A breath mark or luftpause or, for bowed instruments, a bow lift (also retake), is asymbol used in musical notation. It directs the performer of the music passage to take a breath (for wind instruments and vocalists) or to make a slight pause (for non-windinstruments). For bowed instruments, it means to lift the bow. This pause is normally intended to affect the duration of the preceding note and not the tempo. It is usually placed above the staff and at the ends of phrases. Its function is analogous to the comma in severalwritten languages. Indeed, the two symbols look identical. (text and image Lifted from the Wikipedia)
For the past months, I have been rediscovering the power of the breath… Investing a moment of my day in real time to breath consciously, a moment of pause and just be.
These ” breath marks” of my day, allow me “lift the bow” of my spirit and review my day from a different perspective after the pause. It may not definitely change the tempo of my work load or the demands of my profession in any given day, but certainly these moments of purposive pause consciously builds up as crescendo of inner power and enlightenment – so vital in the delivery of our various tasks, especially as leaders.
In a musical score, these breath marks are so tiny, yet for someone like me who plays music, an oversight of this notation creates an entirely different rendition of the music or song. In the same vein. the practice of the breathing awareness in my everyday life has “tuned me up” to greater sensitivity, creativity, and appreciation for what matters most.
In the midst of our busy day, do we find a quiet space we can claim as a prime time of our day to breathe consciously? Studies have shown how many leaders and managers today are into mindfulness practice and how mindfulness have been very helpful in stress management and work life balance. Yoga, meditation classes and hubs (including websites) ahee now very much participated. In the midst of the daily concerns finding a “breathing space” is a treasure gem. It is a journey worth stepping into.
This tiny yet powerful breath mark can halt an entire orchestra to a significant and dramatic pause…. and then build up a crescendo experience or movement in the music. Truly, these breath pause of my day steers my mind, clear offering me a greater consciousness to “see beyond” the apparent to the significance of events and issues in my life.
The breath mark in music is a creative power of the pause. In my daily life, it is a breath that marks a difference.
