“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. ... I get most joy in life out of music.” - Albert Einstein

By “sounding your success” I don’t mean “blowing your own horn.” Yes, as a woman leader or professional you definitely need to do that as well. Here I am referring to how you can use sound and music to achieve success with less effort and more fun. I am talking about the new interdisciplinary study of how music/sound impacts a person’s brain, body and mind.

For the past few decades the powerful impact of music and sound has been the focus of many eminent scholars, from neuroscientists to musicologists, from traditional healers to medical students. If you just google “music and brain” or “music and healing” you get an idea of the extent of the research being done in this area.

The power of music/sound is, however, not a modern-time discovery. Ancient wisdom from many cultures provides plenty of evidences of the important role music (or sound patterns) played in a society. In ancient Greek and Roman mythology, one of the most important Olympian gods, Apollo, ruled music, poetry (sound), arts as well as medicine and healing. In both the Judeo-Christian and Hindu tradition, there was the “Word” or “Aum,” the vibration of god and his creation. (That is the idea underlying all mantra- or chant-based therapy.) In the Chinese tradition, ancient Confucian classics referred to music as a powerful way to harmonize and unify a people. Emperors and kings were known to have used music for this reason.

In modern days, music is big business. You probably consume quite a bit of it already, or maybe even do business in this industry. Now the question is: how much of the music you listen to on a daily basis is beneficial to your wellbeing, your career and your success? Or has it even crossed your mind that music is capable of providing you with such assistance?

The good news is: yes, modern music is capable providing us with a lot of the help we desperately need. For the past few decades musicians have been working alongside with scientists, researchers and spiritual healers of many different traditions to come up with music that has specific targeted functions to help people increase focus, relieve stress, enhance creativity, etc. The bad news is: this type of music tends to get buried by the loud commercial sound-scape in which we all live.

One of the great benefits of using music therapy is: it takes no extra time. All you have to do is to turn it on. Otherwise what you’re listening is just the white noise of your office or your house. By adding the right kind of music to your environment, you can bring about many changes you desire, such as harmony, energy, insight, and so on, without having one more thing on your to-do list.

In order to benefit from the uplifting or healing power of music, the first thing you need is attention. Observe how music affects you: the rhythm, the tempo, the melody, the voice, the orchestration, etc. Certain types of music tend to produce certain mental-emotional and physical state. Through observation you will very quickly find the right pieces that suit you and your specific purpose.

Here is a list of three musicians whose work I find most useful.

Josephy M. Levry, Ph.D., DD

He is the renowned master of Naam Yoga Therapy. His Wednesday evening class in New York (7 West 24th St) is one of the gems of the city. Check it out if you get a chance. His music pieces all have rigorously controlled rhythms and tempos in order to produce certain targeted effects, such as energy, healing, peace, etc. There are tons of testimonials for the magic his music produces. They are all available at www.rootlight.com.

For those of you who are getting low-quality sleep or are encountering serious health issues, I strongly recommend the album, Ra Ma Da Sa. Healing Fire is another good one: it produces a distinct soothing warmth in your body. If you don’t mind the word ‘God” (which occurs once in a while in the album), I would also strongly recommend Lumen de Lumine for balancing and centering. It is extremely soothing.

Jonathan Goldman

He is a Grammy Award nominee, and has won awards for several of his albums. He has done intensive research, together with scientists and researchers, and specializes in the use of prolonged vowels (which produce a harmonic effect). His music is powerful in a self-effacing manner. You can put it on as background music (even in meeting), and will forget it has been there while it gently tunes up your physical and mental state. The ones I particularly like include: The Lost Chord (for a sonic environment where you can stay focused without getting stressed out), Trance Tara (for emotional strength and compassion), and Frequencies (for the pure pleasure of listening and balancing the body/mind). His albums are all available at www.healingsounds.com.

Russill Paul

His work is as beautiful as it is profound. After listening to his music for several years I met him at one of his workshops, and witnessed first-hand his phenomenal musical talent and performance. He exudes a touching sense of sincerity and devotion. He also has an award winning book, The Yoga Of Sound, where he explains the science and techniques of his tradition.

My favorite ones are Bhava (for calming, centering and seeing beauty), Shakti (for energy)
Shabda (for a taste of mantra meditation), Awakening Spirit (for a sense of radiance and brilliance). They are all available on www.amazon.com or www.russillpaul.com. Make sure you buy the 2007 or 2008 new editions whenever possible.

Well I hope you can try some of these albums as you work on your computer or drive in a car. Don’t forget to enjoy your own sonic exploration, and find many ways to get more done with less effort.