February is American Heart Month. Much of the medical community is focusing on heart health awareness. I thought it appropriate to talk about how the heart enters into effective therapeutic music.

On a recent visit to a hospice house, I must have triggered extra focus and energy by meditating before entering the room. Before arriving at the hospice, I had been involved in a very frustrating meeting which had my nerves on edge. I knew that was a very poor state in which to play therapeutic music. To be effective with the music, I need to be focused on the moment, focused outward not inward.

Being in the moment allows me to be open to whatever situation I may encounter in the patient room. Helpful, too, is thinking of something for which I am grateful, and embrace that thought.

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I entered the hospice room where an elderly man was lying on his back, unconscious, struggling to breathe. As a person nears the end of life, breathing becomes very irregular with long pauses. This condition is called Cheyne-Stokes. He was clearly in this stage.

His family was in the room with him. The room was warm and comfortable, and had an aura of peace and respect. They invited me to play music.

The music I played was very slow, yet melodic enough that it wouldnt upset the mood of the family. The purpose of slow music was to allow the dying man time to process the music.

As the body begins to shut down, the brain slows down. (Or vice versa: As the brain slows, it slows the body). A fast tempo or a complicated rhythm would surely be difficult for his brain to process. My intention was to make his time easier, not harder. So very slow, simple music was called for.

The music had many long pauses as I synched the music to his breathing. After an exhalation, he had a very long pause. So long, I often wondered if there would be another. As I played for this gentleman, I felt a wave of energy from him. I knew that we had connected. My senses opened to him.

The existence of energetic communication has been researched in many studies. The energy that one can pick up from another person actually comes from the heart, not the brain. The energy is explained by the electromagnetic energy that is a constant in our environment and in our bodies.

Surprisingly, our hearts produce about 60 times the strength of magnetic emissions that the brain does.

So it makes sense if you want to have an energy connection with another person, center on your heart to make it happen. How do you do this?

To be able to receive the energy from another person, your nervous system needs to be calm and stabilized. If you are in chaos, the energy received from another person cannot be processed and acknowledged.

Center yourself. Think only positive thoughts. Think of something for which you are grateful and move that image into your heart. This is not intended to relax and calm you, but to organize your nervous system so it is poised to receive the energy communication.

When I follow my own advice, my music reaches better levels. With an energy connection, I am with the patient. I can play much more effectively.

If you wish to learn more about the energy communication sustained by the heart, visit the HeartMath Institute website at info@heartmath.org.

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Music in Medicine: Therapeutic music is good for the heart, energy - Citrus County Chronicle