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Much of my life is spent dedicated to reducing stress. I began on this journey into singing, laughter and meditation because I needed it myself, and soon became keen to share this incredible healing process with others. Stress is much better understood these days. Apparently, adrenaline and cortisol are powerful hormones that would have increased our chances of survival when we were hunter gatherers, taking the blood to the legs and arms ready to fight or run. However, we no longer encounter the predators that we needed to run from. An instinct which was an evolutionary advantage is now a catalyst for illness and disease. The stress response not only drains blood from our vital organs and shuts down the body’s healing processes, it informs the body that it is not safe and shouldn’t rest. So alongside the physical, our mental and emotional health suffer dreadfully as a result. Fortunately, we have some tools in our hands. Singing and laughter initiate a switch in the body, from producing stress hormones to producing their antidotes; serotonin and endorphins, the body’s natural healers. And yet we have still a way to go.

I found myself thinking about another outdated evolutionary response this week. Prejudice, bias; the instinct to stick close to the tribe and treat the unfamiliar with suspicion. Historically these have almost certainly been an evolutionary advantage, but like the stress response that we have outgrown, nowadays they have an extremely negative impact on us all. We have come a long way in accepting and understanding stress, and as a result, we are in the process of undoing it. Yet aren’t all aspects of prejudice; racism; sexism; ageism; homophobia; anti-semitism; expressions of this same powerful fear for our own survival? In the wake of George Floyd’s death, perhaps there is an invitation. We can continue to fearfully deny and reject the existence of these deeply entrenched instincts, or we can bring recognition, compassion and understanding to them.

I find myself, in my grief, extending my prejudiced, immature hand to the whole human race with love for whoever each of us is, in whatever stage of our personal development. To George Floyd, to his friends, relatives, girlfriend and daughter who bear the brunt of yet another appalling and distressing wake up call. To every single one of us, because in major and minor ways, on a daily basis, we all suffer from this deeply entrenched, traumatic and sadistic way of thinking. To the police involved who are still so mired in this old way of seeing and doing that they do not realise the dreadful depths of pain inherent in acting upon this outdated instinct. Through their behaviour they demonstrate that they have barely begun the journey into knowledge, wisdom and the flowering of humanity which beckons all of us now. That they still have those very early steps to take on this path of recognising how we block and fight one another when we could cooperate with and celebrate each other, and how it so deeply wounds us all. This behaviour is rife. Here in the UK our role models in government exist within a system which requires them to sit in opposition to one another, aggressively defending their tribe. (Watching the news this week I found myself musing on the fact that the ‘shit sandwich’ – a criticism flanked on either side by words of encouragement, which teachers are so familiar with – has yet to make its way to parliament. The level of acrimony within our House is damaging and dangerous to us all). Rising above these entrenched instincts is not an easy task but it is one that benefits greatly from honesty, authenticity and acceptance of its deep hold on all of us. 

So here we are, in this together. Flawed, traumatised and in pain. And yet, on the threshold. Haven’t we all had enough? Not only of our violent, competitive instincts – but of how we respond to them in ourselves and each other. Perhaps we are finally ready to open the door to solidarity, patience, compassion and understanding, to recognise, pay our respects and lovingly undo the old ways that no longer benefit us. To birth life on this beautiful earth where everyone is loved no matter their ability, appearance, sexual orientation… simply loved, valued and encouraged to be ourselves. We have the answer. We have always had the answer. It is love. 

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Greeting Prejudice

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Brain scans show that listening to music lights up all areas of the brain. Perhaps this is not surprising: the language of music is mathematical, pattern-based and logical, and it is also expressive, creative and emotional. Yet what is perhaps less well known is that when you practice music, this neural activity intensifies: with neural ‘fireworks’ going off across both left and right hemispheres of the brain. It is the only activity which is known to have this incredible effect.

This has borne out in my personal experience. As a young person struggling with depression, I found that playing the piano was not only an opportunity to express myself, but akin to a complete brain massage; as though it reordered erratic activity in my brain and left me feeling calm, much more sane (yippee!), and with a very rich experience of reality. I have no doubt that the neural links forged across the brain have contributed to my love of physics and philosophy (two other logic-based subjects that rely on imaginative and creative vision). Dancing The Paradox, my unpublished book, is a philosophical fiction which explores various conundrums in physics and maths. I am convinced that the pathways which music – particularly the practice of music – forges between left and right hemispheres of the brain, give incredible nutrition for good mental health and agility.

Yet isn’t music a specialist subject; only for those who are gifted or talented? After all it’s so technical, and abstract… or is it? This is where I think it gets really interesting!

Imagine trying to discuss maths without using numbers. We all know how to do sums like 2 x 2. However, trying to explain this in words soon becomes a nightmare! Here is a dictionary definition of multiplying:

“…a mathematical operation, symbolized by a × b, a ⋅ b, a ∗ b, or ab, and signifying, when a and b are positive integers, that a is to be added to itself as many times as there are units in b; the addition of a number to itself as often as is indicated by another number”

Painful! The fact is, maths needs its own language; numbers! Using words to describe maths soon becomes horribly technical. Music is no different. It has its own internal logic, its own structure and grammar. Using the language of music to understand music makes it easy! So here’s the good news. Musical language (for western music, at least) is do re mi fa so la ti.* It only has 7 components! Maths has 10 numbers to learn – and I bet you can do a lot with those. The English alphabet has 26 component parts, and here you are reading beautifully! So if you have an interest in setting your brain alight, and developing fluency in a language which seems to be utterly fundamental to us all, then please rest assured that it is easily within your grasp.

As many of you know I am a long time advocate and passionate enthusiast for the Da Capo approach to teaching music. Da Capo develop skills across the board: logical, kinaesthetic, aural and visual skills in reading and writing, coordination, pitch, pulse and rhythm, but also expressive and spontaneous skills in improvising; essentially internalising every aspect of music as a language. And through Da Capo’s playful approach, much of it is done through games.

Next week, with the support of Newtown’s wonderful Theatr Hafren and funding from the Arts Council of Wales through the National Lottery, I will be running Da Capo music sessions online, for all ages and stages. It is a bit of an experiment – these sessions are usually very interactive! But I am excited about giving it a go. Check out Lifebulb’s events for full details.

*Just to be clear, this is used to read normal music on the stave. If you have only ever seen it written in solfa form but never moved it to the stave you have an absolute delight coming your way!

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Try a full brain workout

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When I was in my 30s I had a period of conducting experiments on myself. I started with a month of not speaking. I wasn’t working, but I continued to do everything else that I ordinarily do. I met friends and went to parties, I shopped and travelled, I dealt with the engineer who came to fix the boiler (who chatted to me, ascertained that I couldn’t/ wouldn’t speak, and then asked me on a date :D) I communicated a small amount via writing but mostly without words. It was a profoundly moving experience on many levels. I repeated the experiment some months later, during the summer holidays when I was again off work but this time house sitting on my own for a friend, when I chose to retreat and interact with no one. I also did not use lights in the evenings, and was working intensely on writing my book, Dancing the Paradox – all recipes for entering a different realm of reality. A few months later I decided to spend a couple of days in a blindfold. My memory is generally very poor but the experience is still vivid. I have always been curious as to what life is, how we might understand it better, and in spiritual awakening and opening. Each of these experiments had profound and longlasting effects. The loss of a faculty that I have taken for granted since birth was utterly disquieting and sometimes depressing. But also strangely rich. As though the life and energy that it normally used was forced into a different place in my being. A pervasive quiet and depth appeared, which became an ongoing thread in my experience.

It came to me, in this current odd time, that social isolation has the same qualities for me. The loss of basic freedoms and contact has brought with it a different experience of what and how life is. Another deeply challenging and rich, spiritually awakening experience. Except that this time we are all in it together.

Join me to laugh, breathe, connect and relax every weekday 5.30pm for 15 mins on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/283525953

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Experiment in Social Isolation

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