Listen to the short video above or read the full blog below.
What Overcomes Challenges, Stress, and Anxiety and Develops Evolution?
While we were never taught how to access methods that give us the foundation to take care of ourselves by relieving stress, dealing with traumas, and managing the up’s and down’s of challenges we can now!
Life is an incredible journey, but it is not without its fair share of challenges. From the daily stress of work and relationships, and to unexpected crises that turn our worlds upside down, each of us faces unique struggles that can take a toll on our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. In addition, at different times in our life we may face divorce, loss of a friend or family member, or even find ourselves needing to go to the hospital. Other challenging life situations include a visit to the emergency room, urgent care, or outpatient surgery, especially dentist appointments, some doctor’s appointments, litigation, public speaking, interviews, flying on airplanes, and other situations that create anxiety and stress.
Another area of stress is trauma and triggers that relate to trauma. In the past people have sought out self-medication methods to diminish stress and anxiety with the use of substances or addictions or look to a pharmaceutical intervention.
However, there are non-pharmacological methods that interrupt negative cycles of stress that bring relief plus an array of amazing benefits.
Knowing there is a method to deal with managing challenges, stress, and traumas with reliable methods that we can count on, that are affordable, easy to use at our fingertips and brings us a deep breath and release, and is non-pharmaceutical is a relief. Backed by research, listening to specific music and sound patterns in meditation is an effective navigational method for the ups and downs we encounter!
Understanding Life Challenges
No one is immune to the challenges of life but that does not mean they are easy to go through. The raising of awareness about anxiety and stress has increased especially in and since the pandemic, but not with methods we can easily engage anywhere, anytime, without assistance, are cost effective, and are useful for stress and anxiety and everyday challenges we all encounter. Besides the kinds of stress mentioned above that we are more familiar with, one of the most common misconceptions about life challenges is that they solely arise from negative experiences. However, anxiety and stress can occur in the form of positive changes, such as pursuing new opportunities or a job, retirement, change, starting over, starting a family, starting a new career, or relocating to a different city. While we were never taught how to access methods that give us the foundation to take care of ourselves by relieving stress, dealing with traumas, and managing the up’s and down’s of challenges we now can listen to specific music and sound meditations that do make a significant difference in how we navigate through life’s hurdles and address these regular life occurrences and up’s and downs.
The Power of Sound Meditation
Breaking down the words, ‘sound’ and ‘meditation’ shows the different components and their benefits. Sound meditation, also known as sound healing, is an ancient practice and in its origins not only promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, but transports our consciousness from the brain waves where we experience stress into relaxing and healing states. The particular sound patterns create a therapeutic frequency that emit a deep sense of release into tranquility. The musical repetitions create the Relaxation Response which shifts the listener from ordinary consciousness into a state of receptivity, released from negative thoughts, but inwardly focused where restoration and healing occur (M. Mitchell M.D, (2023)). And the particular sound patterns within the sound healing meditation are a series of hypnotic-like repetitions that carry the listener, like listening to a lullaby, shifting from out of ordinary consciousness, (where we experience stress), into states of receptivity, inner expanded awareness, release from outwardly focused awareness, gaining a sense of deep peacefulness and healing. (Susan Sophia James (2023)).
Particular Music and Sound Meditation
Particular music and sound meditation works by calming the nervous system and reducing cortisol levels – the stress hormone. This reduction in the stress hormone effects dealing with trauma responses and post-traumatic stress (PTSD) as well as anxiety and challenges. Also, there is a synchronization of the heart rate, respiration, and brain waves simultaneously shifting from the state of anxiety and stress allowing the body to activate its natural healing mechanisms. When we access this relaxed state, we connect into our receptivity to problem-solving, creativity, insight, and intuition which are components of our evolution. We cannot access any of these abilities unless we are in a relaxed state. Linnemann A, Ditzen B, Strahler J, Doerr JM, Nater UM) 2015.
Embracing Challenges with Sound Meditation
The following areas are benefits for stress, anxiety, and life’s challenges by listening to specific sound and music meditation with their transformative sound patterns.
- Cultivate Resilience: The sound meditation method develops resilience through listening creating balance, inner restoration of the mind and emotions, effecting the physical body and spirit. Regular listening to sound healing meditation enhances and builds resilience, enabling us to bounce back stronger from life’s setbacks. Building resilience is beneficial for all of us and especially for people who have experienced trauma. (Landis-Shack N, Heinz AJ, Bonn-Miller Mon, (2017)).
- Stress Reduction: The serene sounds and vibrations during sound meditation help to alleviate stress and anxiety, fostering a calmer mindset when facing life’s difficulties. Knowing you have an effective method that releases stress is deeply comforting. (Caihong Lu, Xiaoxia Chen, Christian E. Y. Pau. And Doris S. F. (2015)).
- Enhanced Problem-Solving Abilities: When we engage in regular sound healing mediation it frees us from interruptive and negative thoughts because listening is an indirect teacher. The sound healing meditation teaches us, indirectly through our listening, we have the ability to shift easily from ordinary consciousness. Experiencing this feeling is a freedom that indirectly releases hyper-focus and repetitive thoughts into allowing solutions to problems to arise. (Lazar Catherine E Kerr, and Rachel H. Wasserman, (2005)).
- Improved Emotional Well-being: The particular sound patterns promote emotional release restoring balance through the release of positive endorphins, enabling us to process emotions related to challenges constructively. Simultaneously negative emotions release which builds and contributes to a positive outlook on life. (EcoInstitute, (2023)).
- Deepens Connection with Ourself and Self-Awareness. Regular listening to sound meditation fosters a deeper inner connection and expansiveness within and a deepened spiritual connection. This connection continues to develop over time and gives long-lasting benefits, and also makes going through the challenges easier. (EcoInstitute, (2023)).
- Neurological Pathways When we listen to the same sound and music selections, we build a relationship with the patterns in our memory. The memory creates a neuropathway that takes us into relaxation. Because it is a musical memory as soon as you hear the beginning sound sequences your breathing automatically starts to change into the relaxation response. It is that easy! When this occurs it reveals a new pathway that easily carries the listener. (Martinna de Witt, Anouk Spruit, Susan van Hooren, Xavier Moonen & Geert-Jan Stams (2019)).
Life-long Benefits
The funny thing about sound listening it is not a one-time experience and ‘poof’ you are magically changed like taking a pill, or getting a surgery, and then you are done. It is a method to use throughout your life. And it is a method you can count on. Unfortunately, by default we have been trained to stay in one state where stress occurs. And without methods that contribute to our well-being stress often builds up with increasing deleterious effects. (Househam AM, Peterson CT, Mills PJ, Chopra D, (2017).
We never learned there were different states of consciousness, about their healing benefits, or how we could simply listen to access these states of consciousness for restoration, healing and our advancement. But now you know!
Life’s challenges, traumas, and stress are an integral part of our journey and are daunting at times. These experiences and our responses present us with valuable opportunities to respond differently, engage in new behaviors, and progress. Sound healing meditation offers a profound way to navigate through these challenges, promoting self-awareness, resilience, and emotional well-being. By incorporating this practice into our daily lives, we can embrace life’s ups and downs with grace, strength, and a profound sense of inner peace because emotional balance and resilience are developed while enhancing problem solving abilities with new reliable neuropathways that deepen our inner connection and expand self-awareness for a more fulfilled and harmonious existence. Whatever way you choose, whether it is via headphones, earbuds or speakers to get the benefits of sound healing meditation you can with the 3Melete Meditations (https://3melete.com/shop-meditations), all you have to do is listen, engage and shift, and transform.
References
A Neurobiological Framework for the Therapeutic Potential of Music and Sound Interventions for Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Critical Illness Survivors. Pant U, Frishkopf M, Park T, Norris CM, Papathanassoglou E. International Journal of Environmental Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 6;19(5):3113. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19053113.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Music Therapy on Cortisol. Caihong Lu, Xiaoxia Chen, Christina E. Y. Pau, Doris S. F. Yu Published in: Journal of Health Psychology, Vol. 20, Issue 8, August 2015 DOI: 10.1177/1359105313512827
Dr. Herbert Benson’s Relaxation Response. Learn to counteract the physiological effects of stress. Marilyn Mitchell M.D. (2023). https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/heart-and-soul-healing/201303/dr-herbert-benson-s-relaxation-response
Expert Treatment Centre for People with Mild Intellectual Disabilities and Psychiatric and Behavioral Disorders. Martinna de Witt, Anouk Spruit, Susan van Hooren, Xavier Moonen & Geert-Jan Stams. (2019). Gennep, HAN University of Applied Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Stevig, Research Centre for the Arts Therapies, Heerlen, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2019.1627897
How Meditation Boosts Melatonin, Serotonin, GABA, DHEA, Growth Hormone, & More (2023). EcoInstitute.
https://eocinstitute.org/meditation/dhea_gaba_cortisol_hgh_melatonin_serotonin_endorphins/
How Meditation Builds Willpower, Self-Control, & Discipline (EcoInstitute).how-meditation-builds-discipline/ https://ecoinstitute.org/meditation/
Meditation Acutely Increases Circulating Plasma Levels of the Endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Cahn BR, and Polich J,. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol. 6, December 2012 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00293
Meditation Experience is Associated with Increased Cortical Thickness. Sara W.
Lazar, Catherine E. Kerr, Rachel H. Wasserman, et al. Published in: Neuroreport, Vol. 16, Issue 17, November 2005 DOI: 10.1097/01.wnr.0000186598.66243.19
Music Listening as a Means of Stress Reduction in Daily Life. Linnemann A, Ditzen B, Strahler J, Doerr JM, Nater UM. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2015 Oct;60:82-90. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.06.008.
Music Listening and Resilience in Adolescents with Chronic Conditions” Authors: Janice S. Dorman, Laurel A. Fay, Lillian M. Brinkman, et al. Published in: Journal of Music Therapy, Vol. 53, Issue 3, August 2016 DOI: 10.1093/jmt/thw013
Music Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress in Adults: A Theoretical Review. Landis-Shack N, Heinz AJ, Bonn-Miller MO. Psychomusicology. 2017;27(4):334-342. doi: 10.1037/pmu0000192.
The Effects of Stress and Meditation on the Immune System, Human Microbiota, and Epigenetics. Househam AM, Peterson CT, Mills PJ, Chopra D. Advances in Mind/Body Medicine. 2017 Fall;31(4):10-25. PMID: 29306937.
Why Does Sound and Music Meditation Work Faster and is Easier to Shift Consciousness than Other Practices? Susan Sophia James (2023). https://3melete.com/why-does-sound-and-music-meditation-work-faster-and-is-easier-to-shift-consciousness/
