Music and Spirituality
Spirituality has many definitions, some people link it to religion, while others feel it is something more akin to an emotional state. Spirituality is not something that is quantifiable by typical means because it is not tangible. Also, because it is experienced differently from culture to culture and from person to person creating a definitive operational definition for it would be difficult. Regardless of your beliefs, for many people, cultures, and religion spirituality is an important aspect of the human experience, one that in a lot of ways, can be influenced, induced, or amplified by music.
Ludwig van Beethoven once said, “Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.” In truth, the type of music matters not so long as the music we are listening to awakens a true and rooted emotion then the music is, in a sense, helping us to reconnect with our essence or our innermost self. Music is therapeutic in so many ways. Many humans feel drawn to music not just because they simply enjoy it, but also because music acts as a bridge between our body and spirit. It allows us to connect and feel what would otherwise be a difficult and complex array of emotions to filter through without a catalyst of some sort.
In some countries in Africa it is believed that each soul has a song, so when a baby is about to be born, the song associated with that soul is sung by the tribe. Similarly, when the soul is about to part from this world the song is sung as well. Even if the reasons behind the practice is not something you don’t personally believe, the fact of the matter is that a tribe is brought close together by way of the song. Because of this practice, they are likely more involved in each other’s lives then they might have otherwise have been. The people of these tribes make several keystone moments of their fellow tribe member a rewarding and beautifully spiritual experience.