Daniel Bennett - Water Pianism: The Guide

My sole intention behind writing this guide was to encourage each and every reader to feel an eventual sense of absolute possibility, total freedom and endless motivation.

Without such positivity and self-belief, the otherwise enjoyable path to whatever is perceived as achievement unavoidably becomes fraught with challenges which are usually successful in completely blocking progress, resulting in frustration and possible abandonment.

Water Pianism is a state of mind. It is not a method. It cannot be described in one sentence and is very difficult to believe in during the initial stages of its discovery because the ego will be blocking out anything new, unusual or which goes against its firmly held belief systems.

You are coming to this book with a charged, loaded ego, ready to reject a lot of the content despite not one written word being dishonest, negative or confrontational.

Further to this, each page does its best to take your natural Self along with it, disregarding your poisonous ego at all times and encouraging you to detach from its noise which, as discussed herein, will become unbearably loud as it realises it is being rejected; as a child not permitted to buy sweets by its parents.

Once a peaceful, positive and well-balanced mind has been established, your practice and performance abilities will improve drastically, your self-awareness and understanding of the mind, body and piano components will be greatly enhanced and no mental or physical difficulty will ever cause even the slightest of frustrations.

As a Water Pianist, you promise yourself to adhere to its three-fold path and to do your best in sharing its notions, without need for recompense, with others who you believe will benefit from or find value in it, and especially with those who:

1. Feel lost in the piano world;
2. Are unable to afford a piano teacher;
3. Get easily frustrated;
4. Seek musical wisdom.

Your inspirational responsibilities as a Water Pianist go beyond playing the piano, even beyond the world of music itself, and reach any and all individuals seeking guidance.

The Water Pianist understands that:

A teacher always finds educational value in a student just as much as a student finds educational value in a teacher. Neither one is more or less than the other.

The Water Pianist uses students as an opportunity for self-betterment and practice in much the same way as they do in the presence of the Water Pianist.

Your journey towards perceived perfection is futile. You will not achieve it. This is exactly why every moment must be savoured for the pleasure or learning opportunity it presents.

Some sit at their piano and strive to be as good as their idols; they shall fail in their endeavours.

Some sit at their piano and practice for hours every day in the hope of attaining perfect technique; they, too, shall fail in their endeavours.

Some sit at their piano and lament in their unsatisfactory abilities; they, of course, shall also fail in their endeavours.

The Water Pianist does not merely sit at the piano, does not strive to be like others, does not endure the monotony of mindless practice and never allows a sense of disappointment to enter the mind.

Instead, you will spend more time understanding your own mind, interests, musical likes and dislikes, playing pieces you enjoy and acknowledging that your current ability is always a result of previous efforts.

If you feel that you are not ready or prepared to continue reading, do please stop for the words contained in the coming pages will surely only be met with resistance. This is not their purpose or intended final destination.

I wish you an excellent and peaceful destinationless journey of self-discovery both at and away from the piano and hope that you will live a life of inspiring others, whether that be through Water Pianism, art, education, or a simple act of unexpected kindness.

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