The Practice--Creating a Power Song Kit

Does Wonder Woman have Power Songs? Wikipedia

The phrase "save it for a rainy day" comes up when I think of Power Song kits.  This phrase refers to putting extra money in the bank, but it can also refer to having a list of songs to fall back on when a bad mood strikes.

I actually came up with the idea of creating a Power Song kit post 9-11 when I had trouble sleeping at night.  Like many others, I wasn't just dealing with my fears, but all the fears around me which I soaked up like a sponge.  At that time, I found myself reaching for particular recordings, usually featuring world music and usually featuring women vocalists, but not always.  From these recordings I put together a list of songs to listen to during stressful times.

On the list, I included Sharon Burch, Monica Salmaso, Arianna Savall, R. Carlos Nakai, Nawang Khechog and others.  Oddly, Mozart hadn't appeared on my radar yet so classical wasn't on my original list.  That list transformed over time to include, jazz, folk, some 1970s funk and soul, as well as, classical.  If it feels good and if it uplifts a mood or relaxing tension or calms fear, it goes in the kit.  Think of it as having a musical emergency kit and this kit goes nicely with the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy too.

Here is the step-by-step process:

• Prior to an emergency or stressful situation, keep a music diary and track emotional, mental and physical responses to songs.
• Making note of the songs that calm nerves, relax and invigorate moods.  Write a list including these songs and albums.
• Explore music from different genres and cultures then add these to the kit
• While 5 to 10 recordings suffice, I have a music library as my Power Song kit
• Research types of music with healing potential including sacred and secular music
• Add these to the kit too
• Then when a stressful situation shows up, visit your Power Song kit

This exercise combines both keeping a music diary and building a Power Song kit which I mention in my book, Whole Music.  Experience has shown me that Power Songs expand over time and the top 5 albums rotate with new music.   Or as we evolve spiritually or otherwise, our musical preferences change.  We might find ourselves adding Gregorian Chant and more Chopin, for instance.

I have a fun saying, Power Songs make you strong.  These songs certainly make us more resilient and keep us in good moods when the blank hits the fan. But just as the name Power Songs implies, we can also build kits that empower us, make us feel more courageous, prosperous or more joyful.  If you do this right, you raise your frequency and attract a more joyful life no matter what happens in the outer world.  I'm living proof.