Healing music is such an easy and effective way of coping with anxiety…at least temporarily! Anxiety is a pervasive problem in everyday life today. Music of all kinds can have the healing effect that is so desperately needed and it is so easy to use! This is not exactly news! Healing music is actually music that makes you feel better and that has a healing effect on YOU and your body and your life. People get confused about healing and exactly what the term means. Healing is not CURING! Healing is the amelioration or improvement of symptoms.
Now what is the definition of “anxiety?” Webster’s Dictionary says that anxiety is “an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.”
Now how might music be able to help with that sort of feeling? How might music make a difference when you’re experiencing a sense of “impending doom?” This is a very individual choice and there are several questions to ask yourself:
- How has music helped to calm me in the recent past and what music was it?
- Many people like movie themes from favorite movies with happy endings!
- If I stop fidgeting and pacing and begin taking deep, rhythmic breaths, what music comes into my mind?
- For me, Dvorak’s ‘Going Home’ from the New World Symphony comes to mind!
- What are some of the pieces from my childhood that I sang at home or at school or at church, that I find comforting
- Many people have told me that “Silent Night,” “Jesus Loves Me,” and even “Hush Little Baby,” have calmed them down when they are worrying about something over which they have no control.”
The ideal thing is to make a list of favorite calming music, when you’re NOT feeling anxious or worrying. Then your brain is relaxed and freer to search around and come up with a dozen or so calming pieces.
Notice that these pieces or songs will likely have a slow to moderate tempo, be not very loud, have just one instrument or perhaps voice and one instrument, and likely have quite a bit of repetition. Choosing to music to help calm emotions is both an art and a science, but when you’ve made yourself a great list, it will be absolutely invaluable to get you through tough times when you’d rather not take a pill or medication!
I really hope you’ll try this!
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