Music for Life

by Steve Rees | Jan 22, 2024 | Effects of Music

There are many benefits we can realize from having music in our lives. Music helps us relax, and even fall asleep. Music helps us celebrate special occasions. A concert gives us a sense of elevation as we listen to the trained musicians performing classical pieces that have been handed down through time. Every culture is blessed with various genres of music that help express that culture’s uniqueness within the global community. Music helps us express our feelings. Music is what feelings sound like.

Another aspect of music is that it helps us understand how we can relate to each other in harmony. As we consider the complexity of a full orchestra with all of the various instruments and musicians that each contribute their part, we can have a sense of what type of cooperation we need to conduct life successfully within our communities.

We each have a different “instrument” to play. We each need to become skilled in “playing” our instruments. We need to follow the conductor’s leadership in bringing the whole collection together in a life performance that will be in harmony and timed well for the presentation of the piece that we have all come together to perform.

I was cruising through YouTube the other day and came across this video of a speech from Dr. Jordan Peterson.

Dr. Peterson was addressing the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference of approximately 1500 people from all over the world who had come together to discuss the possible solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. Problems of poverty, environment, health, economics, and others were discussed with many solutions being offered. Dr. Peterson was giving the closing speech, and his challenge went beyond the particular solutions that had been presented throughout the conference. I would recommend that you listen to the speech in its entirety.

Dr. Peterson laid out the path for maturing into responsible citizens of our families, communities, states, countries, and ultimately, the world. As children, we start by being very self-focused. Hopefully, we are guided out of that into a state of beginning to realize our connection with those around us. That “guiding” begins to help us learn to serve those around us. We begin to see the needs of those we are connected with and look for ways to meet those needs in service.

As we mature, those “others” become an ever-widening circle. Our gaze should become broader; more focused on others and less focused on ourselves. Like in an orchestra, we find more “different” others to be in harmony with and the fullness of the music we produce becomes richer and more complex.

Dr. Petrson indicated that most of the societal problems of today are a result of people being brought up with their eyes focused on themselves. They are worried about what they don’t have. They are taken up with their “identities” or what they look like or think they are supposed to look like. They are caught up in trying to keep up with the latest fashion trends or social fads, and become upset if they find themselves out of step with what is considered the “must haves,” or they begin to think there is something wrong with themselves if they are not experiencing the same phenomena as their peers.

His challenge was for parents to take on the task of training their children to learn to serve others; to take the focus off of themselves and become more involved in observing others’ needs. He also challenged those who were already responsible adults to commit to becoming more “other aware.” There is a great need for more of us to take on the task of realizing other people’s needs; to take on what he termed, “the weight of the world.”

He gave an illustration of the biblical Jacob’s ladder which connected this earth to that higher world of the heavenly existence. This is an existence that has no poverty, environmental trouble, disease, or social strains. He showed that as we become more aware of those around us and that circle enlarges, we climb higher up the ladder toward that better world.

Dr. Peters pointed out that this climb is predominantly spiritual. It is made by committing to developing our spiritual sense of responsibility toward the others that fall within our sphere of influence. It must be engaged by choice rather than accidentally happening and it takes work and energy.

The music metaphor is powerful to help us understand how we can successfully relate to each other.  If we can see ourselves as members of the larger “orchestra” and understand what our part to play is, following the directions of the conductor, that cohesiveness will produce the harmony and masterpiece that the world has been looking for.

Instead of looking for what other people need to do to help the world become a better place, Dr. Peterson challenged each one of us to take on the responsibility of what we can do personally. As we point at other people, more fingers are pointing back at ourselves than at others. The responsibility is ours, not someone else’s. The best program will be our responsibility to “take on the weight of the world.”

Dr. Peterson closed his remarks with an amazing statement. I believe that it sums up the true course and the only course that will make a difference.

“As a responsible citizen, bearing the weight of the world on our shoulders, we obliterate the need for tyrants and slaves alike.”

Think about it!

How Does Music Calm?

by Steve Rees | Jan 16, 2024 | Effects of Music

I received an email from a listener to my YouTube channel this morning that gave me a direction for this article. Over the years I have had many people comment on the calming effects of the harp music that I offer on my channel:    Calming Harp

This message was especially noteworthy as the contrast between “with the music” and “without the music” was so remarkable. It was also clear that there was no opportunity for conscious influence as the person was “not rousable.” The effects were purely physiological. I will share the email with you and then look at some research that helps explain this wonderful effect.

“Dear Steve,

I wrote on your YouTube channel under David Harp and Psalms (almost 3 hours of harp music) back in June regarding how this really blessed my family when my father was dying. Prior to your music playing, my father was barely conscious and not rousable but very agitated. It was very distressing for everyone to watch. Almost immediately when I started playing your music he settled right down and became relaxed. Whilst the music played, he relaxed and when it stopped, he became agitated again. It was such a blessing that I was able to play your music for him so that it was peaceful at the end. I thank YHWH (God) for your music during this difficult time.”

Under this music – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFEvDDHLonE

I will take some information from an article published in Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/music-therapy

This article looks at the discipline of music therapy and the different ways it affects the mind and body of the listener. Music therapy is now being used in many different settings including mental health, Alzheimer’s units, senior care centers, nurseries, birthing centers – and many other applications.

In dealing with anxiety, the article states, “Many studies suggest that music therapy can reduce feelings of anxiety, including in people with cancer, those undergoing surgery, and individuals going into intensive care units. Some studies also suggest that music can reduce blood pressure and the heartbeat, which can have a direct impact on how stressed a person feels.

There is also evidence to suggest that those undergoing music therapy experience reduced anxiety immediately after the session, which indicates that music therapy could be a convenient way to reduce symptoms quickly.

Music affects the amount of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, that the body releases, and reducing these hormones can help relieve symptoms of anxiety.”

It was also noted in the article that music therapy offers a non-verbal pathway to reach a person who may not be able to verbalize. The brain processes the sounds of the music without the need for verbal cues.

Quoting again, “The way that music affects the brain is very complex. All aspects of music — including pitch, tempo, and melody — are processed by different areas of the brain.

For instance, the cerebellum processes rhythm, the frontal lobes decode the emotional signals created by the music, and a small portion of the right temporal lobe helps understand pitch.

The reward center of the brain, called the nucleus accumbens, can even produce strong physical signs of pleasure, such as goosebumps when it hears powerful music.”

It is important to note that it does not necessarily require a Certified Music Therapist to achieve these benefits. If one is available, that is all the better. But many times, one is not available and that should not stop a family from using recorded music to realize some of these benefits. The family referred to in the email was using music that was available on the internet.

The key here is that there is a wonderful effect that music can offer in helping an agitated person to calm down. I even have people tell me frequently that they use it to calm their children down so they will go to sleep for a nap or keep them calmer during a road trip in the car.

Others tell me they use it for their pets. One person told me that as soon as the music started, their family dog went over by the speaker and laid down to go to sleep. Another testimony was of a woman who used my music while she milked her goats to keep them from kicking over the milk bucket.

Other articles I have written have shown that the rhythm of the music helps to “entrain” the heart into a slower pace and bring the blood pressure down. The slower pace helps the whole body and its functions to slow as well. My sister keeps a CD in her car that she calls her “go to CD” for whenever she feels herself ramping up with anxiety.

Next time you find yourself, or a family member or friend in need of slowing down, remember that music is a very effective way to slow down the rhythm and bring some sanity into an otherwise chaotic situation. Try it next time. You might be pleasantly surprised!