Stephen Nachmanovitch on Improvising in Life

Stephen Nachmanovitch performs and teaches internationally as an improvisational violinist and at the intersection of music, dance, theatre, and multimedia arts. Stephen has presented masterclasses and workshops at Julliard and many conservatories and universities.  In this episode, Stephen and Eric discuss his new book, The Art of Is: Improvising as a Way of Life, which is an exploration of the creative process, especially the social dimensions of the creative process and a philosophical meditation on living, living fully, and living in the present. But wait – there’s more! The episode is not quite over!! We continue the conversation and you can access this exclusive content right in your podcast player feed. Head over to our Patreon page and pledge to donate just $10 a month. It’s that simple and we’ll give you good stuff as a thank you! In This Interview, Stephen Nachmanovitch and I Discuss Improvising in Life and…His book, The Art of Is: Improvising as a Way of LifeThat creativity is absolutely worthless without an ethical foundationThe ethics of creativityBuddhism and creativityWhy improvisation is so important to himHis interest in the creative process across all fieldsThat the template for improvisation is conversationThe role of listening and equality in improvisational musicThe relationship between impermanence, imperfection, and improvisationThe relationship between chivalry and the phrase “yes, and…”That play isn’t what you do, it’s how you do itThe relationship between discipline and freedomArt as the act of balancingHow self correction is a lot easier without the added burden of guiltThe metaphor of a child learning to walk and the approach of “positive feedback only”What it means to “stamp out nouns”That when you create something that’s “original” it means, simply, that you are the originStephen Nachmanovitch Links: freeplay.com Facebook Twitter Talkspace is the online therapy company that lets you connect with a licensed therapist from anywhere at any time at a fraction of the cost of traditional therapy. It’s therapy on demand. Visit www.talkspace.com or download the app and enter Promo Code: WOLF to get $100 off your first month. Kettle & Fire: Bone Broth and soups carefully crafted by world-class chefs, made with the best whole ingredients and the bones of humanely raised animals delivered right to your door. Go to www.kettleandfire.com/wolf and use promo code WOLF for 20% off. Calm App: The app designed to help you ease stress and get the best sleep of your life through meditations and sleep stories. Join the 85 million people around the world who use Calm to get better sleep. Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription (a limited time offer!) by going to www.calm.com/wolf If you enjoyed this conversation with Stephen Nachmanovitch on Improvising in Life, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Finding Your Creativity with Julia Cameron Power of Poetry with Ellen Bass Ralph White See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.