A paradox

Here is a paradox: whenever I concentrated too hard on achieving certain goals -that is, on the end result-, I became filled with restlessness and doubt. But when I immersed myself wholeheartedly in the process, completing a task became a creative journey filled with surprises. I felt joy as my desired results -a composition, a book chapter, or a new sequence of exercises for upcoming workshops- arose through epiphany rather than effort.

The solution

I found the solution to this seeming paradox within the TaKeTiNa process. In the TaKeTiNa circle, I have seen people straining for hours to synchronize their steps, claps and voice. They were so consumed by the effort to "get it right that they looked strained and lethargic. Some, however, experienced an unexpected dramatic shift. All of a sudden, they "fell" into the very rhythmic movement they had been trying so long and so hard in vain to "get." A door opened and offered access to the only moment in which life truly happens -the present moment. They entered "Here and Now."

Rhythm as a Path

During the past 38 years, TaKeTiNa has grown into a path for human evolution. This path has the potential to guide people effectively and joyfully into an awakened state of "Here and Now"' -a state that is key for engaging in any creative activity. Within the TaKeTiNa process, we can observe how we prevent ourselves from entering this state, and through this process we may learn ways in which to dissolve our self-imposed barriers. We accomplish this via the deeply felt primal metaphor of rhythm. Whatever we learn in the TaKeTiNa process can manifest itself in our daily lives as well. Knowing that the path is the goal helps us to achieve our goals with curiosity, pleasure, and ease.

Reseach project initiated in 2008

The growing numbers of TaKeTiNa seminars presented in schools of music, as well as the increasing popularity of the TaKeTiNa drum and percussion training programs, show that TaKeTiNa is widely recognized as one of the most effective musical trainings of our time. Currently, this range of activities is being expanded through research into the effects of rhythm. The Chronobiological Research Council has initiated research projects in which the TaKeTiNa Institute is cooperating with three Austrian universities.
Numerous TaKeTiNa events are taking place around the globe this year. With this brochure, we would like to inform you about them. If you choose to join us and our worldwide TaKeTiNa family, it will be our pleasure to accompany you on your path.