Are the mind and body connected?

For hundreds of years people thought that the mind was above the neck and the body was below the neck. Today, thanks to the exciting field of quantum physics and other writers with great insights into whole mind-body healing field, we know that the mind and the body are actually in every cell of the body. Our cells store memories of every event, thought and feeling that we have had since birth. Exciting? I think so.

How does music fit into this picture? Music affects the memories and thoughts in our minds and affects neurohormone release in our brains and adrenaline from our pancreas. Our muscles relax when we hear soothing music and our heart-beat and breathing begin to get regular and steady when we listen to music with a regular and steady beat.

Amazing? I think so. If you want to know more, check out my website, my other blogs, and my products. Better yet, invite me to speak in your city to your conference, convention, or favorite organization!

What happens when you hear a love song?

I used to have an old boyfriend who would sing me the song "I'm in the Mood for Love" but he would change he words to "I'm in the Nude for Love." I was about 18 and I always thought it was hilarious. Little did I know that, especially at that age, just hearing the word "nude" combined with that melody and a funny little expression, affected my body and my feelings powerfully! Why? Because music, words, facial expressions and the vibrations of intent translate immediately to the body. Neuro-hormones are realized and it all happens in a split-second. That's why people write long songs and love poems. There are funny love songs like "Love Potion Number Nine" and "Witch Doctor." There are poignant love songs like "Somewhere My Love" (from Dr. Zhivago) and "Some Enchanted Evening" (from South Pacific). There are tantalizingly sensuous pieces of music such as "Bolero" by Ravel or "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy. And then there are pieces of music that have nothing intrinsically sensual about them, but perhaps we first heard these pieces while getting to know someone we later fell in love with. That piece is forever imprinted with feelings of love and physicality. The mind and the body are fascinating entities and I suppose we'll never understand them fully, but they are definitely intertwined in a most inseparable way. Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

What does movie music do for you??

As I sit here watching the Golden Globe Awards, I can't help but think of all the fabulous music that I have heard when at the movies. You've heard me say before that the Hollywood composers are masters of touching emotions with music (and the silent movie pianists before them) and whenever emotions are powerfully touched, the memory is etched and inseparably connected to the music and the emotion. Some of my favorites from childhood (I'm not ashamed to admit) are the Disney tunes like "When You Wish Upon a Star" or "Chim-Chiminee." In my teen years I loved "April Love" and "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago. I'll always love the theme from "Exodus" and "Bridge on the River Kwai." You get the point, I'm sure. Music affects the mind and the body in as powerful a way as anything I can imagine. I'd love to know your thoughts on this?