Playing With the Native American Style Flute

We have learned how to work hard, practice and get it right. But, this is not what the Native American style flute is about. With the flute we can learn how to play again.

We have become so focused and goal oriented that it is difficult for most of us to just relax, let go and have some fun. With the Native American style flute you can change some of those constricting patterns. Just pick up your flute and start fooling around. Remember, the flute will teach you. You can’t fail or make mistakes – let go of that emotional attitude. If you will allow yourself the space to relax, explore and just have fun you will develop a relationship with the Native American style flute that will be different than anything else you have experience in your adult, goal oriented life.

It’s good therapy to have something that you don’t have to work at. Can you remember your very early years when you were learning to ride your bike? You didn’t need to be going some place you were some place – on a bike, learning new muscle memory, checking it out. That’s how playing the flute can be. It’s fun just like learning to ride a bike was fun.

Playing The Native American style flute in the pentatonic scale is not an intellectual experience. It is an intuitive experience. Just like learning to ride a bike is not an intellectual experience. You don’t think about how to ride a bike – you just get on and start doing it. Of course, you’re not proficient at first. But, as you continue riding it gets easier and easier. Pretty soon you’re not even thinking about it any more – you’re just flowing along, balanced and free. It’s the same with the flute. Give yourself a little time and without any special effort you start to hear music coming out of your flute.

Once we could ride with confidence we were always trying new things. Perhaps we weren’t even consciously aware of it. We were just enjoying ourselves exploring the experience of bike riding – taking a sharper turn, making a quick stop. We did it just because it was fun. You will find yourself doing the same thing with your flute. First, you go over the basics until you know them by heart. Then, when you are bored with that you will start to explore new notes, new speeds, longer jumps from one note to another. You want to do this just like you wanted to increase you proficiency with riding – because it’s there, because you love it.

The music carries you forward deeper into itself. What’s happening here? More and more people are picking up the Native American style flute and finding something that had long been forgotten. Discovering a part of themselves that was dormant – waiting to be awakened. A flower opening in the morning sun.