Why Music Is Universal Stardust

There's just something about music. It has an effect on the brain that's like no other. I'm not sure if it holds a golden key to the hippocampus or the frontal cortex, or whether there's a little bit of universal stardust dancing around the beats to give it a magic power.

There are different kinds of memory, and sometimes what you can remember or not seems like a mystery. By activating implicit memory systems, music can evoke times that have passed and emotions we thought were lost. Music is a time machine.

Different kinds of music affect us in different ways. Right down to the sound, the note, or the tone. It's as if the sound is speaking to us by bypassing our ego and our conscious minds. It forces us to get out of our own way. Our instinctual beings are set free and allowed to breathe.

It sounds a little dramatic, but it's true.

When I workout, music takes my mind and body to a new place. The beat of the song is my heartbeat, and every high hit, kick of the drum, and climactic punch point is the embodiment of me pushing myself further than I thought I could go.

Music holds the same power when bringing me inward in quieter, more contemplative exercises. It weaves through my body as much as my breath does during yoga practices. It sets the tone, strips away unnecessary noise, and clears a path to focus on the essential.

I'd like to share with you a yoga playlist that helps me to do exactly that. It's a musical journey that leads the way and weaves around the workout of my mind and body.

We begin by setting the scene and the tone of our session. Starting with a simple, single voice to lead us, we're drawn in and invited to take a step into another world within us.

As we move along, the pace begins to quicken. We bound from one place to another as we're given permission to explore. The mind can find a playful balance between the external and the internal.

And while we're there, we feel a positive tone to give thanks for ourselves, the people around us, and our bodies that give us the strength to be here. The connection between sound, body, earth, space, and breath is strong.

Further explorations of sound and harmony take us to a space where we can just be and feel. The music ebbs and flows as our breath weaves throughout our bodies. We can rest the mind and let the sounds move us through time and space.

We end with a powerful and peaceful tone of healing. Everything that has come before creates who we are, but we can also acknowledge, learn, and let it all go, even if it's just in this moment.

Sound therapy can be considered a way to help heal the mind and body. Sound has a vibration, and different tones have different vibrations, influencing us in various ways as we soak them up as receptors. Using tuning forks, singing bowls, and other instruments are ancient practices that fell out of favour and are now coming back as the pendulum swings.

Spotify playlists of binaural beats are fairly common, where different sound frequencies are used to encourage different brain frequencies. This can help with enhancing focus, relaxation, or sleep, depending on the frequency.

I find this fascinating and intriguing. I certainly feel the impact of music. And I’m sure you do too, when I see you pounding the pavement to your favourite rocking anthem, heart held high and feet in step with the drums.