What Is Your Musical Dojo?

Joe Hyams author of Zen in the Martial Arts tells us what a dojo is:

A dojo is a miniature cosmos where we make contact with ourselves–our fears, anxieties, reactions and habits. it is an arena of confined conflict where we confront an opponent who is not an opponent but rather a partner engaged in helping us understand ourselves more fully. It is a place where we can learn a great deal in a short time about who we are and how we react in the world. The conflicts that take place inside the dojo help us handle conflicts that take place outside. The total concentration and discipline required to study martial arts carries over to daily life. The activity in the dojo calls on us to constantly attempt new things, so it is also a source of learning–in Zen terminology, a source of self-enlightenement.

And that is exactly what a practice studio is, your musical dojo.

How can you create a space that supports and inspires you? How can you utilize your space to help you show up? But most of all, how can you design a space that brings you courage during the confrontation of your deepest fears?