“When I run, I feel God’s pleasure,” said the Scottish Olympian, Eric Liddell, in defense of his avocation (He made me fast!) when his family questioned his decision to pause his ministry. He would later serve, and die, as a missionary in China. I love and appreciate the poetry, the faith, and the truth in his statement, and hopefully without pride, I feel the same when I sing. It is a feeling, an emotion, and a statement of fact, or truth—if I allow for the spirit of a thing. Which I do, often.
I have been thinking about the vagus nerve, lately featured in science journals and the like. Seems singing stimulates this mother of all nerves. So does humming. Or chanting and singing. Other activities include:
- loudly gargling with water
- coughing
- om or mantra chanting
- meditating
- showering with cold water (cooler water will suffice)
- applying ice water to the face
- deep breathing exercises
- laughing
And what does stimulating the nerve achieve? The relief of anxiety for one. It promotes relaxation—sorely needed in today’s world. Also, it can lower blood pressure, ease the pressure on our hearts, as well as helping with digestive ailments. This is only a partial list. Our nervous system is responsible for so very much, I’m beginning to learn. It must be tended with care and tenderness.
Patricia Sun, a philosopher of wholeness, makes, or used to make, these sounds. They may be found online, along with her vast collection of helpful talks, at https://patricia-sun.myshopify.com/collections/patricia-suns-tapes. An ahhh, or an ohhh, same pitch, slightly lowering or raising, as a long exhale. The silence between tones is where the magic happens. A profound, cavernous quiet. One can feel the healing occurring inside, the peace, the restoration. At the end, she says gently, “The presence of God . . . vibrates within you and all things . . . and resonates from you . . . as you.”
Singing is healing. We all know this. We just didn’t know how, or why. The vibrations, like those of the strings of a guitar or violin, serve a deep purpose. “How Can I Keep From Singing?” asks the old hymn:
My life goes on in endless song
Above earth’s lamentations
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear it’s music ringing
It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
What though the tempest loudly roars?
I hear the truth, it liveth
What though the darkness ’round me grows?
Songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I’m clinging
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble in their fear
And hear their death knell ringing
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?
Indeed, how?
Back in the Day, 1971, University of Wyoming, Laramie
Braeburn Croft 