If you listen to nature, all the sounds are done in a confident

The words of Roscoe Mitchell—“If you listen to nature, all the sounds are done in a confident way. I'm trying to do that”—speak with the quiet authority of one attuned to the eternal rhythms of the world. Here, nature is not merely a backdrop for human activity, but a teacher, a model of assured expression and purposeful resonance. Each bird’s song, each rustle of leaves, each ripple of water carries a certainty, a self-assurance that emerges not from ego but from being fully aligned with the flow of existence. Mitchell seeks to mirror this confidence in his own art, striving to play, create, and express with the same innate authority as the natural world itself.

The meaning of this reflection is profound: true artistry, like life in nature, emerges from clarity, self-possession, and trust in one’s own voice. Confidence is not mere bravado; it is the alignment of intention and action, the ability to sound fully and authentically without hesitation or fear. Just as natural sounds are performed with certainty, unforced and complete, so too must human expression aspire to this balance, integrating skill, intuition, and presence. Mitchell’s aim is to internalize the lesson of nature: that expression is most powerful when grounded in quiet self-assurance and harmony with the surrounding world.

History and art provide vivid illustrations of this principle. Consider Johann Sebastian Bach, whose compositions resonate with both complexity and absolute certainty. Each note, each counterpoint, flows with a confidence that suggests Bach was not merely composing, but channeling an order of sound inherent in the universe. Like the natural world Mitchell observes, Bach’s music speaks with clarity and authority, showing that mastery and confidence are inseparable in the pursuit of expression that moves hearts and minds.

Even in the realm of visual art, we see the same truth in the works of Claude Monet. When painting the shifting light across water lilies, Monet did not hesitate or falter; each brushstroke was intentional, confident, and full of awareness. The natural world informed him, teaching that precision and fluidity, clarity and spontaneity, can coexist in every act of creation. Mitchell’s insight echoes this ancient lesson: listening deeply to nature cultivates not only inspiration but the certainty necessary for true expression.

The lesson, O seekers, is that confidence is learned through attentive observation and alignment with reality. By listening to nature, we attune ourselves to its rhythms, its assurance, and its seamless execution. Human endeavors—whether in music, art, or daily life—benefit when we cultivate the same fidelity to presence, clarity, and purpose that the natural world embodies. Hesitation and doubt dissipate when the practitioner recognizes that expression is an act of participation, not domination.

Practically, this means immersing oneself in observation, practice, and mindfulness. Spend time listening to birds, the wind, or flowing water. Notice how each sound occurs with certainty, without force or second-guessing. Seek to embody that confidence in your own actions—speak, create, or perform with the understanding that authenticity and clarity carry their own authority. Confidence, like nature’s song, arises when preparation, awareness, and intention converge.

Thus let it be inscribed upon the scrolls of memory: to act or to create with true confidence is to heed the lessons of nature, where every sound is deliberate yet unforced. Roscoe Mitchell reminds us that mastery is not only skill but the poise to express fully, the courage to participate in life with clarity, and the patience to learn from the silent authority of the world around us. By listening, observing, and embodying this certainty, one may transform expression into an echo of the natural order itself.