I've been playing guitar since '72. Always have enjoyed sitting in my living room playing and singing along with my favorite albums/cassette tapes/CDs (a chronological progression indeed). Only recently have I ventured out seeking other musicians, as I always was unsure if I was "good enough".
So there I was last night, accompanying a friend playing Calliope House on his fiddle, counting out the measures, and making all the chord changes rather mechanically. Somewhere the second time through, instead of concentrating on my guitar, I focused on the fiddle and the melody. My guitar continued on as before, but there was an added dimension - I found myself really feeling the music, instead of simply producing it. I was no longer playing my guitar based on counting measures and making chord changes, but rather I was somehow playing on an instinctive level - I just "knew" when to do what. It really was an enthralling experience, especially when it continued through several other tunes.
I can only compare this to what is called a "runner's high", when the endorphins(?) kick in during a prolonged or intense run/jog.
Anybody else out there with a similiar experience?