Music

I'm sitting here listening to the Piano Guys radio on Pandora and loving it.  The mix of songs has lifted my spirits today as I made coffee cake and readied my children to go.

Music has a powerful impact on the brain.

From a CNN article, "This is Your Brain on Music", April 15th, 2013:

Health benefits of music

"We're using music to better understand brain function in general," said Daniel Levitin, a prominent psychologist who studies the neuroscience of music at McGill University in Montreal."....
 

"Listening to music feels good, but can that translate into physiological benefit? Levitin and colleagues published a meta-analysis of 400 studies in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, suggesting the answer is yes.

In one study reviewed, researchers studied patients who were about to undergo surgery. Participants were randomly assigned to either listen to music or take anti-anxiety drugs. Scientists tracked patient's ratings of their own anxiety, as well as the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The results: The patients who listened to music had less anxiety and lower cortisol than people who took drugs. Levitin cautioned that this is only one study, and more research needs to be done to confirm the results, but it points toward a powerful medicinal use for music.

"The promise here is that music is arguably less expensive than drugs, and it's easier on the body and it doesn't have side effects," Levitin said.

Levitin and colleagues also highlighted evidence that music is associated with immunoglobin A, an antibody linked to immunity, as well as higher counts of cells that fight germs and bacteria."

Later in the article:

"Brain regions involved in movement, attention, planning and memory consistently showed activation when participants listened to music -- these are structures that don't have to do with auditory processing itself. This means that when we experience of music, a lot of other things are going on beyond merely processing sound, Abrams said.

One resulting theory is that these brain areas are involved in holding particular parts of a song, such as the melody, in the mind while the rest of the piece of music plays on, Abrams said.

The results also reflect the power of music to unite people, Levitin said.

"It's not our natural tendency to thrust ourselves into a crowd of 20,000 people, but for a Muse concert or a Radiohead concert we'll do it," Levitin said. "There's this unifying force that comes from the music, and we don't get that from other things."

In our faith, the most sacred meeting we attend is Sacrament Meeting.  This happens every Sunday, and we partake of the emblems of our Lord's Sacrifice.   During the Sacrament, we are encouraged to be reverent and quiet, and to ponder on the ways we can repent and grow closer to Christ.  We commit to involve Him more fully in our lives.  What sets the stage for this special experience?  A sacred hymn, sung together.  

One of my favorites:

1. 1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
   Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
   I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
   That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.
2. (Chorus)
   Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
   Enough to die for me!
   Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!
3. 2. I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
   To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
   That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
   Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.
4. 3. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!
   Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
   No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,
   Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.
   
   
   The singing of a hymn greatly unites our congregation and prepares us for a special experience.  
   In the New Testament,  Christ had his disciples sing with him before he performed the atonement:
   
   
   Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
   Just before He was to give up His life, he found solace and strength in singing together with his beloved Apostles.  
   
   
   
   In our church history,  Joseph Smith asked a friend to sing this hymn to him as they were preparing for their inevitable attack from a mob.  
   
   
   Last night, when my children were a bit rowdy and needed help settling down for family prayer,  we sang this hymn.
   
   
   And later, as my child of three would not be comforted, I sang a little song to him, one of my favorites.   This seemed to help.
   
   
   We have this counsel from our leaders in the beginning of our Hymn book:  
   
   
   "Teach your children to love the hymns. Sing them on the Sabbath, in home evening, during scripture study, at prayer time. Sing as you work, as you play, and as you travel together. Sing hymns as lullabies to build faith and testimony in your young ones."
   
   
   I testify of the power of music.  It soothes my soul, brings me peace, teaches me principles, and makes me happy!