Music and Peace
so kindly submitted by Coni
The subject words, when combined as above, can create a typical Western World three-second response image of long haired troubadours with beaded headbands and guitars, singing plaintive songs of fighting no more. Seems if we're dealing in stereotypes, that's a good place to start. Perhaps another vision would be Yanni in some wonderful natural place making mellow sounds on his synthesizer. I'm going to propose however that music is a true vehicle to achieving peace.
Peace, you see, has to begin within each of us. We can't create a peaceful world without a peaceful self. Peace is catchy, fortunately; think of that one person you may know who is always calm and usually has good answers to life's questions. Don't you feel more at peace when you're around that person?
So what has music got to do with peace? It's all in the vibration. I suppose in order to vibrate to music one must participate to some degree. Fortunately, all it takes is humming.
In her work, "The Silent Language of Peace," Heather Macauley ( http://www.heathermacauley.com ) quotes The Mozart Effect by Don Campbell, which says:
"All forms of vocalization . . . can be therapeutic, but I have found that nothing rivals toning. Toning oxygenates the body, deepens breathing, relaxes the muscles, and stimulates the energy flow. When performed by a voice rich in timbre, toning will massage and tune up the entire body . . . One of the simplest ways to calm your mind, stabilize the rhythms in your body, and improve your voice is through toning or humming . . . "
So just humming or singing along with the music can
help
you find a more peaceful state.
I will confess that I'm an idealistic Pacifist. Personally I'm pretty sure that if you let the women of the world take over for a weeks things would calm down quite a bit. I get incensed about the state of the Union and the world and the human condition like anybody else; I get angry enough to get physical despite my Pacifist nature. I'm telling you all this because I probably sound a little bit "out there" with this notion of singing along will make the world a better place.
But hey, give it a try. When you've got the blues, turn on some Blues and Sing it. Belt one out with Janis, that'll clear out the energy blocks. When you're happy about something, hum! Hey and when the heart is broken, there's nothin' quite like Dwight to put a tear in your beer and make it all better.
Blessed be
Steve Earle and the Bluegrass Dukes
by Moonlady
Steve Earle is a name I'd heard a time or two on the fringes of researching my eclectic tastes, but no songs came to mind. One day I had "Music Choice TV" on in the background, tuned to the Americana channel, and I heard Emmylou Harris doing a duet with someone, a sweet sad song about lost love remembered. It was Steve Earle's "I Remember You," from his controversial CD "Jerusalem."
Amazon.com is an amazing thing. I had my copy of
"Jerusalem
" within days. By that time I'd done my usual obsessive research
and learned that Steve was a legend, one of the pioneers of alt.country/Americana.
I couldn't wait to hear it all. What a treat! Intelligent, thoughtful
lyrics -- AND you can dance to it!!!!
In describing, Jerusalem, Earle says, "This is a political record because there seems no other proper response to the place we're at now. But I'm not trying to get myself deported or something. In a big way this is the most pro-American record I've ever made. In fact, I feel URGENTLY American. I understand why none of those congressmen voted against The Patriot Act, out of respect for the Trade Center victims' families. I've sat in the death house with victims' families, seen them suffer. But this is an incredibly dangerous piece of legislation. Freedoms, American freedoms, things voted into law as American freedoms, everything that came out of the 1960's, are disappearing, and as any patriot can see, that has to be opposed." (from http://www.steveearle.com )
The title song, Jerusalem:
I woke up this mornin' and none of the
news was good
And death machines were rumblin' 'cross the ground where Jesus stood
And the man on my TV told me that it had always been that way
And there was nothin' anyone could do or say
And I almost listened to him
Yeah, I almost lost my mind
Then I regained my senses again
And looked into my heart to find
That I believe that one fine day all the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem
Well maybe I'm only dreamin' and maybe I'm just a fool
But I don't remember learnin' how to hate in Sunday school
But somewhere along the way I strayed and I never looked back again
But I still find some comfort now and then
Then the storm comes rumblin' in
And I can't lay me down
And the drums are drummin' again
And I can't stand the sound
But I believe there'll come a day when the lion and the lamb
Will lie down in peace together in Jerusalem
And there'll be no barricades then
There'll be no wire or walls
And we can wash all this blood from our hands
And all this hatred from our souls
And I believe that on that day all the children of Abraham
Will lay down their swords forever in Jerusalem
Steve's strong, clear vision of a peaceful world comes through just listening to him, regardless of the topic of the song. In addition to legendary singer/songwriter, Steve is an outspoken advocate for the end of the death penalty. He is also an author of a book of short stories, Doghouse Roses.