Self Transformation Through Music

What is it that makes sound become music? "....sound, in and of itself, has no meaning; it is simply sound. It is descriptive or evocative of nothing more than what is present in the heart and mind of the listener." But for those who are open to it, able to respond to it, the power of music to influence us is extraordinary. And this mysterious quality of harmony reacts alike on the composer, the musician, and the listener. In this self-help book of theory and practical exercises, the author explains how we can put music to good use in our daily life; make it a part of our living experience; let it penetrate our soul so that we truly become One with the tones, rhythm, harmonics, the cadence of the music.

Feeling as if you've finished learning how to live life? New directions eluding you? If you think you've gone as far as you can, you're ready to grow. When you've lost momentum, go back to the basics. Even after fifty years- you can keep on learning. Become more in tune with your own skills and directions for your life. Barry uses his experiences of being a musician to highlight how mastery works in all of life. After fifty years of playing trumpet, he attended a couple music camps just to have fun. What followed was an intensive two years of mindful attention to creating mastery- and how it applies to all that we do in life. This is the story of transformation- the finding of a hidden-self- in order to overcome obstacles and to pursue excellence. Barry invites us into his journey, asking and answering questions of mastery. Through his warm conversational style, he gives examples and insight into how paying deliberate attention works. His activities will lead you to find deeper self-awareness, increased joy, and greater satisfaction in your own work. He doesn't tell you how to do it- he shows from his own story and experiences what you need to know to get started. He provides clues and examples into how mastery skills can make anyone's life more focused and fun. In short chapters, he develops ideas for all of us to live a more deliberate and meaningful life. Mindfulness and mastery will produce soulful transformations.

“From time immemorial,” says the author, “sages from diverse cultures have passed on enduring solutions to the dilemmas of living. Yet their insights are not as known to the world as they ought to be.” This deep, wise, and practical guide intends to make them more so. It is the harvest of the popular seminars developed and led by Vic Hao Chin, former president of the Theosophical Society in the Philippines and a worldwide teacher and presenter. He gives time-proven approaches for eliminating fear, resentment, worry, depression, and the stress of daily living in order to deepen spiritual practice. And he includes sections on overcoming negative conditioning, developing relationships, and optimizing physical health. To help readers in the process of self-actualization, he also provides helpful illustrations, case studies, and step-by-step instructions for meditation and breathing exercises.

In The Secret Language of the Heart, award-winning producer and composer Barry Goldstein shares how every one of us—the musical and non-musical alike—can harness the power of music to treat alleviate specific illnesses, reverse negative mindsets and attitudes, dissolve creative blocks and improve overall health. Backed up by the latest scientific research on the benefits of sound, music, and vibration, this book offers practical, concrete instructions for healing that can be tailored to suit your individual preferences and needs, including how to: Nurture your creativity, mindfulness, and productivity by creating customized playlists to suit your situation and mood. (Your favorite song of the moment is more important than you realize!) Use musical stress blasters to ease challenging situationsin a pinch. Find spaciousness(calmness) and peace and serenity with the Heart Song Breathing Process. Chant to transform and elevate the heart and mind. Goldstein presents step-by-step guidance—as well as dozens of song recommendations along the way—to help you create a new music routine that will heal, energize, and inspire. He also shares vivid stories of his own transformation through music, as well as the life-changing effects music has had on his clients. Whether you want to alleviate stress, become more in tune with what you really want, activate your heart’s intelligence, or simply have your best day every day, using music and sound with intention is key—let this book show you the tools to build a simple musical practice that will transform your life.

Just about everyone likes to listen to music to put them "in the mood," and these techniques get you "out" of a mood! The "Tao" part is about accepting what you're feeling, and dealing with it, by using Dr. Ortiz's methods. Includes musical menus that you can use to create your own program for dealing with issues, koans for meditation, and various other fun exercises to make music a part of your holistic health program. Appendix, bibliography, index.

Many can attest to the importance of the self-growth that occurs for young people through the arts and their accompanying communities of support, understanding, and caring. Yet even professionals who work daily with adolescents, and parents or guardians who raise adolescents, sometimes have difficulty collectively articulating why musicking experiences are important for young people. In Adolescents on Music, author Elizabeth Cassidy Parker proves that this challenge stems from failing to ask adolescents to share their ideas richly and fully. Accordingly, Parker argues for deeper efforts to connect adolescent perspectives with established theories and philosophies in the social sciences and humanities. Organized into three sections--Who I Am; My Social Self; and Toward a Future Vision--Parker seeks new and diverse perspectives from the young people sharing their voices and experiences in each chapter. Chapters begin with a description from adolescents, in their own words, of the music they make, the meanings they ascribe to their music-making, and contributions to their development. The voices highlighted in these chapters come from adolescent solo musicians, autonomous and vernacular players, composers, school and community music-makers, and listeners between the ages of 12-20. By familiarizing readers with the multiplicity of adolescent music-making experiences and perspectives; discussing relevant theories within and outside of music and music education that support adolescent musical and personal growth; promoting adolescent health and well-being and greater understanding of young people; and providing a common language toward advocacy for adolescent music-making, Adolescents on Music serves as an invaluable resource for individual and group music teachers and practitioners, parents of adolescents, music mentors, and music education students.