Sally Beare's 45th secret is 'sing in the shower'. I prefer to call it 'the power of music'.
Human beings, officially, have five senses: hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste. I believe we have more than that - one essential 'sense' is our sense of intuition. It is a sense we often, unfortunately, neglect, but it is an immensely useful and honest one. Especially women are trained not to rely on their sense of intuition. However, this blog is about music i.e our auditory sense. So let me return to our sense of hearing.
Although we all have five senses, these five senses are not developed equally among us. Just like we are not built symmetrically -- perhaps your left foot is slightly larger than your right foot - our senses are not equally as strong. For example, my most developed sense is my sense of hearing. I am very sensitive to changes in voice and can easily recognize a voice on a phone and pinpoint not just the gender (which most of us can), but also the dialect, whether English is the mother tongue and the sexual orientation. For others, perhaps, their sense of touch is the most highly developed and they are more particular about the fabrics they prefer to wear. The 'noses' or those with a heightened sense of smell are sought after by companies that create new combinations of fragrances. And a visual person will see that tiny stain on my white shirt long before I notice anything (if at all). The visual individual will derive more pleasure from a beautifully decorated room, a stunning painting or a well dressed person than an auditory individual. Of the five senses, the two most developed senses found in humans are the visual and the auditory sense. Likewise, should you be so unfortunate to lose one sense, your remaining senses will develop heightened acuity to compensate for the loss i.e. a blind person has a better sense of touch than a seeing person. One gynecologist in Austria decided to take advantage of this skill and only employs blind assistants to do breast exams. But back to music. Even if you are not an auditory person, you can derive great pleasure from music.
Although we all have five senses, these five senses are not developed equally among us. Just like we are not built symmetrically -- perhaps your left foot is slightly larger than your right foot - our senses are not equally as strong. For example, my most developed sense is my sense of hearing. I am very sensitive to changes in voice and can easily recognize a voice on a phone and pinpoint not just the gender (which most of us can), but also the dialect, whether English is the mother tongue and the sexual orientation. For others, perhaps, their sense of touch is the most highly developed and they are more particular about the fabrics they prefer to wear. The 'noses' or those with a heightened sense of smell are sought after by companies that create new combinations of fragrances. And a visual person will see that tiny stain on my white shirt long before I notice anything (if at all). The visual individual will derive more pleasure from a beautifully decorated room, a stunning painting or a well dressed person than an auditory individual. Of the five senses, the two most developed senses found in humans are the visual and the auditory sense. Likewise, should you be so unfortunate to lose one sense, your remaining senses will develop heightened acuity to compensate for the loss i.e. a blind person has a better sense of touch than a seeing person. One gynecologist in Austria decided to take advantage of this skill and only employs blind assistants to do breast exams. But back to music. Even if you are not an auditory person, you can derive great pleasure from music.
Music is good for your health. It helps release emotions and it helps express emotions. You can literally 'be moved' by music. Dancing is a wonderful way to move to music and stay in shape (if you are musical). Music has sent armies into battle, it sets the mood for romantic encounters, announces important events and helps us celebrate. Even if singing is not your forte, you have probably sung 'Happy birthday' on several occasions in public. Think of a happy time during your childhood. What music did you enjoy listening to as a teenager? When, as an adult, you happen across a favorite tune from your younger years, do pleasant memories surface?
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| my favorite instrument |
Music plays an important part in therapy. Studies have shown that music helps relax patients, reduces pain and accelerates healing. It even plays a role in prisons, when therapists are trying to elicit memories from prisoners and make them more responsive to questioning. One notable child molester was willing to open up and 'share his secrets' about how he managed to lure young boys into his 'care' when a music therapist started visiting him regularly in prison. She would commence each session by playing his favorite music with him. Ultimately she published a book about her findings.
If you are fortunate enough to be musical, choose an instrument (or your voice) and devote regular time to perfecting your music-making skills. The other day I was present when a group of fourth graders were given the opportunity to interview a 70 year old about his life and his reflections on aging. One astute 9-year old asked: "Is there anything you regret - something you wish you would have done but did not do?" The older gentleman quickly replied: "I used to be a very good flute player but never put time into developing this skill. Today I regret this."
When my father was in his middle ages, he decided to take up the piano again. He had played as a child, but WWII turned life to chaos and while building his career and caring for his family he neglected this passion. One of his favorite composers was Chopin, and after a long day at the office he would come home to relax to mazurkas and etudes. Playing the piano brought him immense joy.
If you have an inclination for music, make the time to express yourself musically. You will strengthen your immune system, keep those brain cells engaged, and it will help you relax more easily.
If you have an inclination for music, make the time to express yourself musically. You will strengthen your immune system, keep those brain cells engaged, and it will help you relax more easily.
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| an excerpt from Diabelli |
When you sing with someone, you cannot fight with them. Maybe one prerequisite for becoming the leader of a country should be the ability to sing or make music. The President or Prime Minister should be required to sing with other world leaders to solve disagreements. Better yet, dance with each other, rather than rattle sabers. Imagine the effect on world peace if Kim Jong-un of North Korea would waltz with Vladimir Putin of Russia or Bashar al-Assad of Syria would tango with Francois Hollande of France?
When I hear my son sing away in his room after school I know he is genki and relaxed. His body is in parasympathetic mode - his nervous system is at ease (you don't sing when you are being pursued by a lion). Singing or listening to music increases the amount of sIgA, secretory immunoglobulin A, an antibody found in mucosal secretions. This substance protects the intestinal lining against microbes. Music is a crucial part of a child's development and education, yet is often one of the first subjects whose funding is cut. A happy society is one filled with music.
When I hear my son sing away in his room after school I know he is genki and relaxed. His body is in parasympathetic mode - his nervous system is at ease (you don't sing when you are being pursued by a lion). Singing or listening to music increases the amount of sIgA, secretory immunoglobulin A, an antibody found in mucosal secretions. This substance protects the intestinal lining against microbes. Music is a crucial part of a child's development and education, yet is often one of the first subjects whose funding is cut. A happy society is one filled with music.
While music, especially live music. is powerful, so is its absence or quiet. Listening to natural sounds is a soothing experience. As I type this I am listening to the wind whistle around the house. Last Saturday, we hiked through the falling snow along a creek, and I enjoyed listening to our soft patter patter in the snow mix with the gentle flowing of the water.
If you are looking for a quick, inexpensive 'pick-up' without side effects, listen to your favorite music or sing your favorite song. What's the point of having ears if we do not make the most of this gift?
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