Practice and Repitition

My husband teases me that I often repeat things. We now have a 5 time limit and then need to put the topic or statement away. Meanwhile, in learning music or really other subjects too, repetition is a part of it all. I remember when I was about 10 playing Born Free on the piano again and again and again. How many times have we played some traditional Christmas holiday songs? If we counted, may it would add up to over 400 times for some. I was at new year's party during the day and was talking to someone about life-long learning. A part of learning is also the willingness to make mistakes. The more we practice the more we may make mistakes but the mistakes aren't really mistakes but are stepping stones for creating the muscle memories in our fingers and also creating the new brain connections to learn a particular piece. Naturally, with embellishing there can be more options later on.
Practice applies to other things we want to learn. I dabble in taking assorted art classes and now have charcoal for sketching, water color paints, brushes, and a bunch of quilling supplies. Trying new things is exciting and the world of art is limitless. What meadia we use and how we use it is about as different as each of us. I know that if I would practice with some of the techniques - especially beyond a class - I would improve. As adults we tend to have lost or let go of the more experimenting nature and even doodling with can be thought of as idle or wasted time. We have other things to do, other things we should do, but do we really. Maybe you have set up some new year resolutions and one of mine is to officially set aside weekly creative time. I don't like having weeks where I didn't learn or try something new but now I'm looking at some trying new or learning but also some developing further.
I took a Buddhism class this fall and will take the next level class. In a beginner level class of anything you are introduced to some basics. What is fascinating is how much further in depth you can go with subjects or even skills. Having the tools - books, teaches, equipment - are a part of it but each of us is the other essential part of being the doer, setting aside time and space. We mus not let equipment - or lack of - stop us. In fact, painting can be done with household items - like coffee. Something else I've been trying to learn to do since taking the healing music training is meditation. This takes practice. I read too that for that the more you try the LESS you will be able to do it. Meanwhile, you do have to set aside time. Can it simply come to us? Can we let things come to us and improve partly with a stillness of the mind which can then help in focusing. Exercising - is probably on a bunch of people's resolution list- but I'd invite you to keep exercising but also relaxing the mind. I'm all for naps here and there but in some ways these small meditation times are more relaxing than a nap. Am I doing it right yet? We all have our own ways and we can go further by more practice.
Happy 2011 filled with practicing what you really want to be doing.