Long time, no post.
I tend to thrive within the structure of Emily's school year, and there's this odd adjustment period I go through when summer arrives. Before I knew it, I was attending Module 3!
This module covered the subjects of "How Music Heals" and "Paradigms of Healing." It was more of a lecture format than Module 2 which was very experiential in terms of working with our instruments. Our teacher for the weekend was Doug Bennett, a former chemical engineer who now works with MHTP and is also a therapeutic drummer. We spent much of Saturday discussing sound physics, sound theory, and some anatomy & physiology.
Doug introduced us to new theories of how the body hears. (Did you notice I said "body" and not just "ears?" Yes, the BODY hears.) The traditional theories of how the ear hears and how the brain processes sound are apparently outdated. (News to me!) There were moments I felt as though he was telling us that the world was not flat, but round. It would take a full day to type out all the theories that were presented to us that morning.
Here are some key topics we discussed on Saturday:
In the past, I have been someone who has steered clear of any so-called "New Age" or "energy" practices. However, the more I learn about them -- both through personal experience and through what I've learned in my classes with MHTP -- I find that there is so much validity in what is being done. Science is now backing up the views that our bodies are truly electric. There are energy forces in and around us that carry such power and healing capabilities.
Now, do I buy every theory I hear? Not necessarily. At the same time, I have become quite humbled in the way I approach these ideas. Who am I to say I have the corner on what is acceptable or unacceptable in terms of these discoveries (whether recent or ancient)? I firmly believe that human beings have just scratched the surface in terms of understanding how God created these amazing bodies of ours. Instead of becoming afraid and passing judgment on something I don't understand, I am listening with an open mind. After all, God reveals Himself in ALL of creation. God doesn't just represent truth. He IS truth. And He has promised that if we seek the Truth (God), we will find It.
PLAYING EXERCISES
MHTP doesn't allow "religious" music to be used unless it is specifically requested by the patient. That's all find and good -- however, do you know how hard it is to find non-religious songs with appropriate lyrics to use in this practice? REALLY hard. It's been quite frustrating for me, to be honest. I listen to the harp, flute, and guitar players in my group and have been envious that they don't have to consider the problem of lyrics.
During our playing exercises, however, it was confirmed for me (much to my delight) that when singing at the bedside of someone who is ill, it is much more effective when I vocalize (singing quiet ooo's and ahh's) with the keyboard versus singing lyrics. What a relief! This opens up my repertoire to basically any music I want! Now, this doesn't mean that I'll never sing with lyrics, but think about it: if you were laying in a hospital bed feeling like #@&%, would it feel better to hear soothing vocal sounds or the multiple verses of "Shenandoah?"
The weekend was PACKED with information, yet I came home energized. So far I have read six books and written six papers and have actually enjoyed it! Go figure ... I have four more books/papers to go.
I look forward to September's Module 4 in which we will discuss our internships as well as the etiquette and profession of being a Music Practitioner.
Bring it on!
I tend to thrive within the structure of Emily's school year, and there's this odd adjustment period I go through when summer arrives. Before I knew it, I was attending Module 3!
This module covered the subjects of "How Music Heals" and "Paradigms of Healing." It was more of a lecture format than Module 2 which was very experiential in terms of working with our instruments. Our teacher for the weekend was Doug Bennett, a former chemical engineer who now works with MHTP and is also a therapeutic drummer. We spent much of Saturday discussing sound physics, sound theory, and some anatomy & physiology.
Doug introduced us to new theories of how the body hears. (Did you notice I said "body" and not just "ears?" Yes, the BODY hears.) The traditional theories of how the ear hears and how the brain processes sound are apparently outdated. (News to me!) There were moments I felt as though he was telling us that the world was not flat, but round. It would take a full day to type out all the theories that were presented to us that morning.
Here are some key topics we discussed on Saturday:
- Sound imposes order; music is structured sound.
- Health is a state of order; disease is a state of disorder.
- Hearing is the first sense we develop as humans, and it's the last thing to go before we die.
- The rhythms of the body -- heart, breath and brain -- convey information about our current state of being. Music has a direct affect on all three of these body rhythms.
- The importance of the Vagus nerve in the Central Nervous System and how it is responsible for everything from the eyes and ears to all our internal organs. (This is the nerve we as CMPs hope to stimulate in our patients to bring about a relaxation response.)
- Conventional Medicine (allopathic medicine as sanctioned by the AMA)
- Mainstream, Complementary & Alternative (non-normative scientific enterprises)
- Parochial Healing (religious, ethno, or folk medicine)
- Integrative Medicine (a combination of any of the above healing modalities)
In the past, I have been someone who has steered clear of any so-called "New Age" or "energy" practices. However, the more I learn about them -- both through personal experience and through what I've learned in my classes with MHTP -- I find that there is so much validity in what is being done. Science is now backing up the views that our bodies are truly electric. There are energy forces in and around us that carry such power and healing capabilities.
Now, do I buy every theory I hear? Not necessarily. At the same time, I have become quite humbled in the way I approach these ideas. Who am I to say I have the corner on what is acceptable or unacceptable in terms of these discoveries (whether recent or ancient)? I firmly believe that human beings have just scratched the surface in terms of understanding how God created these amazing bodies of ours. Instead of becoming afraid and passing judgment on something I don't understand, I am listening with an open mind. After all, God reveals Himself in ALL of creation. God doesn't just represent truth. He IS truth. And He has promised that if we seek the Truth (God), we will find It.
PLAYING EXERCISES
MHTP doesn't allow "religious" music to be used unless it is specifically requested by the patient. That's all find and good -- however, do you know how hard it is to find non-religious songs with appropriate lyrics to use in this practice? REALLY hard. It's been quite frustrating for me, to be honest. I listen to the harp, flute, and guitar players in my group and have been envious that they don't have to consider the problem of lyrics.
During our playing exercises, however, it was confirmed for me (much to my delight) that when singing at the bedside of someone who is ill, it is much more effective when I vocalize (singing quiet ooo's and ahh's) with the keyboard versus singing lyrics. What a relief! This opens up my repertoire to basically any music I want! Now, this doesn't mean that I'll never sing with lyrics, but think about it: if you were laying in a hospital bed feeling like #@&%, would it feel better to hear soothing vocal sounds or the multiple verses of "Shenandoah?"
The weekend was PACKED with information, yet I came home energized. So far I have read six books and written six papers and have actually enjoyed it! Go figure ... I have four more books/papers to go.
I look forward to September's Module 4 in which we will discuss our internships as well as the etiquette and profession of being a Music Practitioner.
Bring it on!
2 comments:
Sounds amazing! I love "sound imposes order." It evokes the Creation poem from Genesis.
I love your updates. It is refreshing to know that you are using your unique abilities to do what God created you to do. You express such a sense of excitement. I can't wait to hear more.
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