Music has an extraordinary power to create magical experiences that can make our spirits soar. l had one such experience years ago when I was working as a home health nurse. It was raining heavily and I was driving to see a patient and I was running a little late. As I pulled up to her location the rain was suddenly torrential. I was sitting in my car and this most beautiful classical music began playing. I was completely absorbed in listening and overwhelmed by the enchantment of the moment. Suddenly I was lifted from this drab grey day to a delightful moment of awe. I lingered for a few minutes and then reluctantly pulled myself back to the need to exit my car and get to my patient visit. That memory still lingers to this day as a fleeting but unforgettable moment in time.
What I love is how music can stir our emotions and bring up memories. When I listen to music from other cultures, I may not understand the words butit still resonate with me at a heart and soul level.
Cellist/composer Joshua Roman shared some of his experiences of creating music in his documentary called "Drive." He offered this insight, “without telling the story of words, people can have similar experiences hearing a melody, and it doesn't depend on where you're from or what your background is, we have this unifying spirit inside of us. I'm not even sure you need ears to feel those things about music. There's just so much room and so much depth in the nuance of how we're affected by sound, there's no words, there's no colors, there's no picture, but there's melody and that makes us all feel a similar way.”
There are so many healing aspects of music that can be applied in healthcare. I know of caregivers who will bring their guitar into a patient’s home to play and sing for and/with them. These experiences create human connection in a beautiful and meaningful way.
My friend who has Alzheimer's has lost so much of her memory. Yet, she loves music and when hymns are played she happily sings along and knows all the words. Researchers are increasingly making discoveries on the healing power of music in relation to body, mind and spirit.
At work you may wish to offer music at the onset of a meeting to allow those present to transition from the busyness of their day to pause and catch their breath while letting their souls catch up with them.
The following song is by Kris Farquhar, who created this music in honor of her father’s ancestral homeland, and she describes it as “a sound wave” back in time. So, let’s settle in to a comfortable position, taking a few deep breaths and may you be open to receiving this Gaelic blessing.
Shared by Liz Sorensen Wessel
