The Power of Music to Lead us to the Divine

Music does inexplicable things to us. The hills are alive with the sound of music. Music moves us. It sways us and causes us to tap our fingers or bop our heads as we listen to the rhythm and beat of that Drake’s “In My Feelings” hiphop hit or Taylor Swift's version of "Last Christmas".

Music has the power to transport our minds and imaginations to another time or place. Whenever I hear a recording of the smooth soothing voice of Karen Carpenter today, I am immediately brought back to my 1980s childhood home back in the Philippines and it’s ‘yesterday once more.’ There I was, a little kid waking up on a Saturday morning with the music of The Carpenters in the background being played by my parents.

Music heals us. It helps ease our pain and our hurts. The ancient Greek philosophers believed that music serves a therapeutic purpose. Today’s science gives us the evidence that it’s true. Many of us have probably heard of the “Mozart effect.” One scientific study found that Mozart’s Piano Sonata in D Major decreased epileptiform activity in patients even in comatose state. Music therapy has now become a well-known practice in helping not only make us feel good but also in the treatment of different disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, memory loss, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

We have always known that music has profound effects on us physically, cognitively, emotionally, and spiritually. Ancient civilizations knew the role of music in our lives. The Ancient Greek philosophers philosophized about it. Many verses in the Old Testament talked about music, singing, and playing the stringed instruments. In battles that date back to the earliest part of human history, music was used to inspire and energize the warriors. During the American Civil War, there are accounts of the use of music to aid in the healing of the wounded soldiers. We’ve always known that music has the power to impact our daily lives but it is only in recent decades, through advances in modern science and technology, that we have captured, imaged, and measured the evidence of the complexities of the impact of music on us. Our blood pressure rises, the pupils in our eyes dilate, the hairs on our arms stand, and chills run down our spine. Through neuroimaging and other advanced technological devices, scientists are able to show physical evidence by tracking some of the physiological changes including the neurological activities and rewiring in our brain when we listen to music.

Music shields us from bad, harmful stuff. In the Book of 1 Samuel 16, when Saul was being tormented by a harmful spirit, he asked his servants to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre. They brought in David to be at his service. “And when the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him” (1 Samuel 16:23). 

Music changes us and transforms us. It changes our mood from sad to happy or even from happy to sad. Music brings us joy and sometimes move us to tears. It lifts up the spirit. As Plato said, “music is an art imbued with the power to penetrate into the very depths of the soul.

Music leads us to God and for some, back to God. As liturgical composer and Paulist priest, Father Ricky Manalo said in an interview: “Music is one of the most powerful symbols and artistic forms to inspire people’s imagination…to bring people back to God, through the nuances of the Gospel message. So, I have always believed that music is one of the most important tools for welcoming them back, drawing them in and also initiating new encounters, inviting others.”

Music is a gift. It’s a wonderful gift. We offer back this gift to our Creator also as a gift by our singing and praising. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the familiar quote by Saint Augustine: “He who sings prays twice.” Music, with our voices singing, our ears listening, and hands creating music, enables us to physically express the spiritual joy of our heart. Music has the power to bring the mind, body, and spirit in unison as we reach out to God.

This article first appeared in Mind & Spirit: Integrating Psychology and Faith.