Find the music within your heart
There’s an old Aztec myth around the origins of music and how it came down to earth. One day, the god of the sky Tezcatlipocaand the god of the wind Quetzalcoatl, decided the earth was too silent. The only sound one could hear was the rustling and roaring of the wind. However, the sun god loved to be surrounded by the sweet sounds of music and did not share this with the sky or wind god.
So the sky and wind god devised a plan to go to the house of the sun and bring the musicians and singers down to the quiet plains of earth. The sky god called on his servants Cane and Conch, Water Woman, and Water Monster to build a bridge. The wind god used the bridge to reach the glistening sun filled tower. Navigating a labyrinth of routes, he couldn’t find the entrance. Almost about to give up, the wind god suddenly heard the most beautiful sounds. Unlike anything he had heard before.
Following the melodies, he was allured to the courtyard and found the musicians. The sun god spotted the wind god and told everyone to be silent or they’ll get taken away. Not sure what to do, none of the musicians moved. The wind god became angry and bolted thunder and lightning into the clouds. Darkness fell and the sun became a tiny flame. As the musicians ran for cover under the wind god, he swooped them up and carried them down to earth.
The earth could feel something new coming and was secretly excited for musicians to join them. As they got near, the earth started to relax with a deep sigh. The fruit on the trees began to ripen, flowers started to bloom and earth started to awaken from what felt like a long nap.
Once the musicians touched the earth, they started to play. Beautiful sounds filled the forests and valleys, deserts and oceans. People started to learn to sing and play, along with the birds, the whales and the wolves. The trees and plants and all living things soon found their song. Everyone was pleased that the earth was filled with music.
“A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.” – Chinese proverb
Sound and music have deep roots in human culture. We rely on music to move us through life and this story helps expose the duality of our light and dark components to nature. It grounds us to see patterns with seasons and to use our gifts from the universe. The gift of sound and song.
Sound and melody have several elements intertwined. Music is a unique expression of the self and soul in its most creative form. And in its most basic way, sound heals and soothes us. Especially when it's a sound that we’re making.
Getting on your vagus nerve.
Have you heard of the vagus nerve? It’s one of the longest nerves in the body that helps us regulate our heart rate, digestion, stress, blood pressure to name a few. When it’s stimulated, we feel more relaxed and calm.
It’s incredible how an old myth highlights the importance of sound and we now confirm with science a deeper level of understanding on how beneficial it is.
Being creative and filled with music and joy helps us to live a better life. The hardest part is realizing how to acquire that for each of us. Thankfully, we have a song reminding us to be young at heart.
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” – E.E. Cummings
Uncover the song within.
1. Sound & Music
Play music or sounds that light you up and make you want to move your body. Find a new song or play an old favorite to stimulate the senses and get into a flow. Explore new songs by picking a favorite one and let the playlist ride. See what other songs surface and discover more artists. Try music from other countries and take a soundscape adventure to other lands.
2. Singing, Chanting, Humming
Let the sounds from within stir up and let them out. Exercise your humming and even chanting a little tune and let that voice of yours come out. Does it matter how it sounds? Nope. Sing out loud, take up space, make noise and tell others “this is how I heal”.
3. Breathwork
Deep breaths and breathwork are also a great form of moving emotions and energy through the body. Especially when stress and anxiety start to arise. Fill up the lungs deeper than you think you can and then release out. A few deep breaths help calibrate the nervous system and gentle body movements enable stimulation in the throat chakra.
4. Laugh
Socialize and spend time with friends. Smile at strangers. Watch a comedy movie or listen to a stand-up and giggle away. There’s even a modern yoga practice called Laughter yoga where you laugh for one minute to change the mood. Haha and hee-hee your way through the day.
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw
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