Conscious v Unconscious Music

Author: Susanna Lepianka, November 2010

The essential elements for music are melody, harmony, rhythm and silence. Silence is the ground the foundation without, which, there cannot be any melody, harmony or rhythm, this is most often ignored. Often times musicians speak of “being in the zone” to describe silence. Only consciously created music incorporates ALL of these elements. As energetic beings we respond to vibrational frequencies the higher the frequency the happier, more content and healthier we are. The whole universe resonates to the subtle vibrations produced by sound and reflects the quality of those vibrations and our world is a reflection of this.

Let’s investigate the difference:

Conscious music is ALIVE, alert, uplifting, exhilarating and flows with life whilst at the same time calms and balances the senses, it is light, joyful, non-addictive and always fresh and new. One can listen to the same piece of music over and over and find something new each time. A little known fact about conscious music is that it stimulates creativity in YOU through the very ACT of listening. Conscious music carries the listener back into the silence that created it this is how important it is. It inspires and enlivens it has integrity and authenticity, it touches you deeply. All genres of music (not just the classically orientated) when created consciously is exceedingly beneficial. The lyrics tend to be insightful, captivating, positive and delightful, like skipping through a meadow on a warm summer’s day.

Unconscious music is DEAD but addictive it dulls awareness depriving you of clarity of  mind, it usually has a mind numbing heavy repetitive beat which jars and grates on the nerves and overly excites the senses pulling them upward  and then plummets into a downward motion, apathy and lethargy ensues then one feels the need to listen again, not for the pure enjoyment of the music, but for a fix (to produce an emotional high and you can’t have a high without subsequently experiencing a low) it’s generally a carrier of negative messages which can subsequently fuel negative emotions. It has few or none of the essential elements I mention in my opening paragraph. Unless one is immune everyone will be adversely affected in some way and as mentioned above we can see the effects of this through the kind of world we live in. Unconscious music is everywhere, it is piped into our shops and supermarkets, played over many radio stations and so called TV talent shows to name a few.

I’m not suggesting that we demonize unconscious music as there is certainly a place for it but just that there is rather too much of it. To understand how to recognize it helps us to be more discerning about what we listen to – rather like switching from a junk food diet to fine dining.

Note:  Some musicians refer to being unconscious when describing the creative force which enables them to produce their music which is a seeming paradox to what I describe as conscious/unconscious music. What they mean is that they go into “the zone”  they temporarily lose their sense of personal self  & allow the music do come through them from silence herein lies the mystery and is best to keep it that way.

In my 3rd article I will discuss the current state of the music industry and exciting new trends surfacing through the underground.

The Psychological And Physiological Affects Of Music

Author: Susanna Lepianka, October 2010

Silence & Sound = Love

The higher the vibrational frequency of the music the greater it is as a carrier into silence and the greater the impact on our well being.

In the beginning was sound, sound is the most primordial state without, which, nothing could be! When a baby is born the first thing the medical staff look for in order to establish this new life is the baby’s cry – when the baby cries all is known to be well. Music reflects the state of consciousness that created it – the higher the level of consciousness the more sublime the music. Music is synonymous with life, it is such an integral part of our existence and it is part of our DNA.

Let’s look at how music impacts on our psychological and physiological well being:

Babies tap their feet, clap their hands, wriggle around and smile joyfully when they hear conscious music, when hearing unconscious music they either fail to respond or become alarmed and cry. I will touch on the difference between conscious and unconscious music here and in my 2nd article I will elaborate further. Babies are attuned to nature’s biological rhythm and as a result are happy and content by nature which, in part, is why they are so appealing. We all resonate with soft dulcet tones which are why so many love songs tend to be ballads; they warm & melt the heart and we feel happy, peaceful and at ease. It is a scientific fact that the healthier & happier we are the less prone we are to dis-ease. There is a huge correlation between the music we listen to and our well-being.

By paying close attention to how we think & feel when we listen to music we can discern the considerable impact it is having on us – notice what kind of thoughts are going through your mind do they increase/decrease, how do you feel and are those feelings joyful, do you feel uplifted, inspired & exhilarated by what you hear. Uplifting, music significantly increases our energy levels making us more productive whilst unconscious music stirs unpleasant emotional feeling states, agitation and fitfulness, depression, mood swings, lethargy etc. In this way it can be seen that constantly being assaulted by harsh impure sounds affect the delicate balance of our minds and bodies, throwing them out of kilter. Music therapy is used in all kinds of medical and holistic environments to re-align & thus restore the imbalance. Studies also indicate that music can have profound physical and psychological effects not only on people but also on animals and plants.

To understand the impact music has on our mind and bodies is an important consideration in choosing the types of music we listen to.

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About the author:
Susanna Lepianka is a writer with a passion for music & has studied musicology. Susanna holds first class diplomas in Psychology, Meditation & Neuropsychological Immunology (a holistic & integrated study of the stressors that affect our psychological, physical & spiritual wellbeing.) Susanna listens daily to all genres of music. Susanna also showcases music on her websites  and is developing a new model to bring musicians and their audiences together to form an alliance to support and maintain artistic integrity.