This study has explored the role of presence and the power of intuition in musical improvisation, drawing inspiration from Eckhart Tolle's concept of the present moment, Kenny Werner's book "Effortless Mastery," and jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein’s way of improvising. This has been presented with a combination of musical exercises that include awareness of internal thought processes. The exercises aim to cultivate a more intuitive improvisational style among musicians.   This study investigated the impact of analyzing musical phrases, engaging in active listening, and ear training, alongside cultivating presence in the moment, on enhancing musical experiences. The findings underscored the critical role of present-moment awareness in nurturing spontaneity, creativity, and emotional engagement in musical interactions for both performers and audiences. It sought to deepen our understanding of how mindful presence enriches musical expression and interaction.   Through analyzing intuition, thoughts, and awareness of ego, the study illuminated the transformative potential of present-moment awareness in fostering a deeper connection between musician and instrument, thereby elevating the authenticity and quality of musical output.

Bakgrund: Amyotrofisk lateral skleros är en sjukdom som innebär att de motoriska nervcellerna i hjärnan och ryggmärgen som aktiverar den viljestyrda muskulaturen förtvinar och bryts ner. Konsekvenser av detta är minskad muskelkraft och förlamning. Amyotrofisk lateral skleros är en obotlig sjukdom vilket gör det intressant att studera hur dessa personer erfar hopp. Syfte: Att beskriva hopp hos personer med amyotrofisk lateral skleros. Metod: En kvalitativ studie med deduktiv inriktning genomfördes där dokumentärer analyserades. Resultat: Olika hopp beskrevs vid olika tillfällen under sjukdomsförloppet. Framträdande i studien var att de flesta personer beskrev en önskan och ett hopp om att hitta ett botemedel tidigt i sjukdomsförloppet. När detta inte längre framstod som lika självklart blev hopp i form av socialt stöd och hopp om att leva i nuet mer framträdande i personernas beskrivningar. Slutsats: Personer som drabbas av amyotrofisk lateral skleros initialt hoppas starkt på att finna ett botemedel, men sedan kretsar hoppet mer kring de sociala relationerna. Ur klinisk synpunkt är det viktigt att som vårdpersonal bli mer medvetna om hur dessa personer upplever hopp för att möjliggöra att den egna identiteten och förmågan bevaras. / Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease in which the motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, that activates the involuntary muscles, atrophy and breaks down. Consequences of this are decreased muscle strength and paralysis. It is an incurable disease which makes it interesting to study these people and how they experience hope. Aim: To describe hope in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Method: A qualitative study of deductive orientation was conducted where documentaries were analyzed. Results: Different types of hope were described at various times during the course of the disease. It was prominent that most people described a wish and a hope to find a cure early in the disease. Gradually hope in the form of social support and hope to live in the present appeared as more prominent. Conclusion: People who suffer from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis initially strongly hopes of finding a cure, but then the hope revolves more around social relationships. From a clinical standpoint, it is important that healthcare professionals become more aware of how these people experience hope to enable their own identity and ability preserved.

Companies of today tend to invest more and more in workplace health promotion measures to improve employees ́ health. These health promotion measures have in particular been consisted of physical training, while the mental training have not received equal attention. Furthermore, research shows that a big part of how employees describe their well-being is based on how they experience their work situation. A few factors that have been identified to affect the work situation is work-related relationships, work environment and work-related strains. The aim of this study is therefore to contribute to an increased understanding of how employees experience that workplace health promotion in form of mindfulness can affect their work situation. The study has its basis on the Social cognitive theory and Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). In order to answer the aim, six semi-structured interviews were conducted at a consulting company in the real estate industry in Stockholm. The result showed that conclusions can be drawn about that mindfulness as a workplace health promotion in this context has a positive impact on employees work situation. The respondents stated that their relationships, work environment and ability to handle work-related strains had improved thanks to the implementation of mindfulness at work. They also stated that factors as their presence, openness and the ability to find their values had improved. The result is also supported by previous research which says that mindfulness has a positive impact on how employees experience their work situation.

The aim of the thesis is to illuminate music therapy in Sweden by exploring participant’s experiences of Functionally Oriented Music Therapy (FMT), music therapy grounded on psychodynamic theories and Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). How can adult participants’ experiences of music therapy used as individual treatment, be described from phenomenological perspectives? Theoretical framework is the life-world perspective according to Merleau-Ponty (2005), an ethical perspective according to Ricœur (1992) and a perspective of time consciousness according to Husserl (1991). Two pairs of persons comprising one patient and one therapist from each orientation participated, totally 6 patients and 6 therapists. Each couple was documented during three sequential sessions which were videotaped and followed up by an interview. Totally the study included 18 videotaped sessions, 36 interviews, notes and literature. The analyses show music therapy sessions based on rituals that can be divided into three phases: an entering-phase, a current-phase and an exit-phase which can be considered to be predetermined and governed by the music therapy orientations.  The participants' experiences of the sessions are described as transcendence, based on the participants' imagination during which they dialectically communicate and interact. However, the therapeutic processes do not seem to be fulfilled unless the participants have the possibility of using verbal narratives. Music helps them though to organize their experiences in the present moment since it possesses a natural innate structure. The results are discussed in relation to theories in music therapy and Damasios neurological theory which includes body, emotion and consciousness (Damasio 2004, 2000). Implications for theory and practice are made and considerations and suggestions for further research are put forward.

The aim of the thesis is to illuminate music therapy in Sweden by exploring participant’s experiences of Functionally Oriented Music Therapy (FMT), music therapy grounded on psychodynamic theories and Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). How can adult participants’ experiences of music therapy used as individual treatment, be described from phenomenological perspectives? Theoretical framework is the life-world perspective according to Merleau-Ponty (2005), an ethical perspective according to Ricœur (1992) and a perspective of time consciousness according to Husserl (1991). Two pairs of persons comprising one patient and one therapist from each orientation participated, totally 6 patients and 6 therapists. Each couple was documented during three sequential sessions which were videotaped and followed up by an interview. Totally the study included 18 videotaped sessions, 36 interviews, notes and literature. The analyses show music therapy sessions based on rituals that can be divided into three phases: an entering-phase, a current-phase and an exit-phase which can be considered to be predetermined and governed by the music therapy orientations.  The participants' experiences of the sessions are described as transcendence, based on the participants' imagination during which they dialectically communicate and interact. However, the therapeutic processes do not seem to be fulfilled unless the participants have the possibility of using verbal narratives. Music helps them though to organize their experiences in the present moment since it possesses a natural innate structure. The results are discussed in relation to theories in music therapy and Damasios neurological theory which includes body, emotion and consciousness (Damasio 2004, 2000). Implications for theory and practice are made and considerations and suggestions for further research are put forward.