Music can bring us to tears and make us laugh all in the same minute. Melodys can spark memories that take us precisely to where we were when we first heard it. Giving us the ability to taste, hear, smell, and see the surroundings in the moment of our recollection. Furthermore, all while being months, years, maybe even decades removed. How can notes on sheet music hold so much power?
Memories
I remember just the other day, I was listening to the song I walked down the aisle to on my wedding day. It was like I could see my husband at the end of the aisle, breathe in the chilly December air, and feel the stability of my Father’s steady arm. I remembered as if I was there at that moment again. Have you ever experienced this?
Additionally, I think of songs I listened to in college that eased my anxiety with each exam and paper I had. The semester often gave me a reason to feel as if I was drowning in school assignments. Still, those songs I sang brought me hope and peace to get through the seasons. When I hear them, I think about evenings in the moldy science center, trying to figure out anatomy, physiology, and chemistry. Or early morning drives to the hospital for clinicals. Music affects us in such a splendid way.
The Amygdala
Consistent readers of the blog are very familiar with the amygdala. It is genuinely involved in so many processes. Remember, the amygdala gets its name from Amygdale, which is almond in Greek, because this is what the structure looks like in the brain. We have two, one on each side of our brain. Responsible for emotions, learning, behavior, survival, and neural plasticity. The amygdala also plays a role in memory.
In an article from The Cleaveland Clinic, they state,” Your amygdala sits near several structures that carry information from your senses, especially smell (which is why scents can connect strongly to emotions and memories). Your amygdala also connects to brain areas that process vision and hearing.” Pairing our senses with memories is one of the many things the amygdala does, which is why we have this interesting phenomenon between music and memories.
In a previous post, we also discussed the amygdala, which I will link here: https://wonderfullymade-kmk.com/how-to-make-a-habit-stick/
Neurological Structures
Many parts are involved neurologically in music. We discussed the amygdala above, but here are a few more.
The Hippocampus is part of our brain responsible for memory. There are two in our brain, each sitting behind each Amydayla. Music that takes us back to memories affects this part of the brain. Research has shown that music can activate this brain region, making it easier to recall events. For this reason, there have been many studies on the connection between music and memory for dementia patients. Hopefully, someone will discover further findings in this field of study!
The Basal Ganglia is a brain circuit responsible for motor actions that cause movement. Music activates it, which motivates us to move. This group of neural structures is why we tap our feet or move our hips to music.
The Cerebellum is at the bottom of the back of your brain and functions for balance, sight, rhythmic timing, and processing. As you can imagine, the Cerebellum impacts dancing, singing, and playing instruments.
Social impact
Music brings people together in a beautiful way. It transcends the language barrier. The connectivity that forms when singing with a group of people is remarkable. I have such a deep appreciation for music. I’ve been singing in church and choir for as long as I can remember. The feeling you get when many voices become one is surreal. Not only does our brain process the music we hear, but music also affects our neural pathways and hormones.
For instance, music can convey the feeling of new beginnings, grief, joy, and curiosity, all without lyrics. How can it translate without a word or even our native language? Our body accomplishes this with the help of the amygdala, which receives input from our senses. Our ears hear specific frequencies and translate that into neural language, which releases neurochemicals. These neurochemicals affect our hormones and cause us to feel a particular emotion. Certain songs can put us in a good mood or sorrowful feeling. Music affects us not only on a physical and emotional level but also on a spiritual level.
Creatures made to worship
Music deeply affects us because we are creatures built to worship. Our purpose is to worship and glorify God. We will always find something to worship as humans. The question is, what will we worship?
Romans 1:22-25 says, “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. ” (Romans 1:22-25. ESV.)
If we are not careful, our kids, jobs, and hobbies can capture our attention over the Lord. Please understand me; these are all beautiful gifts from God but not something we should worship.
Idols of yesterday and today
We see this repeat over and over throughout history, from Adam and Eve trading the truth about God for a lie the enemy told them to Judah making idols and their own gods. Other examples in the Old Testament include woven art made by women in Habakkuk, the gold statue Nabadchadnazer wanted all to bend the knee to in Daniel, and the golden calf Aaron made for the Israelites to worship in Exodus- the list is endless.
In the past, idols were obvious. Idols used to be (and in some places still are) made of images, carvings, and statues. Today, idols are still prominent but take a more inconspicuous form—things like sleep, outward appearance, money, power, career, and intimate relations. John Piper defines an idol as “anything that we come to rely on for some blessing, or help, or guidance in the place of a wholehearted reliance on the true and living God.” If you want to read more about this interview, I will link it here: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-is-an-idol
The Hope
Often, I ask myself how they could choose fake gods over the one true God. But then I remember we are just like the Israelites. We are tossed to and fro with fleeting feelings and rash decisions, tempted in all the same ways. We must be vigilant not to let idols take our worship. None of us are above falling into sin. But praise be to God; we have a gracious Father who has given us his word to learn from and the Holy Spirit to guide us.
God, you amaze me; you designed every single detail with such intentionality! Thank you for creating us to be creatures that worship, but may our worship always be to you alone. If our worship drifts to anything else, Lord, please make it apparent so that we can repent and place our worship where it rightfully belongs: you, God. You are the only one worthy of all praise. May we proclaim your name this day and every day. Amen.
SOURCES
Huberman, A. (2023, September 18). How to use music to boost motivation, and mood & improve learning. Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0HRJGpDxVh29lMhMiWbc8l?si=s3fAH1VmQSeVSlr7Sw78dQ
Huberman, A., & Jarvis, E. (2022, August 29). Dr. Erich Jarvis: The neuroscience of speech, Language & Music. Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3u2YmYYI1r6WdJoIkBDlRW?si=FF3L7fPJRd6g95FPJx2Hng
Professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.). The amygdala: A small part of your brain’s biggest abilities. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24894-amygdala