When you’re not able or willing to leave your house during this pandemic, keep moving anyway: put on your favorite music and dance in your living room! Movement is important for self-expression; self-expression is important to mental health; and good mental health is important for a vibrant and meaningful life and adds your positivity to society.
My favorite music for cardiovascular movement, or when I feel I have to blow off some steam, is big band or swing music from the forties. I move my body to work up a sweat in my living room when I know I’m going to be spending a lot of time at the computer and can’t get outside. Listen to “Sing, Sing, Sing!” played by the Glenn Miller Band, and you’ll start moving, too!
When it’s evening, or if I’m feeling contemplative, meditative or even sad, I’ll find some classical Indian music featuring instruments like the tabla, tanpura and sitar. Classical Indian music is often organized into moods called ‘ragas’, and I can usually find one that’s meant for early morning or evening, and is thus calming and quieting in nature. My body wants to move in fluid and graceful ways to express the deeper currents of feeling that may not be so apparent on the surface. Type “Ragas for Relaxation” into your browser and see if this ancient musical style appeals to you.
No matter how you move, practice the art of mindfulness and pay attention to your limbs moving in space, your heart beating, your breathing. Listen to your body and that small, still voice: you’ll find music that speaks to you, drawing forth your creative expression that will help you slough off the stress and breathe in the joy! Keep moving!
soundheals 