We All Win When We Evolve Away from Fear: Personal and Societal Wellbeing and Positive Music

We All Win When We Evolve Away from Fear: Personal and Societal Wellbeing and Positive Music
by Meryl Ann Butler

While recent events have inspired a louder conversation about the influence of verbal vitriol on aggressive behaviors and mental health, the reverse side of that coin also invites inspection: creating an environment of support, safety, hope and happiness can enhance personal as well as societal wellbeing.

And positive music is making its contribution.

I interviewed Elizabeth Balcar, MS, developer of Quantum Field Clearing, a protocol for resolving fear-based mind chatter.

Balcar says, "what you choose to invite into your environment is what inspires your experiences in life. So, when you listen to the types of diatribes regularly delivered by Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, you are drilling the beliefs that these people espouse into your subconscious mind.

"The resulting feelings of fear, lack, danger, and the need for protection, can seriously affect your physical, mental and emotional health: when you are focused on fear and protection, then, by definition, you cannot simultaneously be focused on love and well-being. This is why a survival mentality undermines your health."

Balcar cites Steve Bhaerman and Dr. Bruce Lipton's book Spontaneous Evolution, noting that during previous centuries science has been determined to separate spirit from matter.
Balcar notes, "Bhaerman and Lipton point to the scientific and social evidence that, as an evolving species, we are headed up the evolutionary tract toward reawakening to the reality which the ancients knew: that Spirit (also called the Field), and Matter are irrevocably married. The Field, and the thoughtforms we put into it, shape the quality of the matter that makes up our bodies."

Balcar notes that when you choose to put positive elements and influences into your daily environment -- such as positive music-- you nurture your subconscious mind with images and thoughts that support a sense of self as a vital, worthwhile and empowered human being.

Michael Miller, M.D., director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, was principal investigator in research studies in 2008 on the effects of music on health. He documented that the emotions aroused by joyful music have a healthy effect on blood vessel function.

Miller's studies showed that the average upper arm blood vessel diameter increased 26 percent after the joyful music phase of the experiment. Why is that important? Because cardiovascular disease is America's leading cause of death, and opening the blood vessels is curative.

Don Campbell, author of The Mozart Effect notes that "The healing chemicals created by joy and emotional richness" (in music) "enable the body to create its own anesthetic and enhance its immune function." 

Dr. Lester Dubnick says, "Music increases the release of endorphins, the body's system of pain management. Whether you prefer Gregorian chant, New Age, jazz, big band , or rock "n roll, music with strong meaning affects your body and mood."

And music with positive meaning, affects positively.

The emPower Posi Music Awards were introduced in 2005 to honor the songwriters and artists who spread affirmative messages through their music. So it's timely that the winners of the 6th Annual Posi Awards have been announced tonight, because our nation could certainly use something positive right now:

2010 POSI AWARD WINNERS

GROUP / CHANT category: Something Wonderful by Harold Payne.

Preview of song: http://www.haroldpaynemusic.com/?page_id=18 (scroll down to the Stayin' True album.)

Website: www.haroldpaynemusic.com

Payne is a multi-platinum and Posi award-winning songwriter who has written songs for such diverse artists as Rod Stewart, Patti LaBelle, Snoop Dog, The Temptations, Sly Stone, Leon Russell, and Peter, Paul & Mary, among many others. He is also a longtime collaborator with Bobby Womack.

I discovered his winning song, Something Wonderful, while researching the Posi Awards. It zapped me right into bliss, and I wanted to share the joy, so I sent out a link to a list of my friends. That group included Tony, who's experienced a full spectrum of life, including continuing recovery from extensive injuries. (But it could have been a lot more "grave," to reference the Bard, if the guy in the morgue hadn't noticed Tony's slight movements inside the body bag.)

Tony wrote back, "After reading your e-mail, I bought the album. I ADORE you for sharing this guy and this song ...  I have been playing "Something Wonderful" almost constantly! It is a powerful mantra. It makes me so happy ... "

SPIRITUAL SOCIAL ACTION category: True Calling by Jana Stanfield & Jimmy Scott

Full version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5y0p-CjkVc

Website: www.JanaStanfield.com

Jana Stanfield is a multi-platinum songwriter, transformational speaker and humorist who has shared stages with notables ranging from Kenny Loggins and the Dixie Chicks to Lily Tomlin and Deepak Chopra.

She offers her signature presentations at conferences around the world and also leads "Volun-Tourism" trips, assisting others in finding their "True Callings."

Jack Canfield, of Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises,  featured Jana's principles of success as Chapter 14 in his best seller, "The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are To Where You Want To Be."

UNITING Category: All These Atoms by Greg Tamblyn

Preview the song at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gregtamblyn5

Website: www.gregtamblyn.com

Greg Tamblyn, NCW, (No Credentials Whatsoever) is an award-winning speaker, humorist, singer and songwriter. Larry Dossey, MD, calls him "a contemporary Mark Twain." 

Tamblyn won a Posi Award previously for Just a Little Soul from The Shootout at the I'm OK, You're OK Corral album. (Preview at http://www.suekriley.com/justalittlesoul-Clip.mp3)

One of my Tamblyn favorites, The Grand Design, is a previous Posi nominee, and a preview can be heard at: http://www.suekriley.com/GrandDesign-Clip.mp3

He publishes a very funny newsletter, if you sign up for it you can download two free songs at his website. 

From his site: "Advisory: Greg's songs contain anti-depressive lyrics." He should post a warning about endorphin addiction, as well.

PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION category: Right Here All Along by Four Stories High
Laura Berman and Craig Benelli have toured extensively, opening for wellknown authors like Neale Donald Walsch and Marianne Williamson.

Website: http://www.4storieshigh.com

HEALING Category: Allowing by Susie Hulcher

Hulcher is music director for Unity of Fort Myers. Allowing is from her latest CD , Like Ten Thousand Suns.

Preview at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/susiehulcherjennings

website: http://www.susiehulcher.com

MUSIC THAT MATTERS category: If That's Not God Working by Karen Taylor-Good & Jim Daddario

Taylor-Good has been nominated for a Grammy and has sung on recordings and movie soundtracks with Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Elvis among others. Her songs have been recorded by Melissa Manchester, Al Jarreau, Patty Loveless, Collin Raye and Diamond Rio. 

Website: http://www.karentaylorgood.com

TRUE STORY category: Nine Gold Medals by David Roth

Full song at http://vimeo.com/3795701

Website: w ww.davidrothmusic.com

David Roth is an award-winning songwriter, recording artist, and speaker, and his songs have found their way to Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, several Chicken Soup for the Soul books, the Kennedy Center, Peter, Paul, & Mary concerts, and onto NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul says, "David and his music will touch you to the very depths of your soul.  He'll make you laugh and cry, inspire you to rise and fly..." 

If you can listen to his winning Nine Gold Medals without a kleenex, check for a pulse.
Last year, Roth's song, Ahmed Al-Khatib  received a Posi Award in the same category. http://www.davidrothmusic.com/DR_45/Practice%20Makes%20Progress/11%20AHMED%20AL-KHATIB.mp3

See a list of all 21 nominees with links to previews and full length versions of their songs in the OEN article, Positive Music Awards: A Fanfare of Harmony at: http://www.opednews.com/articles/Positive-Music-Awards-A--by-Meryl-Ann-Butler-110107-17.html

A CD featuring all 21 nominated songs is available from emPower Music and Arts at  http://www.empowerma.com/node/9153

RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
Heart Disease http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_disease  Accessed Jan 15, 2011.

Joyful Music May Promote Heart Health, According To University Of Maryland School Of Medicine Study. http://www.umm.edu/news/releases/music-cardiovascular.htm Accessed Jan. 15, 2011

Music for Health and Wellbeing by Dr. Lester Dubnick, The Health Journal, Southside edition, Nov. 2010, p 31.

Related OEN article: Positive Music Awards: A Fanfare of Harmony http://www.opednews.com/articles/Positive-Music-Awards-A--by-Meryl-Ann-Butler-110107-17.html

emPower MUSIC AND ART: www.empowerma.com Contact:  866.476.5529 

Greg Tamblyn's concert, Saving the World From Whiny Victim Love Songs  was reviewed for OEN at http://www.opednews.com/articles/Greg-Tamblyn-Saving-the-W-by-Meryl-Ann-Butler-091207-700.html

Have fun romping around clips of award nominees from previous years here: http://www.suekriley.com/empowerma.htm

Quantum Field Clearing is a paradigm-busting protocol that resolves emotional baggage, cleans up relationship boundaries and silences the negative or fear-based chatter in the back of the mind that continually sabotages and undermines the sense of well-being. www.quantumfieldclearing.com  

Steve Bhaerman, co-author of Spontaneous Evolution. www.wakeuplaughing.com/

Bruce Lipton, PhD, co-author of Spontaneous Evolution. www.brucelipton.com/   ###

See a list of all 21 nominees with links to previews and full length versions of their songs in the Jan. 7, 2011, OEN article, Positive Music Awards: A Fanfare of Harmony at:http://www.opednews.com/articles/Positive-Music-Awards-A--by-Meryl-Ann-Butler-110107-17.html

A CD featuring all 21 nominated songs is available from emPower Music and Arts at http://www.empowerma.com/node/9153


Meryl Ann Butler is a Renaissance woman: journalist, visionary artist, author, labyrinth builder, citizen diplomat, educator, and mom. She has been actively engaged in employing the arts as stepping-stones toward joy-filled wellbeing for the past three decades

She is the author of the bestseller, 90-Minute Quilts: 15+ Projects You Can Quilt in an Afternoon (Krause, 2006), which she wrote as her “healing-through-creativity” response to 9-11. In it, she quips, “They don’t call quilts ‘comforters’ for nothing!”  Her newest book is MORE 90-Minute Quilts: 20+ Projects with Triangles and Squares (Krause, 2011.)

Meryl Ann was trained in traditional drawing and painting by master of realism, Harold R. Stevenson, who was a student of Norman Rockwell. She ran an art school for a decade before becoming involved in fiber arts. The great-granddaughter of a documented psychic, Meryl Ann is also an intuitive who offers custom soul matrix pattern drawings called Illuminated Mandalas. She is the creativity expert featured on the Edgar Cayce New Millennium TV/video series.

Meryl Ann and her work have been featured in hundreds of magazines and periodicals including Newsday, and a wide variety of trade publications. Her artwork is in hundreds of collections around the world, including those of His Holiness, the late Swami Satchidananda, the Hon. Nelson Mandela, Cathy and Ed O’Neill, Dr. Caroline Myss, Dr. Barbara King, Dr. Norman Shealy, the Hon. and Mrs. Dennis Kucinich, Harpo Productions, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Productions, The Findhorn Community (Scotland), City Hall (Moss, Norway), The St. Petersburg Peace Committee (Russia), School 119 (Odessa, Ukraine) and the University of Peace in Costa Rica.

YouTube video: Visionary Artist Meryl Ann Butler on Creativity and Joy  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcGs2r_66QE

Illuminated Mandalas and other artwork at www.merylannbutler.com
Quilt books at   www.90minutequilts.com