"Music happens to be an art form that transcends language."
- Herbie Hancock
Music is a universal language of mankind that speaks directly to the soul.
It transcends logic and intellect.
Music is what moves us: to dance, to celebrate, to invite us out of our minds and into our body.
Music is the way we alchemize all the bits and pieces of who we are and what we experience. When we are in community, it has the power to magnetize and merge us as a universal whole.
Music heals, and it offers hopefulness.
As musician Nick Cave muses so beautifully, “Music has the ability to lead us, if only temporarily, into a sacred realm. Music plays into the yearning many of us instinctively have — you know, the God-shaped hole. It is the art form that can most effectively fill that hole, because it makes us feel less alone, existentially. It makes us feel spiritually connected. Some music can even lead us to a place where a fundamental spiritual shift of consciousness can happen. At best, it can conjure a sacred space.” Especially when that sacred space is our soul.
Music acts as a ritualistic process that allows us to connect to and better understand our emotions. It helps us navigate the complexities of life, a shared expression of the human experience.
We have a friend who sends us the most delicious playlists. A gift without expectations, a gesture of generosity. It's a way we share and stay connected. After the playlist ends, the music continues with never ending algorithms that continue to take us on a delicious journey of musical discovery. The other night, we experienced the beauty that is Cat Power. You could hear a pin drop as she sang her soulful songs with one guitar guiding her along, then later on , as a full band joined in, the dancing began. You could feel the collective awe and joy.
There are so many genres of music, something for every emotion and mood. On Sunday morning, music is the muse that slows us down and transports us to all of these sacred spaces and thought provoking places. I am not musical, but I do love music. Maybe in my next life I'll be graced with that gift. Until then, I've put together a Sunday Slowdown playlist for you to savor as you start the day. I hope there's a song or two that resonates with you. Let the algorithm take you somewhere new and beautiful. Enjoy!
xAlisa