Can Christmas Music Be Healing for You?

Please enjoy this excellent article by Duane Shinn
How many times have you turned to music to uplift you even further in happy times, or sought the comfort of music when melancholy strikes?Music affects us all. But only in recent times have scientists sought to explain and quantify the way music impacts us at an emotional level. Researching the links between melody and the mind indicates that listening to and playing music actually can alter how our brains, and therefore our bodies, function.It seems that the healing power of music, over body and spirit, is only just starting to be understood, even though music therapy is not new. For many years therapists have been advocating the use of music in both listening and study for the reduction of anxiety and stress, the relief of pain. And music has also been recommended as an aid for positive change in mood and emotional states.Michael DeBakey, who in 1966 became the first surgeon to successfully implant an artificial heart, is on record saying: "Creating and performing music promotes self-expression and provides self-gratification while giving pleasure to others. In medicine, increasing published reports demonstrate that music has a healing effect on patients."Doctors now believe using music therapy in hospitals and nursing homes not only makes people feel better, but also makes them heal faster. And across the nation, medical experts are beginning to apply the new revelations about music's impact on the brain to treating patients.In one study, researcher Michael Thaut and his team detailed how victims of stroke, cerebral palsy and Parkinson's disease who worked to music took bigger, more balanced strides than those whose therapy had no accompaniment.Other researchers have found the sound of drums may influence how bodies work. Quoted in a 2001 article in USA Today, Suzanne Hasner, chairwoman of the music therapy department at Berklee College of Music in Boston, says even those with dementia or head injuries retain musical ability.The article reported results of an experiment in which researchers from the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, Pa., tracked 111 cancer patients who played drums for 30 minutes a day. They found strengthened immune systems and increased levels of cancer-fighting cells in many of the patients."Deep in our long-term memory is this rehearsed music," Hasner says. "It is processed in the emotional part of the brain, the amygdala. Here is where you remember the music played at your wedding, the music of your first love, that first dance. Such things can still be remembered even in people with progressive diseases. It can be a window, a way to reach them."The American Music Therapy Organization claims music therapy may allow for "emotional intimacy with families and caregivers, relaxation for the entire family, and meaningful time spent together in a positive, creative way".Scientists have been making progress in its exploration into why music should have this effect. In 2001 Dr. Anne Blood and Robert Zatorre of McGill University in Montreal, used positron emission tomography, or PET scans, to find out if particular brain structures were stimulated by music.In their study, Blood and Zatorre asked 10 musicians, five men and five women, to choose stirring music. The subjects were then given PET scans as they listened to four types of audio stimuli - the selected music, other music, general noise or silence. Each sequence was repeated three times in random order.Blood said when the subjects heard the music that gave them "chills," the PET scans detected activity in the portions of the brain that are also stimulated by food and sex.Just why humans developed such a biologically based appreciation of music is still not clear. The appreciation of food and the drive for sex evolved to help the survival of the species, but "music did not develop strictly for survival purposes," Blood told Associated Press at the time.She also believes that because music activates the parts of the brain that make us happy, this suggests it can benefit our physical and mental well being.This is good news for patients undergoing surgical operations who experience anxiety in anticipation of those procedures.Polish researcher, Zbigniew Kucharski, at the Medical Academy of Warsaw, studied the effect of acoustic therapy for fear management in dental patients. During the period from October 2001 to May 2002, 38 dental patients aged between 16 and 60 years were observed. The patients received variations of acoustic therapy, a practice where music is received via headphones and also vibrators.Dr Kucharski discovered the negative feelings decreased five-fold for patients who received 30 minutes of acoustic therapy both before and after their dental procedure. For the group that heard and felt music only prior to the operation, the fearful feelings reduced by a factor of 1.6 only.For the last group (the control), which received acoustic therapy only during the operation, there was no change in the degree of fear felt.A 1992 study identified music listening and relaxation instruction as an effective way to reduce pain and anxiety in women undergoing painful gynecological procedures. And other studies have proved music can reduce other 'negative' human emotions like fear, distress and depression.Sheri Robb and a team of researchers published a report in the Journal of Music Therapy in 1992, outlining their findings that music assisted relaxation procedures (music listening, deep breathing and other exercises) effectively reduced anxiety in pediatric surgical patients on a burn unit."Music," says Esther Mok in the AORN Journal in February 2003, "is an easily administered, non-threatening, non-invasive, and inexpensive tool to calm preoperative anxiety."So far, according to the same report, researchers cannot be certain why music has a calming affect on many medical patients. One school of thought believes music may reduce stress because it can help patients to relax and also lower blood pressure. Another researcher claims music allows the body's vibrations to synchronize with the rhythms of those around it. For instance, if an anxious patient with a racing heartbeat listens to slow music, his heart rate will slow down and synchronize with the music's rhythm.Such results are still something of a mystery. The incredible ability that music has to affect and manipulate emotions and the brain is undeniable, and yet still largely inexplicable.Aside from brain activity, the affect of music on hormone levels in the human body can also be quantified, and there is definite evidence that music can lower levels of cortisol in the body (associated with arousal and stress), and raise levels of melatonin (which can induce sleep). It can also precipitate the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkiller.But how does music succeed in prompting emotions within us? And why are these emotions often so powerful? The simple answer is that no one knows yet. So far we can quantify some of the emotional responses caused by music, but we cannot yet explain them. But that's OK. I don't have to understand electricity to benefit from light when I switch on a lamp when I come into a room, and I don't have to understand why music can make me feel better emotionally. It just does - our Creator made us that way.
Duane Shinn is the author of the popular free 101-week online e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 84,400 current subscribers.

My Thanksgiving Healing Music Special for you

It's now Saturday of the Thanksgiving Weekend and I'm watching the final college football games, eating the last of the pumpkin pie and enjoying the bounty of friends and family that have been around me, by telephone or in person, this cold, crisp Thanksgiving week. I've enjoyed singing and listening to the music that means Thanksgiving to me and I've enjoyed putting the finishing touches on some of my new healing music products for you.

Typically, when I introduce new products, I offer them at a great price because I really want people to enjoy them and benefit from them. I am very excited this time because I have my first professionally done DVD which is a talk I did on the Healing Power of Music at Clemson University in September of 2007. I have two new ebooks and a CD/download of "Babyboomers and Music: Together Forever!" It you're interested in getting these new products at a introductory price that probably won't last more than a week, click HERE right now!

Music binds us to our families in a way that only food and love can otherwise accomplish. Click HERE right now for all the information about music and healing that you'll get when you order these four brand-new products. Don't miss it!

Music and Holiday Stress: How do you cope?

The holidays are coming, the holidays are coming!!! Do you have a plan? Do you have a musical plan? People feel very differently about holiday music. It seems to me that most people love it but I have had numerous clients and friends who absolutely don't like it and don't want to hear the first note of it.

People have all kinds of memories tied in with holiday music and for many, many people, holidays were times when certain family members got drunk (or high) and totally ruined the holidays for everyone.

For me, holiday music and Christmas music is totally connected to warm, cozy, loving, exciting memories. I feel the anticipation that I felt as a child when holiday music starts playing! Because I never feel like I'm ready to give it up in early January, I decided this year to start playing it in early November. And not because it puts me in a shopping mood because it really doesn't. No, I'm listening to it because it does help me cope with the stress of company, money management issues, and traveling to far-away places.

Do you have a stress management plan? Is music a part of it?

Music Therapy, Autism, and Dr. Tomatis

The fields of music therapy, music healing, and music medicine have been around for centuries. But I don't know exactly when therapists discovered the power of music with autistic children. Autistic children have, among other things, a great difficulty or even an absence of speech. Typically these children rarely make eye contact but miraculously they respond powerfully to music! Dr. Alfred Tomatis, with whom I studied in 1991 was one of the first therapists of our time to focus extensively on working with autistic children as well as children with PDD, and other learning disabilities. Enjoy the following story:

"By the time Debbie Clark took Adam, her autistic three year-old son, to a music therapist, he could barely speak. At the music-therapy clinic at California State University in Northridge, USA, therapists encouraged the autistic child to express himself by playing instruments and beating out rhythms on drums. They put conversations to song in order to get Adam talking."In tree months, the change was phenomenal," says Clark. "Before, Adam would never look a stranger in the eye, let alone speak. Now, after his music therapy session, he waves to the therapists and says, "Bye, Jim. Bye, Ron. See you next week." Believe me, that's music to my ears."Music, researchers around the world are discovering, can help healing in a variety of ways. Burn victims encouraged to sing while having their dressing changed experience less pain. Cancer patients who listen to music and practice improvising on instruments, for example, see their levels of stress hormones drop and their immune systems get stronger. Part of music's power comes from ability to relieve anxiety, which can suppress immune defenses as well as intensify the experience of pain. Music, especially singing, takes a person's mind off the suffering and soothes tension. "By helping patients relax, music eases pain and may even speed recovery," says Richard Fratianne, a noted professor of surgery. The experiences of autistic children like Adam Clark suggest that music's effects reach deeper, even influencing brain development. The therapeutic use of music seems to activate different parts of the brain, including networks associated with motor control, memory, emotion and speech, explains neuroscientist and musician Michael Thaut. In his own work, Thaut is using the close link between music and movement to help people slowed by strokes, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease.Says Northridge music therapist Ron Borczon: "Traditional healers have used songs and drumming for centuries. We're simply rediscovering what they always knew -- that music, through its profound effect on mind and body, can be a potent way to help people get well."

More testimonials for music's healing power

From Beethoven to the Beatles, music has the unique ability to uplift people’s hearts and provide a sense of hope as they travel on an often-difficult road. Without a doubt, the most rewarding concerts we’ve played over our careers have been during the two years we volunteered at the Connecticut Hospice in Branford, Conn. The peaceful, serene, and intimate setting overlooking the ocean moved us to write and perform music that would uplift and soothe patients and their families.By performing for residents at the nation’s first hospice, we hoped we’d be able to provide a sense of much-welcomed solace. But we had no idea just how much of an effect it was going to have – on patients, their families, and on us. The music, whether it was upbeat or relaxing, made an incredible impact on the patients, and only reinforced our beliefs about its power to heal.You could see people’s faces light up as soon as our fingers hit the keys. They hummed and sang along. The songs elicited mixed emotions – from great happiness over hearing a familiar tune, to a deep sadness as they realized that they were nearing the end of their journeys. But even when a song brought up a bittersweet memory, it allowed them to connect with fond memories from their past, or re-experience long-hidden emotions. “As Time Goes By” from “Casablanca” was a particular favorite, and seemed to allow people to turn inward and reflect on their lives.One patient’s daughter told us that her mother had been a musician decades before, and hearing the piano music transported her back to the happy days of her childhood. Another family member told us that their father looked forward to our weekly performances more than words could even describe.We’ve had doctors tell us they play CDs of our relaxing piano music in the hospital to calm patients before surgery. They say the gentle melodies alleviate anxiety, and that if someone is relaxed, they need less anesthesia. Hearing familiar tunes can trigger strong sensory images and feelings. Music can wrap a person in a calming blanket of memories.When our own father was ill, he listened to our music in the hospital, and it brought him a great sense of peace. And for us, his family, it warmed our hearts to know he was experiencing tender memories and feelings, even while he was in great pain.We’re convinced that music has an amazing ability to offer a tangible sense of hope and encouragement for people dealing with the difficulties of life and death. Whether it’s coping with the illness of a loved one, or trying to understand a tragedy that doesn’t seem to make any sense at all, people remind us time and again about music’s power to soothe, heal, and help them get through difficult times.

Take it to heart folks! It's really true!

Alice

Using music to cleanse mind and body

Today I found an interesting blog called "Cleansing Blog" that presents lots of different methods for "cleaning" and "cleaning out" the mind and body. Enjoy this unusual post:

Music has always been a very important part of our lives, from childhood to our being an adult. As a part of our experience, music can have both a physiological and psychological affect upon us as human beings. In addition to the influence that it has on our life, music also has many therapeutic qualities and has been utilized in promoting a variety of healings throughout the ages. As we know further, music can be a very powerful medium for altering our state, of changing how we actually feel. More specifically music can be very effective in producing a very deep and healing state of relaxation and in the process, reduce stress and even promote sleep. Music can also be used to assist one in improving his or her self-esteem and furthering an individual’s personal growth and development, transformation.

New book on music as medicine

Wanted to let you know about a new book in the field of Music as Medicine: Please feel free to add your own review!

Music is Healing, a new book by Dr. Frances le Roux, Ph.D., highlights the effect of music on the immune and endocrine systems, pain, emotions and spiritual well being.
In Music is Healing, author Dr. Frances le Roux provides practical guidelines and evidence related to the effectiveness of music's therapeutic applications in medicine, particularly physiotherapy in practice and in hospitals. Dr. le Roux demonstrates how music can affect health directly by changing a patient's biomedical and psychosocial levels and altering spiritual dimension. Therefore, suggests the author, music can infiltrate all aspects of healthcare.
In a global world, the power of technology and science has reduced the role of personal virtue in medicine, but music puts the practice of medicine as both a science and an art together again. Not only does music look after the biomedical and psychosomatic aspects of an illness, but it also builds better relationships. In a world of suffering, music can restore empathy and spiritual well-being for both the patient and the health professional.
Dr. le Roux's own belief in the practical value of music in medicine was realized when she encountered a thyroid problem 16 years ago. She was diagnosed late with hyperthyroidism and as a result, developed hypothyroidism and a thyroid eye disease. However, by listening to music, she has mastered the sub-clinical symptoms. Like the author, readers will discover how music energizes the body and mind in Music is Healing.
Dr. Frances le Roux has been a practicing physiotherapist for the past three decades. For the last 18 years, le Roux has been in private practice at Hove To Medical Centre in Fish Hoek, Cape Town, South Africa, where she uses music as a functional intervention during physiotherapy treatment. She holds a master's degree (University of Western Cape, South Africa) and a doctorate degree (Stellenbosch University, South Africa). The author is a member of the International Society of Music in Medicine and has authored several articles on the subject of music in medicine, which have appeared in various academic journals.

The Healing Power of Music

Shakespeare once said, “If music be the food of love, play on”. The power of music over the human mind is enormous, and that’s putting it lightly. Music therapy is the use of music for therapeutic purposes by a trained professional. The idea of using music as a healing influence dates back to the time of Plato and Aristotle. In the modern world, music for therapy came to the fore when musicians played for war veterans to cure them of physical and emotional trauma. Since many of the patients responded well, nurses and doctors began requesting the services of musicians for therapy.
Soon, music therapy became recognized as an effective and scientifically-backed mode of treatment. The first music therapy degree program ever was established in 1944 in the State of Michigan, U.S.
A trained music therapist gauges the emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning and cognitive skills through the patient’s responses to music. Once the assessment is complete, the practitioner designs music session for individuals or groups. The therapeutic music is prepared based on client needs and uses music improvisation, song writing, lyric discussion, imagery and musical performances.
Using music for therapy can be a very powerful way to reach children and adolescents. Elderly people and people with developmental and learning disabilities, people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and age related problems and people in acute pain also benefit from music therapy. Music therapy is a powerful way to help people express their feelings.
Professional music therapists are usually found in rehabilitative facilities, psychiatric hospitals, medical hospitals, drug and alcohol programs, nursing homes, correctional facilities, schools and private practice.
Some people mistakenly believe that a patient needs to have some particular musical ability to benefit from therapy. There is no one particular style of music that is more therapeutic than the rest. Any style of music can be equally effective. Any person can be a patient. The patient’s background, needs and history help determine the type of music used.
Even healthy people can make use of the healing powers of music. Listening to or making music, playing or drumming can greatly reduce stress and improve productivity. Research shows that music is a vital support for physical exercise. Music therapy is even said to assist labor and delivery.
In hospitals, music therapy is used to alleviate pain and is often used in conjunction with anesthesia or pain medication. A question that is often raised is why use music if anesthesia does the same thing? Music helps because it dissolves emotional barriers and elevates the patient’s mood. Music also counteracts depression, calms and even sedates patients. In a nutshell, music helps reduce muscle tension and brings on a deep and satisfying relaxation.
Since 1994 music therapy has been identified as a reimbursable service in the U.S. Music therapy is considered ‘active treatment’ when it meets the following criteria:
-Is prescribed by a physician
-Is reasonably necessary for the treatment of the injury or condition
-Is based on a documented treatment plan
-Is showing some sort of result in the patient
The future of music therapy is indeed very promising as more and more research supports the effectiveness of music against diseases like Alzheimer’s and chronic pain.
Homeopathic Medicine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Cho

Healing, Feeling, and Rhythm: What's it all about?

Can music alter the way we think? Of course it can! Recently I ran into one of my former piano professors, a man that I had studied with long ago at a seminary here in Louisville, KY. His name is Maurice Hinson and he is retired but still quite a productive scholar. He mentioned some of the things he is engaging in and proceeded to explain how music can actually alter the way we think. Being very interested in the role of music and rhythm in relation to healing, I asked for his opinion on the therapeutic role of music. The reason this has taken on a very important role for me has to do with my research on depression and spirituality. While working with individuals with chronic depression, many indicated that music played a very important role in helping them cope with depression. I've heard this over and over and I know it to be true personally. What role does rhythm play? In my opinion, music is about emotion. Music expresses the type of emotions that words are not capable of. I believe that perhaps when one listens to music, in a way, one is able to find an expression to what goes on deep within one’s soul. And through the process of identification, this becomes a form of self-expression that articulates deep feelings that transcend words. What do you think?

Nurses sing lullabies to unborn sextuplets

Recently the TODAY show featured a mother who is expecting sextuplets! During the feature, a picture of six nurses standing at the bedside, singing in close harmony a lullaby to the unborn babies. The words were "sleep, sleep my dear little angels, until at least May 31st!" The babies are at 28 weeks gestational age and they need to be 30-32 if at all possible to be healthy enough.

Just about this time many, many years ago, I was born! In order that you might also benefit from this I'm offering you a really special deal on some of my music healing products.

This link will expire on May 31st.

A visit with my music healing mentor

This week I have been on vacation in Sarasota, Florida and I had the supreme pleasure of visiting with my dear friend and mentor, Arthur Harvey. Arthur has recently moved from Honolulu to Sarasota area and so we made plans to meet when I found I would be in his "neck of the woods!" If you've ever heard one of my workshops, seminars, or lectures, you've heard about Arthur and how he gave three day-long seminars on "Music and the Brain" "Music and Stress" and "Music and Your Health." After attending these seminars back in Spring 1990, I knew that this was the field I wanted to be in. Arthur has patiently guided me through some treacherous waters and enabled me to do workshops in Hawaii and other exotic locations. Arthur, thanks for everything!

Free Toning and Chanting Group in Louisville, KY

Do you live in Louisville, KY? Do you want to learn about the power of sound, the power of the voice and the power of drumming or playing an instrument? Then please sign up for my free workshops that I'll be offering from now until the end of June. This is in preparation for a presentation I'm doing in San Diego in mid-July and I want to work with as many people as possible between now and then.

The classes will be at my office at 2518 Frankfort Avenue and if they go well and I reach lots of people, I will continue them into the Fall. The classes are from 2-4 every Saturday afternoon except Derby Day and the Saturday afterward. Please email me immediately if you're interested. Space is limited and I have about a dozen so far. Hope to see you!

alice

5-Star Hospitals

You probably know that I am almost sixty-years old by now. I don't try to hide it because I value every moment I've spent on this earth and would not take away a moment of it. My point being that I've been in lots of hospitals all over the world. I've been a patient and a visitor in hospitals from South Carolina and Kentucky to hospitals in Nervi, Italy and Vienna, Austria. Like anyone else I've had good and bad experiences in all of these places.

Recently I've heard about what they're calling 5-star hospitals that have luxurious accomodations and appointments, live music in the waiting areas and gourmet menus to choose from. Does insurance cover this? I doubt it. Does the quality of medical care match the quality of the rooms, food and decor? I feel sure that it does, but I want to believe that the quality of care has nothing to do with the luxury or lack of luxury of the room. What do you think?

Itshak Perlman demonstrates healing power of music

On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small achievement for him. He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches. To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully a nd slowly, is an awesome sight. He walks painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he sits down, slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and proceeds to play. By now, the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he makes his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is ready to play. But this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it snap - it went off like gunfire across the room. There was no mistaking what that sound meant. There was no mistaking what he had to do. We figured that he would have to get up, put on the clasps again, pick up the crutches and limp his way off stage - to either find another violin or else find another string for this one. But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra began, and he played from where he had left off. And he played with such passion and such power and such purity as they had never heard before. Of course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that. You could see him modulating, changing, re-composing the piece in his head. At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to get new sounds from them that they had never made before. When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of applause from every corner of the auditorium. We were all on our feet, screaming and cheering, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done. He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet us, and then he said - not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive, reverent tone - "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left." What a powerful line that is. It has stayed in my mind ever since I heard it. And who knows? Perhaps that is the definition of life - not just for artists but for all of us. Here is a man who has prepared all his life to make music on a violin of four strings, who, all of a sudden, in the middle of a concert, finds himself with only three strings; so he makes music with three strings, and the music he made that night with just three strings was more beautiful, more sacred, more memorable, than any that he had ever made before, when he had four strings. So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.

Greetings from Las Vegas

Greetings from Las Vegas! I'm in town for a family wedding and have been doing a little analysis of the music I hear here. By and large, I find it not healing, BUT, as I always tell people, healing music is in the ears of the hearer. I find the hotel lobbies particularly full of noise polution, given all the dinging and blinging of slot machines! Not music to my ears!

An exception would be when I went into the shops of Celine Dion and Elton John and heard their music playing. I happen to enjoy both of these artists and their music so I found these shops to be little oases in the desert of casino. Make sense? Keep reading this blog each day (or one of the others) and it will begin to add up for you! Until next time, keep singing!

Could Music Be a Secret Weapon in the Super Bowl??

Can music affect the outcome of the Superbowl? It may sound crazy but maybe you haven't heard my famous football story: two high school football teams here in Kentucky were playing a championship game. One team was absolutely crushing the other team and their morale was going down, down, down. The losing coach was desperate for a breakthrough when suddenly the band director had a brilliant idea. He decided his "pep band" would take the other team's fight song and play it in a minor key every time they got to the goal line and were about to make another touchdown.

Now you know what a minor key is right? A minor key sounds dark, scary, gloomy and is just a half-step different from a major key! You can take any song or melody and easily put it in a minor key. Back to the story though. When the Pep Band played the other team's fight song in a minor key, it immediately rendered them weak, ineffective and powerless! The losing team actually caught up and won the championship game!! Later, the band director was disciplined and told never to do this again because it was unfair tactics!! Should you send an email to your team? It could be a secret strategy!

Music is healing for fishermen in Virginia

Last night I was watching the CBS evening news and saw a fascinating story about some older gentlmen, probably in their 60's or 70's who were trying to keep alive the ancient art of "sea chanteys." They interviewed several of the men who said they hauling in nets full of fish was very hard work, but when they all sang together as they pulled in the nets, it made the work so much easier because it not only got them into the rhythm of the work, but it also made the time pass faster. These fishermen have now gotten together a performing group that is trying to keep alive this art of singing "sea chanteys" some of which are undoubtedly hundres of years old? Do you sing while you work??