Melting Snow

Midweek Reflections on Music

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

"We have made it lawful for you to listen to music and singing. Take heed, however, lest listening thereto should cause you to overstep the bounds of propriety and dignity. Let your joy be the joy born of My Most Great Name, a Name that bringeth rapture to the heart, and filleth with ecstasy the minds of all who have drawn nigh unto God. We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may be lifted up unto the realm on high; make it not, therefore, as wings to self and passion. Truly, We are loath to see you numbered with the foolish."

Baha’u’llah12

The "Blogging Circle of Friends "  prompt for DAY 1987
Everyone has a favorite song. Except ...

I don't have a specific favorite song, because I enjoy listening to different artist. There are some types of music I don't care to listen to; however, I will not judge an artist or a song before listening to it once. I prefer music and songs that are not sexualized. I enjoy listening to spiritual music from numerous faith traditions, and I will listen to music in a language I don't understand if the music or the melody touches my spirit. When I listen to a song I attempt to ask myself if Baha'u'llah or 'Abdu'l-Baha3 would listen to the song. Right now, I'm reading Shadi Toloui-Wallace's series "The Science and Spirit of Music"4, which explains why some music makes me feel calmer and less hostile than other types of music.

Footnotes
1  The Most Holy Book, p. 38.
2  Quoted in " The Science of Song: How Lyrics Impact Our Minds and Souls" by Shadi Toloui-Wallace http://bahaiteachings.org/science-song-lyrics-impact-minds-souls.
3  Baha'u'llah's son.
4  http://bahaiteachings.org/series/the-science-and-spirit-of-music