How One Musician Found Mindfulness Through Music

Evelyn Reed · 2026-10-16

When you think of mindfulness, you might picture silent meditation or a yoga mat. But for Thaddaeus Washington, a musician based in Toledo, Ohio, the path to presence came through something else entirely: his guitar and a deep belief that music can heal. Thadd is the founder of MIND Music, an initiative that offers original compositions as meditative practices. His work caught the attention of Mindful magazine, which named him October’s Teacher of the Month. But his journey wasn’t a straight line. It was a slow, sometimes messy process of discovering that being present doesn’t always mean being quiet. ### The Sound of Stillness For Thadd, music has always been more than entertainment. It’s a way to process emotions, to settle the mind, and to connect with something larger. “Music is medicine,” he often says. And he means it literally. His compositions are designed to guide listeners into a state of calm awareness, much like a guided meditation. But how did he get there? Like many of us, Thadd struggled with stress and anxiety. He tried traditional meditation but found it difficult to sit still. Then one day, while improvising on his guitar, he noticed something shift. The racing thoughts slowed down. His breathing deepened. He realized that the music itself was the meditation. ### From Toledo to Mindful Thadd’s work with MIND Music has been quietly gaining attention. He performs in local spaces—community centers, schools, even hospitals—offering what he calls “sound baths for the soul.” Participants lie down or sit comfortably while he plays. The goal isn’t to entertain but to create space for people to tune in to themselves. > “I used to think mindfulness meant emptying my mind. Now I know it means filling it with the right kind of attention.” That shift in perspective is at the heart of his teaching. He doesn’t ask people to stop thinking. Instead, he invites them to notice their thoughts without judgment, using the music as an anchor. ### What You Can Learn from His Journey You don’t have to be a musician to benefit from Thadd’s approach. Here are a few takeaways that anyone can apply: - **Find your anchor.** It doesn’t have to be your breath. It could be a sound, a texture, or even the rhythm of your footsteps. - **Let go of expectations.** Mindfulness isn’t about achieving a blank slate. It’s about being with what is. - **Start small.** Even a few minutes of focused listening can shift your day. - **Use what you love.** If music moves you, use it as a gateway to presence. Thadd’s story is a reminder that mindfulness is not one-size-fits-all. For some, it’s silence. For others, it’s a melody. The key is to find what helps you come back to the present moment—and then practice it, imperfectly, every day. So the next time you feel scattered, try putting on a piece of music and really listening. Not as background noise, but as a practice. You might be surprised at what you hear.