This Is Why You Need To Host A Jam Session [Even If You Don't Know ...

Last night I experienced an incredible jam session with a bunch of good friends.

It was such a wonderful night filled with much laughter, fun, and a hodgepodge of musical vibes!

Lately I've been really into these jam sessions.

The other day my partner and I hosted one at our home, which was inspired by a jam session a week or so before that.

So we've now participated in THREE jam sessions already this year - and here's the kicker:

I don't even play any instruments!

For realz y'all! I'm by no means a musician at all yet I've still been able to participate in the joys of jammin'!

Thus, with that being said, I've been inspired to share with you why I believe that jam sessions are not only great for inspiring and amplifying your inner creativity...

But also why they are so absolutely fantastic for your well being!

But before we start with the incredible benefits of jamming...

I needed to share with you my epic new single which was created last night. It's called Vegan Chile. It's about the vegan chile we ate last night. Sung by yours truly lol.

Life Is Humanized Music

Life is humanized music? Huh?

That's kind of an odd statement right there... I know.

Let me explain...

I really do feel that music is the closest we can get to truly understanding what life is made out of.

First of all, music is a vibration.

You are, at a subatomic level, merely a vibration.

A dense vibration - surely - but you are most definitely a vibration at some level.

Have you ever seen someone pluck a guitar string next to another guitar?

Do you know what happens?

Well, the other guitar string from the guitar that wasn't plucked initially, starts vibrating!

It's because there's a match in the vibrational frequency.

Have ever heard of cymatics?

It's a vibrational phenomenon where sound literally dictates the movement of small particles in space.

The particles arrange themselves in a way that matches the vibration:

"The sand or other substances were organized into different structures characterized by geometric shapes typical of the frequency of the vibration emitted by the oscillator."

When sounds resonate, they vibrate together.

I believe the same goes for humans.

When we resonate with each other (or vibrate at similar thought/heart frequencies) we tend to do life together.

This becomes pretty obvious when you go to any concert.

You've got this huge embodiment of individuals who all vibe with a particular vibration.

If you've ever attended your favorite bands concert, you know that the experience is often ineffable.

Something magical happens when you bring a bunch of people together who resonate with the same vibrational frequency.

With all that being said, I believe that there are just too many similarities between life, music, and human beings and thus why I say:

Life IS humanized music.

We Were Born To Make Music

You've probably heard this profound quote before:

"Don't die with your music still in you."

While it's completely and utterly a great reason to live...

It also hints at the metaphorical connection between our lives, and the movement of a song.

For with every moment, we have an opportunity to play a new note.

And each day is like playing a brand new verse...

And a bunch of days together is like playing the song...

And a bunch of months pass by...and you have your album!

I believe our lives are very much comparable to making music.

But in a more literal sense, I also believe that we were designed to innately create music.

If you remember being a wee baby... or you've had a wee baby around you at one point in your life - what did that baby find most fascinating straight from the start?

Music! Right?

I'm thinking of my partner's niece who is almost two years old now.

Her clear favorite things to do are to dance... and to sing!

She loves the movement and songs that play on all these new YouTube kid shows (which I feel completely and utterly out of the loop on... what happened to Teletubbies!?)

I really do feel that children naturally grasp the concept of music... it doesn't seem foreign to them!

That's why I say: music is part of who we are.

It's what we are innately attuned to do.

I mean, even those who are deaf still comprehend the power of music...

(Beethoven giving the "what up" wave while ballin' out in Vienna)

Our ancestors used to hang out with their communities late at night singing, chanting, and dancing together.

This was not only a means of expressing themselves, but it was also a means to connect and relate to each other.

And thus, the question that I've been asking myself lately is...

Why am I not doing this music thing more often!?

The Joy Of Jamming

After participating in three jams already this year, I feel super motivated to do more of them.

There's just this powerful essence that comes out of you that you can't quite get anywhere else.

(I think we were singing about cheese in this one. I'm learning that the food that is present clearly influences the jam sesh.)

It's so simple, yet so profound that today I realized I needed to promote this aspect of living!

Thus, below I've listed a few reasons why I LOVE jamming with my friends.

And why you should give it a try too! (even if you aren't a musician... like me!)

Improvisation Opens You Up

I've written about the power of improvisation before and I'm going to do it again!

Most jams (my favorite ones) have no pre-set agenda or script... you just play.

Thus, it's all improvised.

The beauty of this is that if you don't know how to play, you can usually figure out how to play just by listening to what others are playing and fitting in your notes whenever it feels right to do so.

Listening is a powerful and useful skill... and when you improvise, it's utilized - a lot!

On top of that, when you improvise, you begin to let down the censor and filter that is typically up due to societal norms.

Once there is no longer a script, it becomes much easier to just be you and let go of any societal expectations.

It feels quite nice in this way.

There's an incredible amount of positive benefits that come with the art of improvisation, but in the end, it really does open you up in ways that you might not expect.

You'll likely feel a sense of connection with yourself and the people you are playing with at a level that may be completely new to you.

Hence, why I love improvising!

But on that note of connection...

Jamming Builds A Sense Of Community

As I was saying above, our ancestors jammed out all the time!

This was a fundamental and essential community building activity that we (sadly) do not see as much of in the modern world.

When you invite over a bunch of friends to jam out, it becomes pretty evident how much fun you're having.

And that fun quickly turns into laughter... and that laughter quickly turns into a really great time!

Jamming is an opportunity for everyone to share something.

Isn't that a core aspect of being human anyways?

The ability to share and provide value to others?

The beauty of jamming is that it does this on the simplest of levels.

By merely providing a few notes, you've added value to the epicly improvised song that your group just made up on the spot.

After throwing down an epic song you can see the comradery building!

It's truly a magical experience - and it doesn't require much at all!

It's A Reason To Feel Good

It's pretty clear that the community building and comradery is there because when you play music, and you're really getting into it, it feels good.

Music is an expressive tool. It allows us to explore emotional aspects that we don't have the words for.

Thus, when we give ourselves that space to express ourselves - even if we don't know how to do it properly (with an instrument) - we find great satisfaction.

Our soul craves this type of expression and the more we allow ourselves to open up to the music and let it guide our essence, the more joy and fulfillment we can discover in life.

Music truly is a key to unlocking an aspect of ourselves that we sometimes simply forget all about!

Start Your Next Jam Session

It doesn't take much to throw together a jam session...

I've already told you that I don't even play any instruments.

I also don't even have instruments, yet I still hosted an event at my house!

If you know any human beings and you tell them that you will be providing vegan chile, queso and chips, or some arrangement similar to that...

I am betting you (law of averages) that there are already a few (likely far too many) that would be more than willing to bring and share their musical instruments.

That's how it has been with my friends thus far, and that's all you really need!

Jamming is truly a phenomenal way to add a bit of joy and zest to your life.

It's something that I truly do recommend...

And something I look forward to doing more of!

This Is Why You Need To Host A Jam Session [Even If You Don't Know How To Jam]