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Music Therapy in SpiritualityLucanne Magill This is the response that Lucanne Magill gave to Michael Mayne at the 9th World Congress of Music Therapy in Oxford, UK, July 26, 2002. Abstract
In four themes in music therapy, we see the power of music to build relationship, enhance remembrance, be a voice to prayer and instill peace. As music therapists we are presented with the challenge and the opportunity to define, describe and verify what we do. This is an important task that we must do. It is also important for us to remember something that we all know, that it is in the lived moments of music therapy, when, as Michael Mayne says, the whole being, body, mind and spirit, is in the presence of music, when transformations begin to occur and healing begins, that it is in the lived moments of music therapy that the essence of our work- music therapy, spirituality and healing- is experienced and known.
Today, I would like to reflect with you on what I believe is really the heart of what we do, music therapy in spirituality. So much of what we do is beyond words and it is really because of this transcendental nature of music that important healing in music therapy can and does occur. In my work as music therapist I have observed the difficult impact of metastatic illness: the pain, suffering, loss of self identity, loss of sense of meaning and purpose in life, loss of hope and loss of control. I have also observed the meaningful effects of music to restore, refresh and create union. I would like to share with you my work since, as we all know, it really is in the lived moments of music therapy, when the human being, as Michael Mayne has explained, as body, mind and spirit, is merged with music, that the essence of music therapy and spirituality is seen, felt and understood. In my work there are four recurring themes. There are many others as well, though these four are prominent. Relationship
The first theme is relationship. Patients and families contending with life threatening illness or with the end-of-life, often feel out of touch with self and others. The self-identity may be challenged, they may be depressed, withdrawn, isolated or separated for sometimes long periods of time. Music reaches beyond words and bodily touch, builds bridges of communication and helps people be back in touch with self and others. Example: Emanuella, age 78, was an Afro-American woman with an advanced brain tumor. She was depressed and withdrawn and was observed to be sitting in her room staring at the wall for long periods of time, not speaking to staff. A nurse asked me to go in to try to make contact with her. (the therapist then plays a recorded example from the first session of music therapy singing "He's Got the Whole World") After this session, she burst into this song whenever anyone, eg. nurses doctors, housekeepers, the music therapist, walked into the room. Two weeks later, she had deteriorated and was described as being in a semi-comatose state. She was for the most part non-responsive. I sat down next to her and sang this same song again. This is a recording of that session. (The therapist then plays a recording of "He's Got the Whole World" as it was sung in this session). This example shows the use of a simple song, one that inherently describes contact with others and contact with the higher power, to build bridges of communication, reduce isolation and reestablish relationship. Remembrance
The second theme is remembrance. During times of pain and loss, people are often driven back to times of comfort, security, predictability, or even of hardships. There is a natural tendency to review one's life. The link between music and memory is strong, as we all know, and enhances this process. Example: Janet, age 65, had a brain tumor that was progressing rapidly. She had disease-related aphasia and was very agitated due to her lack of ability to communicate. Her son, who was with her most of the time, was very sad and frustrated. When I walked into her room, I showed her the songbook. She indicated, by pointing, "Danny Boy". I sat down next to her and encouraged her to try to sing with me. I kept a gently firm rhythm to help engage her. I also paused between the first and second verses, to offer her the choice to sing the verse that talks about death and dying. (A recorded example of Janet singing the words to "Danny Boy" is played. Janet chooses to sing the second verse too). This is an example of the use of a familiar song to support remembrance. Janet chose a song that was important to her in her life. She remembered the words and was able to sing them in her aphasia. She also had the opportunity to say words about death and dying. She was in touch with times of closeness with her son, who seemed to have relief in hearing her verbalize in song again. Prayer
The third theme is prayer. Patients and family members often have a need and desire to call out for relief from anguish, pain or sorrow. I mean prayer in a broader sense of the word, since it may or may not be in a religious context, but a calling from the deeper corners of heart, mind, and spirit. Sometimes this need to express is suppressed. Music reaches and is a voice. Example: Wendell, age 45, was from the West Indies. He had been in the hospital for one month prior to referral to music therapy. He was not responding to the rigorous treatments for his acute leukemia. He knew he was getting sicker, not better. He was immersed in his TV, communicating very little. He was referred by his nurse, with her hope that music therapy would help him begin to express. I went into his room and sat with him with his TV, to begin a dialogue. He gradually began to focus more and more on the topic of music and then said that he really wanted to sing "Fly Away Home". This song was brought to him and we sang it together frequently, at his request. (A recording of Wendell, Brenden -music therapy intern - and me singing "Fly Away Home" is played) Following this, Wendell began to engage himself more with others and also talked about his faith at length. This is an example of how a patient can use a song to talk about his finality and express his faith and hope for the ability to "fly away home". Peace
The fourth theme is peace. Patients often long for comfort, relief from pain, peace of mind, relief from interruptions, uncertainties and relief from lack of control. As Michael Mayne so beautifully explained, music can calm and bring a sense of balance and order. Example: Lois, age 68, had metastatic cervical cancer and was receiving palliative care for her difficult to manage pain. She was agitated and angry. She was referred by a doctor who requested music therapy to help her with her pain and agitation. When we went to her room, her son and friend were in far corners of her room. They ran up to us and requested "Flamenco" music. My colleague and I sat down next to her and asked her "what music would help her today?". She said: "I want to be in peace". (Click here for download ; An example of a meditative chant used in this session I played to reflect the words and needs of the patient). At the end of the music, the patient said: "I am in beauty, I am in peace". The music also had a calming effect on the family. In time we began to involve them in the sessions. In these four themes in music therapy, we see the power of music to build relationship, enhance remembrance, be a voice to prayer and instill peace. As music therapists we are presented with the challenge and the opportunity to define, describe and verify what we do. This is an important task that we must do. It is also important for us to remember something that we all know, that it is in the lived moments of music therapy, when, as Michael Mayne says, the whole being, body, mind and spirit, is in the presence of music, when transformations begin to occur and healing begins, that it is in the lived moments of music therapy that the essence of our work- music therapy, spirituality and healing- is experienced and known. I would like to end with the words of a patient who had many music therapy sessions and was dying of leukemia:
When I am in the presence of music, I fly like a bird; When I am in the presence of music, my spirit is free and I am in peace".
Lucanne Magill, This Article can be cited as: Magill, L (2002) Spirituality in music therapy. Music Therapy Today (online), available at http://musictherapyworld.net |