Creative Wellness at Home - Week 3
Mindfulness with music
Music is healing
We all have a favourite song or songs we listen to to feel comfort or connection. As we learn to cope with this ongoing lockdown, listening to music can help you to feel connected to yourself, to another time, or to other people.
Listening to music has been proven to boost your mood, help motivate you, get you more relaxed, or connect with others.
Music is a big part of every culture, and we know that our community members love to share their favourite songs from their own countries with us.
Listening to music mindfully
1. What music connects you to your inner self?
Think of a song that is significant to you and your culture. It might be your favourite song, or a song that reminds you of your childhood or youth. It might be a song that you have been listening to you recently because of the current circumstances of the pandemic.
2. Play the song
If you want to find the song, you might be able to find it using these websites:
3. Listen to the song.
Listen with your whole body, not just your ears. If you feel like it, let the music move you. Feel the beat and the rhythm, and bring your full attention to the music and the movement. Hear the music with your whole body. Sing or dance along if you want.
Feel your body as you listen to the music and notice thoughts and the emotions moving through you.
And when the song comes to an end, notice how you feel when you really listen to music with your whole body and mind.
4. How does the song make you feel?
What emotions are you feeling in your mind and in your heart? (happy, sad, peaceful, lonely, grateful, cheerful).
What thoughts come to mind? Are you reminded of another time, a person, a place?
What physical reactions do you feel in your body? Does the song give you energy or make your body calm? Do you want to get up and dance? Where in your body do these feelings occur?
5. Share the song with us!
We would love to know your favourite songs right now. What music have you been listening to to get you through the pandemic? Let us know why it’s important to you and how it makes you feel.
Send us your favourite song and tell us what it makes you feel. Include your name and suburb, and email creativeresilienceinnerwest@gmail.com OR comment on this post!
Here’s some inspiration
Our team and community at CCCi have offered some suggestions of their own favourite music!
Faye Wong - 不眠飛行 (Sleepless Flight) (Cantonese)
The music in this song always makes me feel cheerful and playful. In the lyrics the singer can’t sleep on her flight. She keeps counting but her thoughts keep wandering to someone she is looking forward to seeing - Janette
HIVI! - Pelangi (Indonesian)
I like this song as it always reminds me of watching the artists through live concert for the first time with my best friend. - Putri
Read more about the healing power of music
ReachOut - 5 ways music can get you through tough times
Psychology Today - Mindfulness through Music
Please provide feedback by commenting on this post or email creativeresilienceinnerwest@gmail.com
The Creative Wellness at Home project is brought to you by Community and Cultural Connections Inc (CCCi) and funded with support from Inner West Council.