a little weight off of my shoulders and my mind, a bright spot in what has otherwise been a down week for me. Can’t thank you enough.

  18. Skot Jakubiec says

    November 7, 2014 at 9:25 pm

    I have just found this post from a google search. I have been influenced by the tao recently, and its teachings have had some great impacts upon not only my playing, but my life in general. Thank you for such a great post and I will be following this site closely!

  19. Klaus Crow says

    November 13, 2014 at 12:45 pm

    Hi Skot,

    May the Tao be with you.

    Thanks for you comment!
    Best regards,
    Klaus Crow

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