Music has the power to inspire, calm and recharge us. It can change a brooding mood to one of joy. It can help us drift deep within ourselves and feel at peace. Music is an integral part of us.
On the health benefit side, listening to music keeps the brain engaged at any age and is especially helpful through the aging process. Research shows that music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain, improve quality of sleep, mood, mental alertness, and memory (John Hopkins Medicine).
Music is now one of the hottest trends in the wellness industry and artists are creating sounds that soothe. The music industry itself is going through a wellness transformation. There is a huge demand for healing playlists on streaming sites and meditation apps are morphing into wellness music apps.
Meditation is also becoming one of the most popular stress management strategies. It offers a natural way to calm the body and mind and helps us build resilience to stress over time. However, meditation is not an easy practice for all to embrace.
Many become restless quickly, but partnered with the right music, the beneficial results are much easier to attain. Music meditation is a great stress relief technique anyone can use. Start slow and build up your practice over time. Twenty minutes is the recommended minimum time for music meditation, however even one song can be a mood changer, relieving stress and restoring energy.
The exercise described below combines several ancient techniques of meditation with music, guided imagery and a yoga pose known as Shavasana. This practice attunes your body and mind and when done over time the healing results are undeniable.
Find a quiet place free from distractions. Put on soft calming music. We have included a suggestion at the bottom of this blog. Lie down and make your body the most comfortable it can possibly be. Put a cushion under your head and knees if needed and loosen any tight clothing. In yoga this pose is known as Shavasana, the corpse pose and is used at the end of a practice to take a journey through your body from your head to your toes.
Once comfortable, take a few slow even breaths. Feel your chest and abdomen expand on the inhalation and then exhale fully. You can put your hands on your chest and abdomen to feel the rise and fall with your breath.
Here is a video to help you with your practice. Remember to let your mind engage with each part of your body as you go through this exercise and strengthen your mind/body connection. Shavasana Guided Meditation Just getting started with soothing sounds? Try this suggestion while you do your practice. Music ~ Zen Garden
Enjoy.