I’ve written before about the music that can be found in the sounds of nature, and I wanted to add a little to my thoughts.
Not only can we find music in nature, but by listening closely to nature, we can become better musicians.
My absolute favorite of all favorite places to recharge – body, soul, and mind – is in the mountains. I consider myself abundantly blessed to live among the Rocky Mountains, where I can choose from hundreds of mountain escapes within a short drive from my home. Connecting with nature makes me a better musician and artist. It makes me a better person.
I took a couple of my kids into a nearby canyon this past weekend for a quick hike. It was heaven. We reached the reservoir at the top of the trail and continued around to the far side. It’s on this far side that you can find the waterfall feeding the lake. The kids continued up the rocks, and I sat and meditated by the water.
This is how good music is like nature: it reflects it. As I sat by the water, I felt stress and anxiety flow away with the rushing falls. My blood pressure decreased. My breathing slowed. My body relaxed. When I listen to good music, I feel the same effects.
Good music, like nature, has physical, spiritual, and mental health benefits. And in addition to those benefits, music and nature both can stir a wide range of emotions. They can both open our minds and hearts to inspiration and clarity.
In fact, it goes further than just the personal benefits. Both music and nature help us to keep in mind a bigger perspective, past the day-to-day worries and strife.
Connecting with nature helps us to connect to ourselves and to each other. Nature can make us better musicians, better artists, and better human beings.
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