Dr. Jennifer Taitz, author of Stress Resets: How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in Minutes, provides an invaluable collection of simple practices to strengthen resilience and nourish joy.
One practice that caught my attention is one she recommends using when we are feeling anxious, experiencing pain, or wanting to improve our mood. It begins by queuing up the ambient piece Weightless by Marconi Union, crafted specifically to promote a sense of calm.
Secret Quiet, another piece of art by Kaoru Yamada.
Research shows that music can have a powerful effect on emotions and our nervous systems and Weightless in particular has been the subject of studies exploring its ability to ease stress and anxiety.
Dr. Taitz quotes neurologist Oliver Sacks, who captured music’s healing power simply: ‘Music can lift us up out of depression or move us to tears – it is a remedy, a tonic, orange juice for the ear’.
If you have ten quiet minutes, put on your headphones, settle in and simply listen. You may be surprised by how much lighter and calmer you feel.
I have bookmarked this for a time when I have a busy mind. Perhaps that will work for you too.
I delight in sharing my thoughts, such as these, in a newsletter, typically every few months. And now and then, ideas show up our Facebook page. Always love to hear from you via email.
