Every year,
starting by October, usually, the Christmas and
other holiday music begins playing. For most
people this is a happy and joyous phenomenon.
Why? Because music of all kinds is so
powerfully connected to childhood memories.
Whether sacred or secular, each song seems to
conjure up very specific memories. For me,
each song is like a door into a time machine, where
vivid memories flood my mind and flood my brain with
endorphins and serotonin and my body with
adrenaline.
When I was a little girl in
the early 50's, my grandmother had a giant cardboard
cut-out of Santa Claus, drinking a Coca-Cola with a
big smile on his face. Many of our Christmas
pictures from those days show Santa beside the
Christmas tree and I can hear the song "Here Comes
Santa Claus." I also remember "Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman," and
"Jingle Bells!" Because my father was a
Methodist minister, we also emphasized the birth of
Baby Jesus, the Christ Child, and I loved singing
"Away in a Manger," "O Little Town of Bethlehem,"
"Silent Night," and "Joy to the World!" As I
began to play the piano in the mid-50's, I learned
songs like "Good King Wenceslas," "The Holly and the
Ivy," "I Saw Three Ships" and many, many, many more.
For me,
Christmas music and holiday music from other winter
traditions, bring happy memories and feelings.
I have friends and acquaintances who listen to
Christmas music year-round because of the good
feelings it engenders. Yes, there are some
really silly ones, and some that are down-right
offensive, but for the most part, I love it all!
I like to treat myself to a new Christmas CD every
year and so I have quite a selection in many
different styles and genres.
I'm still
amazed to think that we have just 12 different
pitches, available in different ranges and different
timbres, and organized into different harmonies and
rhythms...but still, the variety that humans have
created with these basic tools is absolutely
astounding!! When we combine all of our many
talents and gifts with intention and enthusiasm, the
results can be almost miraculous.
I do hope that
you all have a blessed, prosperous, and peaceful
Holiday Season and New Year!
Sincerely, Alice
Healing Music Blog
Toning and Chanting: What’s the Difference?
Vocal Toning is different from
traditional chanting, and allows for more flexibility and
creativity. Because it is hard to drum and sing at the same time,
you may find that vocal toning is easier than chanting. Instead of
using words we use tones (such as om, ah, hey). Vocal Toning is
about releasing. Toning in a circle with others is empowering. You
will feel inspired by the others in the
group.
Using tones instead of words allows the mind to relax and take a
rest from thinking. This allows the brain to be refreshed. After
each session, you will find yourself feeling totally energized! The
combination of vocalizing and drumming has a dramatic effect on your
mind and body. If doing both at the same time is difficult, an
option is to alternate. With a little practice you may be able to do
both simultaneously.
Did you know that Dr. Cash has an ebook called “Drumming for Health,
Wellness, and Fun?” It’s one of her best-selling and most popular
products. To get it
NOW click HERE. You’re going to love it and feel the difference!
Do you
long for the Wonder and Magic of by-gone Christmases?
"Christmas Around the
Piano with Alice"
From
my earliest childhood, Christmas (around the piano) has been a magical time for me. My
grandmother, pictured on the cover, always had a live tree covered with
sparkling ornaments and twinkling lights. The hand-made stockings were
hung by the chimney with care, and the smell of Grandma's Christmas
cookies filled the air!
As a minister's daughter, I heard
the traditional carols from late November through mid-January and loved
them immediately. I feel sure that some loving family member hummed "Silent Night" to me, possibly before I was even born. We always had a
manger scene and the birth of Baby Jesus was explained to me in a way
that did make it seem wondrous and filled with awe.
These
carols, played with love and a little holiday magic, will bring back your
cherished holiday memories:
Grandma's fresh-baked Christmas cookies
and cakes that filled the air with heavenly
smells
People preparing for surgery having been asking this question
for about 30 years now. Although the use of music in a
medical/healing environment is ancient, only in the late 20th
century were we actually able to measure the effects that music has
on the patient. For an intervention to be considered scientifically
meaningful or valid, there must be research. Now the studies have
been done and we know, for sure, music before, during and after
surgery is a great idea!
I
have known since before my children were born, that music is
powerful with infants and children. What I didn’t know in those
early days was that babies can hear up to 5 months before they are
born. Research has documented that the fetal ear can begin
functioning as early as the beginning of the second trimester. Many
people don’t realize that the baby can hear in utero, and therefore
are not sensitive to the sonic environment that the mother is in. Of
course I don’t think that loud music is EVER a good idea for any
human at any point, but pregnant women should be especially careful
to be in sonic environments that are quiet and calm…as much as
possible
Alice H. Cash
For nearly two decades, I've been helping people use the music that
they already love to heal their lives and increase their wellness
quotient!
I
am one of the world's only clinical musicologists and hold
a Masters degree in piano performance, a Ph.D. in
musicology and a Master of Social Work in clinical social work. I
am also a licensed clinical social worker. I work with people and
diagnoses of all kinds, enabling them to find healing, acceptance and
hope.
I love
performing, researching, and teaching and have put them all together
in a career called "Music Medicine."
Dr. Alice H. Cash is often asked to share her
Grand Rounds Presentation with hospitals' doctors and staff. Learn
what is currently happening around the world and the results they are
having.
"It was the
easiest of all hand surgeries! I was listening to music, then a slight
lull of nothing and then back to the music. Wonderfully comfortable. The
best surgical experience yet. I am honored to know, worked with and
utilized Dr. Cash's magnificent creation. I do hope the medical field
understands the import of her invention!"