CHAPTER 14: THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION TO MUSIC
Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast,
To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.
– William Congreve, author
The majority of my classes begin with a volunteer selecting a CD from an assortment I bring to class. These CDs consist of flute or acoustic guitar, classical music, ocean or nature sounds, or any of the other relaxing and meditative options I may have on hand.
The selection of music is important because it sets the tone for the class. Or, as one of my students once said, “It creates a nice backdrop for the class.”
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Music can be such a powerful tool for lowering stress, or for getting into a meditative state.
Why?
Because the body and the brain resonate with the frequencies around them.
OK, so, what does that mean?
Think about the role of a cheerleader. Ask any athlete what happens when the cheerleaders get the crowd all pumped up and the crowd begins yelling and screaming at them. The team gets charged up with that energy. The athletes’ bodies and brains are resonating with those frequencies.
Now consider a soft, soothing melody playing in the background while you are reading, doing homework, or just resting. You begin to relax.
The effect this gentle, soothing sound has on your body and brain is going to be quite different from the effect the sounds of the screaming crowd has on the athlete.
Another example: you go to a school dance or other activity where everyone is dancing wildly to loud, pounding music. Movements are frenetic, arms are waving, and bodies are bouncing all over the place.
You may have been calm and relaxed when you first walked into the room, but soon you begin to feel the excitement, too.
Your body and brain are resonating with the frequencies in the room.
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Effects Of Music And Sound On The Brain
Rhythmic sounds produce a vibration which has a profound effect on the activity in our brains.
Many cultures use chanting, drums, gongs, chimes, and other instruments to create meditative sounds.
While studying the Shamanic State of Consciousness, a researcher named Melinda Maxfield discovered that the rhythmic beat of a drum struck 4.5 times per second was the key to transporting a shaman into the deepest part of his shamanic state of consciousness. That 4.5 beats — or cycles — per second correspond to the Theta state of brain wave activity, which is the most conducive to meditation.
Sound is measured in cycles per second (cps) or hertz (Hz). The average range of hearing for the human ear is between 16 Hz and 20,000 Hz. While we cannot hear extremely low frequencies (ELFs), we can perceive them as rhythm.
Researchers have studied neuro-acoustics and have produced music or sound CDs to aid in achieving specific states of brain wave activity, such as the Theta state.
NOTE: You should use caution when you subject yourself to any outside source which attempts to alter your brain in any way! This includes music.
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Music can cause the release of those feel-good endorphins into your body — which will make you feel good if you select a type of music that is soothing.
The type of music you listen to is certainly going to have an effect on you. Your body and brain resonate with the frequencies around you. (Remember reading that?)
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Selecting Music For Relaxation — An Experiment
When my son was in junior high back in the late 1980s, he conducted an experiment as a science fair project to determine the effects of music on plants.
He purchased five plants of the same size and variety, and put them on a shelf in his room.
Every day, he would place headphones on the pot of each of four plants and play a different type of music for each, keeping the fifth plant as a control (meaning it didn’t get to “listen” to any music.)
He played an assortment of classical, country, classic rock, and heavy metal for the four plants — exposing each to its assigned music for about five minutes, twice a day, over a period of about three weeks.
He documented his observations each day.
Because I love classical music, I had hoped that the classical music plant would flourish. Wrong. The classical was the smallest and “droopiest” at the end of the experiment; the heavy metal was the firmest and most wild-looking.
In retrospect, it all made sense. The softer frequencies “softened” and relaxed the classical plant; however, harsher frequencies “hardened” the heavy metal plant.
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And So It Is With Our Bodies And Our Minds
When you expose yourself to loud, harsh sounds and a high energy environment, you will feel more stressed than when you expose yourself to smoother, softer, more relaxing sounds in a calmer environment.
When you are stressed and looking for a little relaxation, you need to surround yourself with softness — including the music you choose to play.
When you are preparing to get into a relaxed or meditative state, consider your surroundings. Find a quiet place where there will be no interruptions or distractions. And, play some appropriate music to help you relax.
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What Difference Will It Make?
I had a student who shared with me that he used to listen to a lot of loud, harsh rap music. It’s what he liked, and it’s what his friends liked.
He noticed that he was always angry, had a “short fuse” and was getting into a lot of fights.
He had been in one of my classes when we discussed the impact music has on us; how we resonate with the frequencies around us.
Following that class, he said he started rethinking his choice of music; he made the decision to start listening to other types of music instead, including a Christian music radio station known for its positive and encouraging music. He got into the Christian music and listened to it more than any other type.
Within a few weeks of this decision, he had noticed a change in how he felt, and he told me that he found he was reacting differently to things. He wasn’t angry all the time, and hadn’t been getting into any fights.
The last time we spoke, he said he felt calmer, and that he smiled more now.
I smiled, too...
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STUDENT CHALLENGE!
If you are interested in learning about earth frequencies, research the Schuman Resonance — the resonant frequency of the earth’s electromagnetic field.
You also might want to do some research on the sounds of outer space.
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THINK TIME:
Think about the types of music you listen to,
and the effects of that music on your body and brain.
PART TWO
THE HOWs and WHYs
and OTHER LESSONS
Science is not only compatible with spirituality;
it is a profound source
of spirituality.
– Carl Sagan,
scientist / astronomer