Control & Containment

Sunday musings….I haven’t forgotten!

Many (many!) years ago, my undergrad voice teacher and mentor, Dorothy Howard, told me gently while i was trying too hard (story of my life) “Susan, when you feel least in control, you are most in control.”

Although, I “THINK” I knew what she meant intellectually (!) I didn’t actually have my “ahHA!” moment until years later…

Control is often false. It means we are trying too hard, trying to DO something that can often be at cross purposes. Control can enable unnecessary and unneeded tension and fatigue.

Releasing that unneeded tension and fatigue can be liberating and frightening. Yet, if we do the work, we can observe that release and realize that balance is happening. There IS control but I am not trying TO control.

WHAT?!?!

That is containment. We create the containment. We create the framework, the boundary, the outline.

The containment then gives permission to move, shift, stretch and elasticize within it.

Containment has permission. Control does not.

Create containment - a space that has boundary and shape, in order to work, to discover, to explore.

The physical body can be trusted to contain the breath, the support, the vibration, the resonance, and the shape of the voice. Why would want to control that?

Simply contain and shape and stretch within that energy - and allow the authenticity to emerge.

Containment allows you to shape the truth of your authenticity and reveal what needs to be seen, heard & felt in the artistry that is released because of it.

Containment will only allow what is enough. It won’t try to control what is too much.

You are enough. Enough is not too big, not too small, but just right.

With fierceness & fondness,

Susan