Music Therapy

Music, they say, soothes the savage beast and this is so true when we consider how music in its magical way works on our body rhythms bring harmony, literally, back into the body.

A story is told in the Bible of a King named Saul, who had an evil spirit that would torment him and make him feel terrible. It was suggested that they find someone who could play the harp and then the evil spirit would leave and King Saul would feel better. So they searched and found a young shepherd boy named David and he was commissioned to play for Saul whenever the evil spirit came upon him.

Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. 1 Samuel 16:23(KJV)

Researchers have found that certain types of music are more uplifting to the soul than others. Although you may think that a way to relax would be to listen to your favorite rock band, you are sadly mistaken. This will only rev up your engines and make you more stressed than when you started out. No, the way to personal harmony must come from a very specific kind of music. Not all music relaxes, you must personally feel more relaxed, your breathing must become slower and deeper for music to have a relaxing effect on you.

According to composer and music researcher Stephen Halpern Ph.D., "Music is not all that meets the ear. If you were to have earplugs in your ears, you cold still 'feel the music'" he explains. "That's because music is vibrations. And these vibrations affect your heartbeat, blood flow, brain waves - your entire body chemistry.

So it is by our body responses that we can tell if music is truly relaxing us or not.

In order to truly enjoy the music it is best if you can get yourself focused on it by either sitting still or lying down and really soak it in.

I realize that there are times when you just can't do this and just listening while going about your work is better than nothing, but it will not have the same effect as actually absorbing yourself in it.

I personally love to just run a hot bath with my favorite aroma, lavender. Then I light candles around the bathroom and turn off all of the lights. This is my special time when I can relax and toss away the cares of the day. In the living room, right next to the bathroom, I have beautiful classical or new age music playing softly. As it permeates the room, mixed with the scent of my bath and candles, I am in another world, totally relaxed without a care in the world.

Music, in my view, is the most influential and powerful therapy that you can provide yourself. It not only affects your soul, but your body and spirit as well.