When I was a DIY touring musician I had the opportunity to play music in a different town every night, for weeks or even months at a time. Some nights, the room would be filled with adoring fans. Other nights, it would be nearly empty with people who just wanted to drink beer and talk loudly through my entire set. 

At first, the back and forth of touring like this wreaked havoc on my ego. It affected how I reacted to my bandmate and almost everything else around me. 

Eventually, I learned to let go of my expectations. I leaned into the experience of each show and tried to embrace something from the pleasurable experiences as well as the difficult ones. Regardless, I knew there was going to be another show tomorrow. I would sometimes soothe myself by referring to off nights as “good practice.” 

In Buddhism, a similar perspective is used to engage with the ups and downs of life. It helps to step back and realize that there is really no finish line to our experiences in this human form. I find it useful to view life itself as one long tour for cultivating mindfulness and compassion.

Once I was able to engage in touring (and living) in this way I was able to better appreciate the experiences of traveling to different places and meeting new people. When I stopped focusing so much on the “Big Show’ at the end of the day,  I was able to more easily find joy in all the encounters I had along the way. 

– I took a break from the playlist last month. So, this month’s playlist is a little longer than usual. Below are some songs that have resonated with me in the past month. I hope they bring more joy to your life. Thanks for listening, MMM

This month’s artists are: Major Matt Mason USA, Swans, Ratboys, Twain, De La Soul, King Krule, Clark, River Tiber, Bush Tetras, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Sounds They Made, Wilson Pickett, The Ladies, NEU!, Geurilla Toss, Big Joanie, Puma Blue, Jay Robinson, Penny & The Quarters, The Necks

(Subscribe to get a new playlist every 1st Monday of the month. Click on my user link or search: Major Matt’s 1st Monday on Spotify to cruise past playlists and discover more music.)