Music is Medicine We Need
Music has the power to heal like no other medium. Hella cultures have used music as a form of healing and medicine for centuries, especially in Africa. Music/sound is even credited with being the creation of the universe in the bible and in other spiritual and religious texts.
You don’t need to understand the lyrics or meaning to feel or be moved by music, which is why it’s the universal language of healing. Think about how hearing a certain song can teleport you back to a special memory or dramatically shift your mood within a few beats. Music is the medicine that feeds your mind, body, and soul and it’s also been scientifically proven to heal in case you had any doubts.
This week, in the spirit of Black History Month, we continue to discuss ways we as a collective Black and Brown community can use music to heal and thrive in the midst of the structural and institutionalized racism we experience. But we’ll also explore different ways to use music as a form of self-care.
You Hella Want To Catch:
- Music’s role in the creation of the universe and in various cultures
- Scientific proof of how using music as medicine works
- Music’s role in social and political movements
- How music heals
- Ways to use music as a form of self-care
- Creating the perfect playlist
- Why music is important right now
Resources
- Hella Well Mood Shifting Spotify Playlist – A playlist I curated to help you shift your mood featuring a few different genres.
- Love and Light But Bitch I Fight #RisingRitualsCH Spotify Playlist – This playlist gives me life every time I hear it!
- Dissect podcast Season 6: Lemonade by Beyonce – The Dissect Podcast does an amazing job in breaking down all the little detail you most likely missed. If you would like to understand the power and healing behind Beyonce’s Lemonade album, I encourage you to check this out.
Journal Prompts:
- Music plays an important role in a person’s culture and background. Does your family have any traditional music that they listen to that represents their culture? What do you like most about this music? When do you hear it most?
- Listen to a song that was one of your favorites a few years ago. What do you feel when you listen to that song? Does it bring back any specific memories?
- It’s hard not to associate certain pieces of music with certain people and times in your life. Write about five songs that will forever be linked with particular people, for better or for worse. How do those songs make you feel?
- What is your favorite song right now? Why is that your favorite song? Is there a lyric from the song that stands out to you?
