I am going to start on a personal level. I was in hospital for over a month four years ago and it was awful! I was frightened and even though all my boys, my husband and lots friends visited me I was lonely. At that time I had a page on LastFM and all the messages of encouragement and kind inquiries after my health , helped me so much.
It was music that helped me I could not sit up and had to lie flat so reading and watching TV was difficult . Lots of music and books on my ipod . I truly believe that without the music I could not of got to where I am today . So to start here is one track that got me through, weeks in hospital months and months of physio and on going walking and gym. Thank you Imogen Heap you are a hero!
Imogen Heap
Next is a silly but truthful song from the Film Mary Poppins, Spoon full of sugar. Music is always a sugar does and it always helps the medicine taste better.
Julie Andrews from the film Mary Poppins.
Music as Medicine. Music in hospital , I would of been helped by this therapy.
Now Gregory Isaacs with the fabulous Night Nurse such a relaxed and in it’s own way happy song it just has to heal!
Gregory Isaacs
Healing music to sooth the soul.
Robert Gupta: Between music and medicine. A talk well worth listening to.
Nawang Khechog – Music as Medicine
Sound Medicine – Solfeggio Healing Meditation Music; Celestia
My Dad always told me music soothes the fever brow. My dad’s word is good enough for me
Female, wife, full time mother and Grandmother. I am not as happy go lucky as I used to be but I am still bubbling along on simmer! I have three handsome sons all grown and flown.The youngest married with a beautiful wife and two sons of his own. Eleven years ago I was working, running a home, driving and socializing then bang in a split second all that was gone. I had an accident at home. I broke my back, not for the first time, I had broken it 10 years previously as well. Unfortunately this time I had broken it really badly and it was truly messed up so I had to have two operations. I was told before each operation that the outcome could mean I spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Still as some guy once wrote "I am still standing " yes "better than I ever was " not quite but with the help of a walking stick and as long as I do not stand or sit in one position for too long, I am still standing! Update I no longer use the walking stick . I had lots of friends before the accident but when things like this happen, you loose most of them. Their lives move on and mine stood still and so they left me behind ...I know that is just the way life is but it hurt and always will. Then I looked around and saw those who were still there for me, these friends are the roses in my garden they need to be tended well. They are the diamonds in the dust, I will of been married 50yrs plus this year . Pain and boredom are my enemies now, I have to find different ways to approach life, use my pain befriend it almost...yer right , well that is what they tell me at the pain clinic ROFLMAO ...... if only I could! I have found an outlet for my fears, frustrations and night terrors . I have started writing poetry if that name can be applied to my writing. I hope I do not come over as a moaning winger. I hope I am past all that. I also hope that you might see how the poetry is moving from very dark through the grey and
hopefully in to light ??
I need to update this a little here. I have worked very hard over the years since my accident, I go to the gym regularly, I have a Pilates class and a core class once a week . The guys at the gym and my Pilates teacher cajoled, teased, bullied and encouraged me to abandon my walking stick! :) My back is no longer straight it is C shaped because of the injury and I have lost two and a half inches in height but my Pilates and Core teachers have helped me to stand up as straight and as strongly as possible. Pain and depression are still hanging on my arm but I have weapons to use against them and if I say so myself I cope well.
I have made lots of new friends, real diamonds. I am also very grateful for all the support and help I have encountered here on Wordpress. Hugs and welcome to everyone who visits.
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29 thoughts on “Music as Medicine. Sorry this is late.”
I liked Imogen and Gregory. 🙂 Dr IGupta’s TED talk, and violin were wonderful, too. I’m so glad you were able to get out of that bed and can now wear pretty boots and strut. And I hope DANCE. Thank you for this insightful blog.
I can’t quite dance yet but I am working on it!! Thanks Bear!! I actually emailed Imogen Heap and told her my story and she was kind enough to answer me. xxxx
That was generous of YOU to share with her her influence. You know how good it makes you feel for someone to let you know if your work has helped or inspired them. She must have felt good, too. I don’t imagine fan mail is quite the same as letting an artist know that you have been touched and helped. Thank you for revealing this. XXXX
This was good medicine for me, Willow. I’ll take it to the hospital tonight for L. I posted today, some about music, but without any music. It was what I was able to do under the circumstances. Thank you. 🙂
Hi Johnny I am running so far behind on comments apologies I am catching up.I was busy yesterday I did not get to post!! Anyway I am so glad it helped you . I have put an extra Imogen track here especially for L. It full of hope and joy and is beautiful to watch and listen to. I wish you all the very best! hugs xxxxxxxxxx
Hi not sure of the relevance of this one for reblogging but you can have my permission to reblog the Teenage car crash. Could you link back so I can see it. Please be mindful of the fact that I wrote the poem and I own it. All the best willow
I believe music does have a healing effect. My youngest daughter taught herself piano and often came home from school and began playing immediately. She would be tense and stressed out but after playing for an hour she would be cheerful and relaxed. She also plays violin, cello and Irish whistles. Her cello gives me chills but the piano brings tears.
Hi Jackie this is a wonderful answer. It is so good to hear how music has helped your daughter. What an amazing talent she has. You say she taught herself piano that in itself is brilliant. Do you mind me asking is or was she bullied at school, you say she would come home stressed. I only as because I was and I am so impressed that she found her own therapy. Keep well and happy and thank you for reading. xx
My daughter was given an electronic piano (about 24 inches wide) as a small child and she began to blossom immediately. She did so well that my husband got her a larger one that still was not a full piano. One Saturday we were passing a music store going out of business and she wanted to stop and “just look.” She sat down and played this piano like a pro; people stopped to watch her. She has never had a piano lesson. I HAD to get her that piano even though my husband would flip because we did not have a lot of money.
She is just very musical; we watched “Waking Ned Devine” and she asked for two Irish whistles. She played alright but then she put them in her nostrils, one in each, and played.
She asked for a violin and I gave her a year’s worth of lessons and then she joined a philharmonic and got better. She decided to learn to read music and excelled.
Her passion was art so she went to Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). While she was there Yo Yo Ma came with his Silk Road Ensemble and she was chosen to be liaison to Ma and the group to RISD for a year. That is where she began to love cello. She did not get a cello until she graduated from RISD and went to another school for her PhD.
You asked about stress, school and bullies… Kelsey was well-liked by everyone; she had what many thought was the perfect life: friends, academic success, a great boyfriend with medical aspirations, etc. The problem with mood and depression came in cycles, it turned out it has to do with her period. She also has PCOS which affects the mood and cycles.
Music most definitely is her self-therapy. In school there was always pressures for reports, projects, tests, grades – and to do well. The do-well pressure cam from within her, not me or her dad. Kids have it harder now more than ever and that pressure shows in some as bad behavior, some as eating disorders, cutting, etc.
The thrill for me was to listen to her from another room as I worked from home or prepared dinner. I’d hear her come in, drop her books and begin to play. Moonlight Sonata, Rhapsody in Blue, etc. until she stopped and came in for her afternoon snack. The music transformed her every day.
Thinking about her several days ago I wrote and posted a short story about her second year in college as an exchange student in Italy. She was starving for her piano so I’ve included a link to that story here:
This is a beautiful story ( I know it is the truth) I am happy to hear how blessed your daughter is. I am sorry to hear of her mood swings ….. No one has everything and she does have the wonderful blessing of music. I read your other post thank you for redirecting me there. Be well and blessed! xx
Hi willow–I’m catching up too.
We’ve got some common ground here. That’s good from my perspective.
Glad you were able to relate so directly to Heap for her music help with healing.
Great post with wonderful responses. 🙂
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willowdot21 
I liked Imogen and Gregory. 🙂 Dr IGupta’s TED talk, and violin were wonderful, too. I’m so glad you were able to get out of that bed and can now wear pretty boots and strut. And I hope DANCE. Thank you for this insightful blog.
I can’t quite dance yet but I am working on it!! Thanks Bear!! I actually emailed Imogen Heap and told her my story and she was kind enough to answer me. xxxx
That was generous of YOU to share with her her influence. You know how good it makes you feel for someone to let you know if your work has helped or inspired them. She must have felt good, too. I don’t imagine fan mail is quite the same as letting an artist know that you have been touched and helped. Thank you for revealing this. XXXX
I have emailed you about this bear! 🙂
Thank you, Willow.
Thank you.
Music is a powerful healer!!
yes it is!! 😉 xxx
I can’t play any of it on my work wifi but definitely checking it out when I get home 🙂
I really hope you enjoy it !!
Absolutely loving it! xo!
That is good to hear!!
This was good medicine for me, Willow. I’ll take it to the hospital tonight for L. I posted today, some about music, but without any music. It was what I was able to do under the circumstances. Thank you. 🙂
Hi Johnny I am running so far behind on comments apologies I am catching up.I was busy yesterday I did not get to post!! Anyway I am so glad it helped you . I have put an extra Imogen track here especially for L. It full of hope and joy and is beautiful to watch and listen to. I wish you all the very best! hugs xxxxxxxxxx
I hope it all helps Johnny!
Can I have your permission to tweet this on my twitter?
Hi not sure of the relevance of this one for reblogging but you can have my permission to reblog the Teenage car crash. Could you link back so I can see it. Please be mindful of the fact that I wrote the poem and I own it. All the best willow
I believe music does have a healing effect. My youngest daughter taught herself piano and often came home from school and began playing immediately. She would be tense and stressed out but after playing for an hour she would be cheerful and relaxed. She also plays violin, cello and Irish whistles. Her cello gives me chills but the piano brings tears.
Hi Jackie this is a wonderful answer. It is so good to hear how music has helped your daughter. What an amazing talent she has. You say she taught herself piano that in itself is brilliant. Do you mind me asking is or was she bullied at school, you say she would come home stressed. I only as because I was and I am so impressed that she found her own therapy. Keep well and happy and thank you for reading. xx
My daughter was given an electronic piano (about 24 inches wide) as a small child and she began to blossom immediately. She did so well that my husband got her a larger one that still was not a full piano. One Saturday we were passing a music store going out of business and she wanted to stop and “just look.” She sat down and played this piano like a pro; people stopped to watch her. She has never had a piano lesson. I HAD to get her that piano even though my husband would flip because we did not have a lot of money.
She is just very musical; we watched “Waking Ned Devine” and she asked for two Irish whistles. She played alright but then she put them in her nostrils, one in each, and played.
She asked for a violin and I gave her a year’s worth of lessons and then she joined a philharmonic and got better. She decided to learn to read music and excelled.
Her passion was art so she went to Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). While she was there Yo Yo Ma came with his Silk Road Ensemble and she was chosen to be liaison to Ma and the group to RISD for a year. That is where she began to love cello. She did not get a cello until she graduated from RISD and went to another school for her PhD.
You asked about stress, school and bullies… Kelsey was well-liked by everyone; she had what many thought was the perfect life: friends, academic success, a great boyfriend with medical aspirations, etc. The problem with mood and depression came in cycles, it turned out it has to do with her period. She also has PCOS which affects the mood and cycles.
Music most definitely is her self-therapy. In school there was always pressures for reports, projects, tests, grades – and to do well. The do-well pressure cam from within her, not me or her dad. Kids have it harder now more than ever and that pressure shows in some as bad behavior, some as eating disorders, cutting, etc.
The thrill for me was to listen to her from another room as I worked from home or prepared dinner. I’d hear her come in, drop her books and begin to play. Moonlight Sonata, Rhapsody in Blue, etc. until she stopped and came in for her afternoon snack. The music transformed her every day.
Thinking about her several days ago I wrote and posted a short story about her second year in college as an exchange student in Italy. She was starving for her piano so I’ve included a link to that story here:
The Kindness And Trust Of Others
http://jackiesaulmonramirez.com/2014/02/01/the-kindness-and-trust-of-others/
This is a beautiful story ( I know it is the truth) I am happy to hear how blessed your daughter is. I am sorry to hear of her mood swings ….. No one has everything and she does have the wonderful blessing of music. I read your other post thank you for redirecting me there. Be well and blessed! xx
Hi willow–I’m catching up too.
We’ve got some common ground here. That’s good from my perspective.
Glad you were able to relate so directly to Heap for her music help with healing.
Great post with wonderful responses. 🙂
Thank you I have missed you are you okay? 😉 xx
THE WILD http://bearspawprint.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/the-wild/
I shall take up the torch from you .