When was the last time you lost yourself in song? Music is the one true universal language, with the power even to move small creatures. I had a cat who would curl up against the stereo speakers whenever I put on classical music. A close family member once made a connection with a jumping spider who repeatedly rappelled down to her piano whenever she began to play.
Music is capable of a type of raw beauty that few other art forms can evoke, and it can tap deep into our sense of emotion. There’s a reason hymns, chants and other musical devices have such prominent roles in so many different types of religious ceremonies and worship services.
Power of Song
If you adhere to string theory, then it isn’t a far stretch to say music is the source of our very being. According to the theory, the very smallest “particles” in existence are actually tiny strings of varying lengths, which twist and contort as they vibrate. The “notes” they create allow them to function as different types of particles—photons, quarks and the like—which allow for the formation of larger creations like electrons.
You might say, from a religious or spiritual standpoint, string vibrations create the song of God. If you are of a more scientific mind, you might consider string theory as the physical basis of Einstein’s and Spinoza’s Universal vision of a higher power. From either theoretical view, it’s hard not to see the influence music likely has on every piece of matter in existence.
Just the right pitch can shatter glass. Just loud enough, a single sound will rupture your eardrums. Conversely, a mother’s voice gently singing a lullaby might ease an agitated infant to sleep.
Sing for Your Soul
The right song can lift the mood and recharge a weary mind. The whole “whistle while you work” notion really has merit to it. Song can turn a tedious task into something altogether different, with the potential even to offer moments of joy. Try making playlists for housework, exercise time and other less exciting tasks. Consider the soundtrack to a movie. How does each changing selection add to its scene’s feel? How can a similar approach apply to life’s more mundane moments?
Beyond just listening to the music you love, find songs that move you to sing and/or dance along with them. Even if just for a minute or two each day, allow yourself to be one with the music. Let it fill your spiritual well. It might not solve any problems, but it could help bring them better into perspective. And if nothing else, it will give you a moment of reprieve.
A moment to simply to be.
With everything else currently clouding this world, you deserve at least that moment. Try adding just a bit more song into your daily life and see what happens. It might have the power to change more than you’d expect.
Paper Shadows 