I seem to be on a self-expression kick lately, as my last post was about dancing away depression. Well now I’m going to tell you a story about the power of sound, voice and singing.
Recently I was invited to officiate a wedding for the first time. I was honored and excited to be asked, especially because it was for my older brother and his fiancee. I traveled a few days early for the rehearsal and to visit with family. However a few people began to get a little sick and the bug began to wander. I felt fine until the night before the wedding, so I went to the market and picked up my favorite natural remedies and immune boosters: vitamins, herbal elixirs, a neti pot, etc. The wedding wasn’t until 3pm the next day, so I rested a lot and took my healing medicines.
The next day I awoke feeling worse than before and I began to worry. Breakfast did not help and I just stayed in bed all morning, worrying about what I might do as th nausea set in. I seriously began to consider getting a substitute as my face paled and my energy waned.
Just after noon I decided to take a shower and get ready, as I was going even if I wasn’t able to officiate. The shower helped a bit and I started to sing a little to try to lift my spirits. Then I put on some of my favorite music and began to sing even more as I dressed in the hotel room. I felt my nausea and fatigue melting away, so I sang louder and louder, feeling my guts shift and move as I breathed deeper in my belly for more air and volume. Waves of emotion washed through me as I sang more, and it felt as if my immune system was following the waves of sound moving through my body, rinsing away germs and toxins.
By the time I put my shoes on, the color was back in my face and I felt good enough carry on with my duties for the day. I realized that my anxiety about conducting the ceremony and my sickness were feeding off of each other. The sound allowed the anxiety to transform and my body could heal itself as long as my mind was in a state of joy from the musical sounds moving through me. The sound waves of healing and joy continued throughout the ceremony and reception, which all went beautifully.
This was a wonderful reminder for me to remember the healing power of sound and singing. Our bodies are mostly made up of water, which sound easily moves through, carrying the quality of the sound waves and influencing all it touches. Next time you don’t feel well, sing your favorite song out loud for your entire body, mind and spirit to hear. It doesn’t matter how well you sing, but that you feel the joy of that song washing upon the shores of your organs and bones, nerves and cells.