Music has been an integral part of healing, dating back to ancient times and recently, research indicates physiological and psychological benefits to music therapy. These benefits include reductions in blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, pain and anxiety, along with increases in tolerance levels for patients suffering from acute and chronic pain, therefore can be seen as an holistic therapy for all ages.
These are some quotes which I found and feel they are fitting to the use of music and counselling:
“There is always music amongst the trees in the garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it.” M. Aumonier
“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” E.Y. Harburg (Edgar Yipsel) (1898 - 1981)
“Music melts all the separate parts of our bodies together.” Anais Nin
“Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon the
incongruous.” Yehudi Menuhin
“It is only by introducing the young to great literature, drama and music, and to the excitement of great science that we open to them the possibilities that lie within the human spirit -- enable them to see visions and dream dreams.” Eric Anderson
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” Victor Hugo
“Where words fail, music speaks.” Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) Danish short-story writer, poet
“Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.” Maya Angelou
“It had never occurred to me before that music and thinking are so much alike. In fact you could say music is another way of thinking, or maybe thinking is another kind of music.” Ursula K. Le Guin
“In music one must think with the heart and feel with the brain.” George Szell
“If music be the food of love; play on.........” William Shakespeare
Maybe you know of some other fitting quotes?
My personal experience of music is when I was pregnant I used to put earphones over ‘my bump’ and play classical music to my unborn baby relaxing us both. When he was a tiny baby I continued to play a baby tape of ‘mother music’ which contained noises from inside the mother to settle him. As he grew I used to play music rather than switch on the TV at bath time and bedtime, depicting playtime is now over and it is time to settle. As a young adult now, he loves music and is a relaxed, placid, cool dude! Coincidence? - maybe, yet I am not a believer of coincidences!
I have a box of musical instruments which I take into schools for the children to play - much to the delight of the office staff! Children love to beat drums and will generally ‘bang’ on anything to get a noise - it is instinctive. For my clients, it is a way to help raise self esteem and awareness to parts of themselves they had not known about before. Just by repeating their name to a drum beat can be empowering.
Drumming connects with the heart beat naturally, so automatically people can feel connected emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally. Drumming courses are run for all kinds of reasons, for example team building events, raising self esteem, aiding healing and promoting health, helping mobility, making contact with self and others through dance and movement - and just because people like it! All ages in a community can participate, from children to the older generation, by contacting their natural sense of rhythm. It has been seen to considerably aid the work with children and adults with autism, where it can help release emotions and conflict, as well as being a form of communication where words are not easily accessible.
Other instruments and their sounds can contact our hearts and souls, the parts of us where we feel deep emotions or at a higher level of consciousness, for example with bells. We can make music from anything around us. Making shakers with rice or dried beans in covered paper or plastic cups; wooden spoons on saucepans; shells from the beach in a container or netting; bells in a bag; spoons - the list is as long as your imagination.
Enjoy making your music.
