Is Music your Meditation? The surprising benefits of music for mental health.
Music can be so many different things at any given moment – it can provide a welcome escape from the trials and tribulations of life, it can evoke powerful emotions, travel time and transport us to places we’ve never been. It can change the energy of a space or experience entirely and transform our mood in seconds. Music is a Universal language that connects us all.
“Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies” – Edward Bulwer Lytton
Music, for many, is a form of meditation, we often find it much easier to become present and be taken on a journey through sound, rather than sitting quietly and focusing on the breath or body awareness. Music seems to have a unique ability to guide us into a space where we can drop in entirely and become completely immersed.
Throughout history music and sound have been essential elements of ceremonies, rituals and celebrations. Music has a powerful influence on human beings, affecting the body, mind and often creating an emotional response. So what are the benefits of music for our mental health and how can the power sound support your wellbeing?
Music can trigger a release of good chemicals & hormones throughout the body, such as dopamine and serotonin, helping you to feel happier, energised, more relaxed and less stressed.
Music can also help to:
- Music can improve Cognitive Performance
- Boost Memory
- Improve Mood or change your mood (depending on the style of music and emotional response)
- Reduce Anxiety and Depression
- Reduce Fatigue & Increase Vitality
- Help to manage Pain
- Help you to sleep better
“Music can heal the wounds which medicine cannot touch.”― Debasish Mridha
Sound Healing and Sound Baths are becoming increasingly popular practices in the world of wellbeing, so how does it work and what are the benefits?
- Sound Healing uses vibrations & frequencies to help deeply relax your mind and heal your body at a cellular level
- A sound bath is a form of meditation that guides you into a deep state of relaxation using the sounds & vibrations from instruments such as Gongs & Singing Bowls
- It can help to relieve symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression & insomnia
- It can clear energetic blockages & facilitate healing on a physical & mental level
- It can increase focus & mental clarity
- It can reduce physical tension & fatigue
- It can boost your mood & help you to release emotions
- It can help to improve your immune system
Ready to try out Music Meditation & Sound Healing for yourself?
ELEMENTAL – Guided Sound Journeys
4 part Music Meditation Series
In this new exclusive series we’ve teamed up with musician, Michael Sebastian, who has created each of these unique music led meditations inspired by the 5 great elements of nature: Ether, Air, Fire, Water & Earth. Allow us to take you on a guided journey through each element, accompanied by the soothing tones of our own meditation expert Liz Joy Oakley.
Weekly Live classes & on-demand
Slow Flow & Sound Healing with Monica Ruiz
Monthly Special Live & on-demand Sound Healing events
Gong Bath with Carlo Volpiavailable on-demand
This soothing gong bath is the perfect way to end your weekend in total relaxation. Gong Baths can help to calm the body & mind, reduce stress & anxiety, ease tension and fatigue, improve clarity, focus and sleep.
Check out our ‘Sound Healing & Music Medicine’ Collection at MoreWellness TV: https://wellnesstv.moreyoga.co.uk
About Liz Joy Hardie
Liz Joy Hardie is Yoga Teacher, Holistic Wellbeing Coach and Head of Vibes at MoreYoga, co-running our MoreMind Project with Stephanie Minchin, coordinating events, content and workshops focused on better supporting our communities mental and physical wellbeing. After starting her career in the fast-paced world of luxury fashion Liz came to Yoga after being diagnosed with Malignant Hypertension and Generalized Anxiety and left with the goal of helping others to lead healthier lives holistically. Liz went on to spent a year working at the Safe Childhoods Foundation in Indonesia, an NGO committed to combatting organized crimes against children, she began to understand the true benefits of Yoga, Meditation and Psychology as therapeutic tools and describes this as a time of total transformation.
Now back in London, Liz is passionate about helping people achieve a healthier, happier lifestyle through her work. She loves bringing people together, encouraging authentic connection and is happiest when facilitating retreats, workshops and events based around Yoga, Positive Psychology and Holistic Wellbeing.
Liz teaches Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin & Restorative Yoga, specialising in teaching Yoga, Mindfulness & Meditation to improve stress & anxiety. She combines this with her work as a Holistic Wellbeing Coach & is dedicated to spreading Joy through her work.