MUSIC - The Raiser of Vibration

As a Musician and Sound Healer, I have always firmly believed in the power of music to lift people’s spirits and raise their energy vibration. Simply, music makes us feel better. Whatever your taste in music – whether heavy metal (and I don’t refer to gongs here!), classical music like Mozart or Tschaikovsky (two of my favourite classical composers incidentally) or folk, rock, pop, chant – whatever you are drawn to – mankind has for many centuries and indeed thousands of years used music to dance to, chill out, relax and unwind, especially in stressful situations and when life is not going so well. What would we do without it.? Life would be so much drearier if we didn’t have music. As a musician I can’t imagine a life without sound and music. And to me, all music is a form of Sound Healing.

Here is a case in point. I’ll just fill you in on a bit of background so bear with me. A couple of years ago I was strolling with a friend through the marketplace in Totnes in Devon where I live, and there was clearly a band playing a little further off as I could hear the music. It drew me in like a magnet for some reason. We arrived at the edge of the market where they were playing – they were in full flight in the middle of a song, and it was wonderful! Not just the music, which had a catchy tune and great rhythm, but the lyrics of the songs were really clever too - about everyday life and the things that matter to ordinary people. My friend and I stopped for a while and listened and I was entranced and put some money in the hat. The music lifted my spirits and just made the day so much more enjoyable – even that 15 minutes that we listened to. Later I looked them up and found that they were a busking band called Phat Bollard who are based in Cornwall but travel the country singing their songs in towns and cities to the ordinary people of the UK, for donations.

Since then I have gone to hear them whenever I can when they are in the area. They are a lovely down to earth, awake and aware group of people as well as extremely talented musicians. They see what is happening in the world and write songs about it, so the songs are songs of truth, to help wake people up. This gives them a special quality because the music has an energy of its own, which can be most clearly felt in their stunning live performances. They are great to see on YouTube, and it’s good to listen to them on CD as well, but hearing them live is something else. Invariably people start dancing and bopping, and in fact I can’t keep my body still when they are playing – it just wants to move. I suppose you would call the music folk/protest. It has an overall happy energy, and the clever humorous lyrics have a wonderful vibe, which just lifts people and makes them smile. Especially when one of the dogs – Furgus – starts joining in as he does in certain songs. Really.

So let me tell you about the transformation I saw in someone today, through listening to Phat Bollard’s music. This morning they were playing in Plymouth, and I went down to see them. They were set up outside an empty shop and just getting started. They soon attracted a crowd, because the music is so catchy it draws in people of all ages, young and old, and they want to listen. One middle-aged man came along and sat down next to me on the wall. I could see sadness in his eyes, and no hope, basically - a broken man. He was obviously the worse for wear, and a bit shaky, and commented to me that this might be a good place to stop and sit for five minutes. I agreed, and I privately thought he might end up staying longer! As the music continued he did indeed stay and I could see the effect it was having on him. There was a gradual softening – it was very subtle, but unmistakeable. He got up and put money in the hat a couple of times as his appreciation grew. After about half an hour he turned to me and said “They’re brilliant aren’t they?” and I said “Yes they are”. At one point he went off to get food, but was soon back sitting next to me again, eating and giving tit-bits to Furgus! By the end of their set – they often play for two hours with a tea break if the weather is good – this man was in a completely different energy space to when he had arrived. The sadness in his eyes had been replaced by peace, and his energy vibration had clearly been raised by the music, and also the camaraderie and cheerful banter of the band members and people watching. He bought two CD’s and went off happy. It was truly beautiful to see. And it’s not the first time I have seen people transformed by their music. And other music too of course. But I single this out as a very precious and recent example that I witnessed at first hand in a shopping centre!

In my opinion, this is a service to humanity, and there should be much more of this wonderful uplifting music and other forms of creativity happening in our public spaces, which after all, belong to the people. Buskers of this quality should be allowed to play wherever they want, within reason, because they are entertaining people and lifting them out of the drudgery of everyday life and giving them something very special. This is another form of Sound Healing – not the usual sort, but none the less highly effective for all its rustic quality. Thank you Phat Bollard for bringing the music to the people. www.phatbollard.co.uk