Four Ways Music Soothes the Soul in Troubling Times
Music soothes the soul when the weight of the world is too much.
Not long ago a wave of sadness hit me as I was making my coffee. I was standing in the kitchen, waiting for the kettle to boil. Thinking ragged thoughts and feeling pretty empty. Finding it hard to believe all that’s gone on in the world in the recent past.
And without really being aware of it, my hand moved to my chest, resting there.
Just then a faint melody rose up, a sense memory of how music soothes the soul.
Tentatively I began to sing…
Nothing’s gonna harm you
Not while I’m around
Nothing’s gonna harm you
No sir, not while I’m around
Demons are prowling everywhere nowadays
I’ll send them howling, I don’t care, I’ve got ways
No one’s gonna hurt you
No one’s gonna dare
Others can desert you
Not to worry, whistle I’ll be there
Demons’ll charm you with a smile for a while
But in time
Nothing can harm you, not while I’m around
If the woes of the world have got you down, turning to music may help.
Although most of us couldn’t foresee how world events would play out (and can’t predict the future), it’s clear these events have taken a toll on our collective mental health.
According to the National Library of Medicine:
The mental health impact of recent global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geo-political events, and environmental change is likely to persist…
That mental health impact includes ongoing traumatic stress, heightened anxiety and depression, and a sense of foreboding about an unknown future.
Thankfully, we all have music inside of us to calm and ground us.
Music that comforts, that you can call upon in troubling times.
Take, for example, the Stephen Sondheim song that appeared during my recent kitchen moment. I’ve always loved it, maybe because it sounds like a lullaby to me.
In the days since, I’ve been singing it a lot.
I see now that it reflects an inner part of me trying to reach out, a combination of the hopeful child and the wise, loving parent.
And I know this part of me, and of you, is always present no matter how bad it gets or how far away we feel from it.
According to Psychology Today, there are three main ways music soothes the soul:
- The sympathetic nervous system is suppressed while the parasympathetic nervous system is heightened, indicating relaxation.
- Blood flow volume tends to rise when listening to classical music, demonstrating a relaxing effect.
- Body surface temperature rises after listening to both classical and healing music, signaling greater relaxation.
You probably have your own sense memory of how music soothes the soul.
Although a lot has been written about the types of music that are particularly soothing, right now the most important question is: What music soothes the soul of you?
When I ask clients this question, the answers are as unique as each person. So if you can, take time to remember the music that has touched or comforted you in some way in the past.
Sometimes music soothes you because it’s linked to a particular experience.
For instance, I have a strong memory of a holiday that I spent alone, and the three songs that comforted me and helped me feel less alone.
At the time I made a playlist of these songs, and I still listen to them each year when this holiday rolls around. They remind me that music soothes the soul because it meets me in the moments of pain and sorrow, and also takes me forward to other feelings that are waiting in the wings: hope, love, and belonging, to name a few.
Four ways to explore the healing powers of music right now.
Depending on how much time you have, you could try one or more of these.
- Search online for “healing music” or “soothing music.” Don’t search too long, and then when you find something, stop what you’re doing and settle in to listen. Even five minutes can be helpful. Or you might want to have the music playing in the background as you go about your day.
- Make a playlist of three to five songs that you know comfort and soothe you. You can even choose songs, like I did, that reflect a transition from sorrow to hope, or whatever feelings continuum you find yourself on these days. Listen to your playlist several times a day.
- Soon after you wake up each morning, check in with yourself and see if there’s a song or piece of music at the edge of your consciousness. Open up to whatever appears; simply give yourself over to it and listen for a few minutes. Then, if you have a streaming music program, allow it to give you more songs related to the first, without having to make a choice. This morning ritual can be a powerful mood shifter.
- Finally, go back in time and create a musical autobiography of your life in song. Although it takes some time it’s a very meaningful and deep experience, another angle from which to view your life, especially helpful during times of transition.
*****
Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart…
―
Do you need some extra support these days?
If you’re feeling a bit lost or sense that something’s missing, my free course — Finding Yourself Again — is a good place to start.
I created the course to help you reconnect with your deepest wisdom, get insight on the critical voices and beliefs within you, and begin to transform them with creative and imaginative approaches. It’s based on the same practices that have helped my clients reclaim what’s missing and move toward what matters.
You can learn more about the course here. And if you have any questions, get in touch.
