Let music rush through you

There is something about the sheer power of music that has the ability to heal and revive one’s spirit, which sets it apart from many other art forms and sensual pleasures.

There are a few scenes from the movie, “August Rush” that brings a flood of emotions to the surface, and stirs my soul every time I watch it. The entire movie is based on this young boy’s gift for making music, and how through his music, he manages to find his parents. Its music I’ve never heard. It’s powerful and deep and inspirational. 

August Rush is blessed with a gift to hear sounds and transform it into a symphony, claiming, “the music is all around us. All you have to do is listen.” He is so desperate to be reunited with his parents, that when asked, “What do you want to be in the world? I mean the whole world. What do you want to be?” and he answers, “FOUND.” How beautiful is that?

Music certainly affects our emotions; there is no doubt about that. I am often drawn into a store when I had no intention of entering in the first place, simply because of the music playing. And when I drive, I sometimes drive a little faster (not intentionally), without even being in a hurry, because of the music I am playing.

Music surrounds us in many areas of life. Along with subliminally affecting us, it can evoke emotion, create inspiration, help us fall asleep, push us to our limits at the gym, aid our concentration and the list goes on. Recent studies have shown that listening to certain classical music can heighten particular areas of intelligence to varying degrees. For example, listening to classical music can promote healing within the body and stimulate development within the brain.

On a sensory level, many parts of the brain participate in music making. Musical sounds are processed in the auditory cortex. Pathways then carry music to areas of the brain that perform, anticipate harmonic and melodic changes, feel and remember, and read.

“An experiment undertaken by three psychologists in 1993 investigated the effect on the human brain of listening to music composed by Mozart. The study showed that improvement occurred while listening to the music, but didn’t show any long-term effects when the music was no longer playing.  The “Mozart Effect”, as it was called, has since been popularised and a set of commercial recordings are now available to the general public.”

Having a strong effect on mood and emotion, music is a way of communication, a mode of healing and a form of expression for artists and listeners. There is more depth to the melodies and rhythms than just singing and sounds, and music has been used for centuries to assist healing and manage pain. Both movies and television are excellent examples of how music is used to evoke moods and feelings so that viewers can feel the scenes.

Keep tabs of your breath and heart beat next time you’re watching a movie, and see how your body automatically responds to the music.