This is another of my blog posts where I describe music therapy interactions I've had that are indicative of why music is so healing, meaningful, enriching and sometimes life changing! And, specific to the experience described below... spiritual.
This
post describes a music therapy (MT) session with another hospice
patient, an elderly woman who I have visited for approximately six
months. The woman was raised in the south and has a southern Baptist
background, telling me the first visit... “my favorite song is
Amazing Grace...” Often the daughter, her husband and other family
and friends visited. Everyone, including the patient would reminisce
and sing church songs during our twice per month MT sessions. Matter
of fact, I had never been in a situation where people visiting during
music therapy, when singing, would sound so much like a church choir.
All were very religious and many had beautiful voices with church
choir experience.
This
morning I received a call from our friend's hospice nurse that she
was now actively dying, and that the family was requesting music
therapy. “She is mostly non-responsive now.” When I arrived the
daughter greeted me saying “lets sing mom off to heaven...” As I
sat near the head of the bed, the daughter sat on the bed, towards
the bottom, her husband between her and myself. Of course the first
thought was “Amazing Grace...” We started singing, then I stopped
everyone. I said “Mary (the daughter), take your mom's hands,”
and said to her husband, put your left hand on my back and your right
hand on your wife Mary's back... “now lets sing...” At this
point everyone was “connected” to their mom. Again, the husband,
who was singing, had his left hand on my back (chest cavity) and his
right hand on his wife's back (chest cavity) as she held her mom's
hands. The idea is that as we all sang, vibrations generated from our
voices, as the daughter held her mom's hands, was transferred, to be
felt by her mom through Mary's arms down to her finger tips as she
held her mom's hands. And besides feeling the physical vibrations,
her being able to feel and sense the spirit of the songs and her
family's love and energy is significant. Through this
experience the patient and family were comforted, the family
expressing how very pleased they were, being able to personally
comfort their dying mom with song.
Lets
now look specifically at music and sound's vibrational aspect...
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First of all, the smallest part of our universe, atoms, are made up
of VIBRATING electrons.
---
Scientists know that our earth, vibrating on it's axis, produces an
overtone or sound frequency which is (actually) 7.49 hz. The
following description below is from:
http://www.lunarplanner.com/Harmonics/planetary-harmonics.html
“The
7.8 Hz. Schumann fundamental frequency is quite close to Earth's 7.5
Hz. circumference harmonic (calculated using the speed of light at
Earth's surface)...” So vibrations from our earth are acting upon us at all times.
---
As rhythm consists of organized vibrations, know that our hearts beat
rhythmically, we breath, walk and talk rhythmically...
---
And one of the oldest forms of music, Toning, which is thousands of
years old, and even precedes sacred music, relies on the vibrational
aspects of vocal production (not singing as we know it) to benefit
individuals and groups. All cultures, except our western culture have
used Toning for healing, grieving, praying, wellness, etc. See MT
Toning 1, 2, 3 in Resource Center at the bottom left of my home page
of musicfromthestart.com for a description of Toning.
So, "Why live
music??"... To take advantage of the vibrational aspects of
music and sound. Also, because we don't have to be a talented singer
(as described above) individuals can vocalize or utilize vibrational
sounds for health and wellness benefits personally and/or for others. To do what I did above??? Lets say you have an ill
loved one... put on their favorite music and as you massage them or
hold their hands sing or hum softly with the music, or sing alone as
the family did above. The vibratory effects from your vocalizations
resonating from your chest cavity, down your arms to your finger
tips, as you gently massage them or hold their hand, will affect
them! It's wonderful!!! You will both benefit.
In upcoming posts I will continue with other music therapy/health and wellness related blog posts.
My prescription this week??? Try this concept of experiencing physical vibrations as you vocalize. Go to the Toning info described above and “give it a whirl!” (MT Toning 1, 2, 3 in Resource Center at the bottom left of my home pg) At the very least it relieves head, neck and shoulder tension and is a wonderful, pro-active way to meditate, pray and to take care of yourself. Hmmmmmm................
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