Healing Involves Transforming Our Theme Song

Anyone in opera or theater knows it's true: we all have a personal theme song. These songs accompany us as we play out the regular patterns of the day. As we grow and learn and transform, these songs do too. Sometimes we experience a step change in our life and our songs undergo a metamorphosis and are re-formed with an entirely new tempo, tune, and key.

An example of this comes from the original Mary Poppins movie with Julie Andrews. In the beginning of the movie, the theme songs for the characters are presented. Mrs. Banks with her "Sister Suffragette" song and Mr. Banks with his ironic "How Perfect is the Life I Lead" song. One can tell that these are old songs that the characters have been singing for a long time. They are fine songs; however, they are adding to the disconnected separation in the household. It is time for the songs to be changed.

In comes Mary Poppins with a whole carpet bag full of songs. Her "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" is a wonderful healing ear-worm that fills the household with an infectious joy. Mr. Banks, who embodies the main transformations in the story, does not catch on right away and is initially upset by the perceived disorder that the new song brings. He resists the change until a life challenge forces him to crack open and experience the "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" happiness for himself. After this transformation, Mr. Banks comes home a transformed man, singing his new song...which becomes the entire family's new song "Let's Go Fly a Kite".

If we pay attention we can sometimes notice our songs humming in the background as we go about our day: the tempo speeding up and slowing down, the melodies and harmonies coming and going with the wind. This is the music of our bodies reflecting the music of the universe. The songs often have no words. Some have been carried for a very long time. Some tunes can be catching. What tunes are humming in your subconscious?

Simple practices of toning and humming can often allow the music we carry to open up, harmonize, transform, and heal. If a tune comes to you "out of nowhere" play around with it throughout your day. Hum it while you do your dishes, play with adding a beat or harmony. Move your body to it in the livingroom. Imagine the tune flowing throughout your entire body. You may be able to see how the music transforms for you over the hours and days.

In my experience, playing with music in this fun and personal way can be incredibly regulating for the nervous system. It can also help us be more resilient and nimble as we encounter and flow past challenges. Our songs don't need to be stagnant, they can shape-shift to help us meet each moment. Our personal songs are like sails that can catch the wind when our energy reserves feel drained and propel us through new pathways forward. Let's go fly kite.