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Psalm 150: 1-5 “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals ! “
Science has proven it and the Bible has affirmed it long before. Music is good for us. The bible is replete with verses [dozens] exhorting us to sing and dance and clearly these two art forms are strongly imbedded in our culture and at mass.
Author, Stacy Horn in her book Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing With Others has clearly noted, “Singing is cheaper than therapy, healthier than drinking and more fun than working out.” Music is clearly a nutrient for the nervous system. It is trans-formative, soothes our nerves and elevates our spirits.
Let’s see just what neurological science says about it.
Isaiah 35:10 “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
1. Mood : Singing is an anti-depressant and creates pleasure. It releases endorphins, having a positive effect on brain and mood; it takes your mind off the day’s troubles. Think of some great songs elevating our mood - ‘Oh Happy Day’, ‘Be Happy’
2. Healing powers: Music and singing are also well known contributors to healing. It releases oxytocin which alleviates stress and decreases anxiety. And by decreasing cortisol in blood stream which causes the stress, it increases optimism, speeds healing, and even decreases pain. “All You Need is Love’
3. Cognition: Cognitive benefits pertain to mental alertness and memory. Through the improvement of blood circulation, music specifically helps Alzheimer’s patients and their lost memories. As a result music therapy has become an integral part of treating cognitively challenged elderly patients. A patient may not remember a face, but will remember songs of 50 or more years ago.
4. Creativity: There is a high correlation between music and creativity in leadership. Classical music especially is known to stimulate artistic and visual senses, while the lyrics of a song can be inspirational in language and ideas. Along with creativity, elementary school studies show classical music to diminish attention deficit disorder, and increase emotional intelligence. ‘Beethoven’s 5th’
Judges 5:3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes; to the Lord I will sing; I will make melody to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
Behavioral Science have also proven social and psychological benefits of music, singing and dance.
5. Social Life: Music has its way of widening one’s circle of friends, improving social life, creating bonds and closer relations; It further enhances one’s cultural identity and tradition. Doo Wopp, Motown, R & B, Disco, etc.
6. Psychological: Self esteem and confidence gets a boost through music. Singing in a group can help overcome stage fright. Finally, it can help prepare the brain for language and speech development, speaking clarity and accents lost. Funny how singers of many cultures will sing in English without an accent.
Luke 15:24-25 “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.”
So for Christians it is clear. Music, singing and dance are our expression of thanksgiving and joy. We communicate with and make melody with the Lord through music. Graces return cognitively, psychologically, socially. It’s in the Bible. It is found in the research of science.
James 5: 13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
Psalm 13: 6 “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”
Do it ! Don’t tell me you can’t sing or dance.
AMEN !
Dr. Michael J. Baglino, Ed. D. is a retired college professor, most recently an adjunct prof. in behavioral science at Palm Beach State College, Florida. He is a graduate of both Winona State University, MN and Florida International University, Miami. Michael is also a retired entertainer [singer/actor], performing primarily as a Frank Sinatra tribute artist under the name ‘Michael Matone’. A parishioner of St. Therese de Lisieux Catholic Church in Wellington, FL, Michael serves as a lector, EM, and 4th degree Knights of Columbus. He is a professional member of the Society of Catholic Social Scientists. The Baglino family, wife, children and grandchildren all live in South Florida.
He is the author of 5 books, most notably ‘From Gramsci to Freud’ and ‘The Dr. B. Reader on the Ologies’. In his books, Dr. Baglino presents a series of articles and vignettes on religion, psychology, politics and culture. He shows us that God is with us in our daily lives interweaving trials, travels, and decisions with Catholicism. Definitely not without humor, Michael presents a down to earth and Catholic perspective to so many of our contemporary issues. See www.michaelbaglino.com/speaker.
