" Let The Music Heal You Soul ... "

Oh if someone plays piano with some simple chords

So melodic and endearing too

And oh if someone plays guitar with the old piano

And maybe you can hear them sing

Music gives you happiness or sadness

But it also heals your soul ...

Oh yeah

Let the music heal you soul

Let the music take control

Let the music heal you soul

~ Backstreet Boys ~ Let The Music Heal Your Soul ~

***

We had the wonderful opportunity to experience great musicianship at the Calgary Folk Music Festival.  These past four days, “a village fifty thousand strong writes their stories on the warm summer breeze and brims with the joyous sounds of musical exploration, community and inspiration.  It’s an aural adventure; sweet and edgy, evolving and unpredictable ...”

And how sweet it was.  Usually a sold out event, about 20,000 music lovers make their way down to our inner city island in hopes their senses will allow them to experience the outside world more fully, reaching deeply into the soul.

We heard music from the world ... that was soothing and energizing.  And with it’s universal appeal, we enjoyed it without needing to know the language in which it was composed. 

You see, as human beings, we desire a lot more from our senses than the basic function of our five.  We want to be touched by the beauty of an enchanting melody and absorbed by mesmerizing art.

And the human ability to hear music at its basic function, is pretty awesome.  Waves of energy travel through the air and tickle our ear, creating a vibration that is transmitted through the ear and then via a nerve to the brain, which then compiles the information to create a beautiful melody in our head. Even more remarkable is the reality that music vibration also creates an emotional and physiological response in us.

There is a connection between music and consciousness.  Music heals as us.  Music affects our process and our emotions.  For some it induces a state of relaxation.  For others it increases well-being, which may make us more receptive to recovery.  This is because we are vibrational beings, with currents coursing through us, projecting outward, tuned to different frequencies.  We are like individual tuning forks with a symphony playing within our bodies all the time ... our chakras, organs and brain waves all resonate to particularly frequencies.

Personally, music has the ability to fulfil a psychological need at that particular point.  And although I had to prepare my meals, my medications, once I was present, I was able to forget for a wee while about anything that had to do with doctors, tests, schedules and cancer.  Music has a way of stirring my innermost feelings and all my senses ... it taps into parts unlike anything else ... it is a prescription for healing my mind.

There is one beautiful moment I witness during these past four days, I want to share with you.  A father who had his handicapped son in a wheelchair, sang to him and eventually lifted him into his arms and danced with him.  His son was elated making loud sounds of joy.  It made me realize that for the only two moments we have, hear and now, is what you make of it.  That’s it, pretty darn simple.  

“ Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy ...”

~ Ludwig van Beethoven

I surrendered to the music that played upon us, allowing everything in my being to take on the rhythmic pattern, cycle and pulse it so naturally desires ... forever grateful for the experience ...