There’s a lot of music out there, but not all of it is striving towards the full potential of what music can offer. We know the power and preciousness of music. We know that music can change lives for the better, because we have experienced it and witnessed it in others. We know that music can not only entertain us and move us, but it can also serve as vehicle for good values, for truth, for love, for joy. Music can express and share an uplifting prayer. Music can heal. Music can positively influence individuals and communities. The words and melodies of music can re-pattern the way we think, how we see things, and how we choose to move and act in the world.
For us, music helps us every day. We return to the words and melodies (and they return to us) when we need them. By following the songs, we’ve recovered our hope, our spirits, our health and our confidence. We’ve seen this firsthand, in our PAMA family, and when we’ve had the honor of sharing our music in hospitals and other healing places.
Our ancestors across the globe understood how powerful and important music is. There are countless examples of stories and wisdom regarding how music has the power to heal, manifest and change things for the better. There are carriers of indigenous wisdom regarding music, from all over the globe, some of whom we are blessed to call our teachers.
Western philosophers have famously called music a reflection of society. However, we can alter society (and ourselves) (and one another) by altering the reflection. A very special power we all have is the power of the positive reflection. We can heal ourselves and each other by choosing a better reflection. We can change who we are, as individuals and as a society, by making a choice and sharing a reflection that is kind, hopeful, loving, healthy and inclusive. By choosing to stand up for and support powerful, positive music, we can stand up for a powerful, positive change in ourselves and in society. Music is that powerful. Music is powerful medicine.
We also know that music is something many of us struggle to believe in, value or support, even while benefiting from it. However, we are standing up for ourselves and the power of music, and we ask for those who feel called to do so, to stand up for this prayer with us. We can’t do it all alone, but we can do it together.