Musical Connection

Stress is a trigger.  Different things trigger it and certain things bring it under control.  What might stress reducing to you, might be grating on someone else's nerves.  Case in point with music.  There are all sorts of styles of music out there, but what speaks to you and takes you away and relieves that stress is based entirely on your love for the music.  Someone could easily get lost in the lead guitar of "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd and it takes them to a whole other world that gets rid of the stress of the day.  Some would think that is nonsense because its rock music.  I think, to each their own.  What might not be healing or stress reducing to some, can be for others.  

I entered into a heated debate a few years ago, via email, with Steven Halpern, who told me I was an idiot because I thought that David Lanz was healing and de-stressing music, because that's what the album "Return to the Heart" did for me.  He disagreed and said that I didn't know what I was talking about.  Now, I know that Steven has his opinion and that's just fine with me.  I truthfully can't listen to his "beating on bells" electric piano sound or his marimba and celeste style keyboard sounds that he uses on a lot of his "healing" CDs.  Mallet sounds of beating a bell just doesn't make me want to relax especially when I feel like I'm listening to Dennis DeYoung of Styx playing "Babe" and waiting for him to sing.  Just my personal opinion of his music.  It might work for you, so knock yourself out if that's the case.  I would rather sit back and listen to David Lanz play, "Whiter Shade of Pale" or "Return to the Heart" or any track off of that great album.  It takes me somewhere and removes me from my stressful thoughts.  

A lot of people need meditation with silence, I prefer mine with music or nature sounds.  While I understand the need for silence too, I just relieve more of my stress while listening to music.  I also love to focus on something visual to help out with the music, like a fine piece of art, a beautifully arranged flower vase or just sitting in nature under a tree and watching everything transpire, focusing on the moment and letting go.  

In 1997, I remember seeing the video that Ken Jenkins put out, called "Illusions".  It had music from Constance Demby on it, along with some cuts by Iasos.  The music and the imagery were supremely beautiful.  I don't think a week went by that I didn't relax or meditate with that VHS tape, until it wore out.  A few years ago, I connected with Ken and it turned out that he actually put it on DVD and I bought another copy from him. 

There are a multitude of artist out there and everybody is different.  Search around some of these sites like Live365.com, Lastfm.com, Pandora.com and especially SoundCloud.com, where a lot of artists post full tracks and free downloads of their music.  Also put Spotify on your machine and search the music on there and let it suggest people for you.  

If the music is taking you away from your daily stress, and helping you to relax, then that is all that is needed to bring that blood sugar down and your blood pressure as well.  Listen, tune in, let it take you away and be in the present moment with the music or the visual art or just nature being nature.  Feel all those stresses melt away.  Let the music help you, heal you and move you. :) 

Peace be with you,

Dave