Soothing the Spirit with the Sound of Music

Throughout the annals of history, music has been one of the most widely used, most easily accessible, and most imaginatively designed tools for transforming the human condition. A melody can lift a person’s spirits out of the depths of depression and provide them with calmness and inner peace. Numerous research studies have proven that the mere sound of music can have a profound effect on a person’s physical health. Music even has been proven to have an effect on the growth and development of plants and animals.

The uses of music are infinite. Every culture in the history of mankind has used music for ceremony, religious rituals, and entertainment and celebration. Every religious text, as well as countless secular texts, mentions music in some way. In the Bible there are many references to music, such as the well-known verse, Psalm 98:4: "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises." Even entertainment venues such as movies, plays, operas, and television shows are enhanced by music that supports the story being told.

Music inspires and uplifts the soul, drawing it closer to the divine. The serenity of music can be found in nature itself, and help the mind to shift gears and acknowledge the passing of time on a subconscious level. Different melodies of nature are heard at different times of the year, signaling the change of seasons. From the singing of birds in the spring to the swelling chirps of cicadas on a summer evening, to the lull of a crisp autumn breeze swirling leaves through the trees and the soft whisper of falling snow, the world continually evolves to the beat of its internal melody.

How does music have the effect on us that it does? Whether or not you believe in the power of music on a global scale, one must agree that it has been a significant power in every civilization known to man. Researchers and scientists continually debate about the power of music over man’s mind, emotions, and even physical well-being, performing experiments and research studies that indisputably prove it.

Scientists have discovered that brain waves can be modified by sounds, and with practice one can achieve a state of relaxed concentration—sometimes called "lucid awareness"—when alpha waves are present in the brain. Music that has about 60 beats per minute—particularly classical music by Mozart, Bach, and Brahms—helps the brain to shift to lower gear, from beta waves to alpha waves. The body automatically adjusts to the rhythm and pulse of the music, and the higher-awareness alpha waves bring with them a sense of calmness and peace.

Researchers studying the connection between psychology and immunology discovered that the nerve fibers contained in every organ of the immune system deliver biological communication between the nerve endings and the immune system. So a direct physical link exists between a person’s thoughts, attitudes, and emotions, and the health of their immune system. Therefore, music gives us the ability to tap into the very core of our innate spirit that resides deep within our bodies, on a cellular level. In essence, we live in music.

Music can have a profound influence on our bodies by helping us to relax, feel better, and heal physically. But more importantly, music has a profound influence on our spirits by evoking memories, altering emotions and moods, and inspiring creativity and passion. Joel Osteen, in his book Your Best Life Now, says that happiness is a choice, and a person’s environment doesn’t prevent them from being happy. By the same token, a person can choose to be happy by focusing on making their environment a pleasant one. As Osteen says in his book, "Our lives need to be inspired, infused, filled afresh with God’s goodness every day."

Among the many tools available to people who seek inspiration, music is without a doubt the most powerful. Whether music is used to calm and soothe or to shout praises and glory to a higher being, music fills us with a power that speaks to the soul in a way that mere words cannot. The saying, "music is the universal language," is undeniably true. The power of music is nothing short of a spiritual experience.