Music - The science behind music's power to heal

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On a recent episode of a podcast, guest Amarillo Valle (pronounced Vi-yah) said, "We say, happiness is an inside job. Well, peace is an inside job, too!" 

His statement shook me. It woke me up from some deep slumber, a type of recurring dream where I kept putting others in charge of my experience, my joy, my happiness, my peace. Why did I give away my power? When did it happen? And how do I endeavor to take back the reins? I think Season Five of Curious Cat is that journey. Finding the bridge between what culture had said are two opposite forces, then harvesting the magic there.

This week's exploration of the bridge is via music. A melody can move me to tears. Singing snaps me out of a funk. Humming makes my brain work better. Music is the way the dead reach out to me most often, maybe because it's the channel I'm open to receiving information on best.

My first hint to the power of music was as a young mother. Once a week, I ventured out of the house to the local hospital and joined the moms class with my newborn. There were babies of many ages there, including some in the six to nine month range. I learned from the first class by observing, that age could get antsy, squirmy and the parent would stand up, hold the baby with two arms out front, and with the baby's back to them, the parent would rock forward and backward on their heels. That worked to calm the antsy babies. 

But if one baby began to cry, soon out of empathy, all the babies would join in. That's when we were instructed to sing, Twinkle, Twinkle, which the entire class did. And within seconds, all the babies quieted, eyes watching, calm. It was pure magic.

Some of my most potent memories of my daughters as babies involved music, playing songs on a speaker or radio and dancing with them in my arms. I'm smiling ear to ear as I share this. 

Is there a song that makes you feel calm? Sad? Brings up a funny memory? Or annoys the heck out of you?

Mine is Twelve Days of Christmas. If I'm preparing a meal for the family and that song comes on? Oh my gosh. It sends my anxiety through the roof. 

Music can help us fall asleep, a certain song can give us more energy than a cup of coffee,  enough to stay alert behind the wheel on a long drive, and impacts how we heal, recover, learn and rest. 

I've pulled the latest research from the internet and can't wait to share. 

Let's get into it.

Show Sources & What to Watch/Listen/Read NEXT

Sound Heals, the movie, Thomas Durant (on Amazon for rental)

The Healing Power of Sound as Meditation, Psychology Today

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