Making a playlist
The power of song and singing for our mental and emotional wellbeing
There is something about singing - something precious and vulnerable about using our voices in a melodic and poetic way that builds this bridge between our head and our hearts. This is not only for those of us who can sing well or those who are particularly gifted and trained in music. It is for all of us.
Unlike any other instrument, we have been created with a voice box; created with the ability to sing. Some of us are better at it than others but for many this is something that comes from exposure and experience. Music and language use the same areas and systems of our brains. While music will relate more to the right hemisphere and language the left, we learn to sing very similarly to the way that we learn to speak.
Singing is a beautiful gift that we have that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain as we engage with both language and music, connecting ideas and thoughts to melody and expressing that with our whole body. It isn't just that the words come out of our mouth, it is the way that we breathe in deeply and express the thoughts of our head and the emotions of the heart in a way that is woven together as a song.
The resonance of our head stimulates our vagus nerve and helps us find peace and calm. Combine with the sustained, controlled breath that is connected to ideas and emotions, singing is a God-given opportunity for us to bridge the sometimes incredibly large gape between our head and our heart. It is an embodied experience that nurtures us, body and soul.
At different times in my life, I have made Spotify playlists that help me to give voice to my feelings and reflect on the goodness of God through difficult seasons. Some playlists were only 10 songs long; others much longer. Some I played on repeat, belting along with them while driving or in the solitude of my own home for a few months, and haven't returned to since. Others I return to when I am in a particular emotional state.
Each of these playlists have been a tool for me to express the weight of emotion that was stirring in my heart before I was able to fully put it into words. The expressive form that we find within song - where music and words are woven together - can be a powerful way to pour out our hearts before God.
I often encourage my clients to make their own playlists tailored to different emotional states. Each of us have different tastes in music, songs that resonate with uniquely with us and genres that we may or may not like. I encourage you to do the same. Take the time to pull together songs to listen to for when you are sad, angry, or for that vague emotions you haven't quite named yet. Maybe you need a playlist for all your emotions titled: Voicing the feels. Or maybe you're going through a really hard time and feel a mixture of emotions that somehow all belong together.
Have fun with it. Take the time to find songs that you like; new ones, old ones, a mix of artists and genres. Often my playlists become a mixture of worship music, christian artists, classics, indie and a few other genres in the mix. Each of them become prayerful in the way that I sing them, even if the original artist never intended it as a prayer.
You might even notice that some songs take on new meaning when heard in a different emotional season; becoming sacred to you not because of their original context, but because of how God met you through them. Let music become a companion in your healing journey - helping you name, feel, and let go of the emotions that accompany you.
Building your playlist:
The idea of building your own playlist might be intimidating and overwhelming, below are a few things to reflect on and use as a starting point:
Start by thinking of songs that might resonate with you right or have spoken to you in the past.
Go through your favourites list, does anything stir or stand out for you?
Ask yourself: What am I feeling right now? What do I need help feeling, expressing or holding?
Below is a playlist of mine titled: The Blank Page. It carried me through a significant time of transition and healing - through it I was able to voice emotions that I couldn't give words to just yet, hold on to hope and find restoration for some of the wounds that I was carrying. It is a mixture of worship, reflection and prayer. While it’s deeply personal, I invite you to have a listen - you may find something that meets you where you are.
This next playlist, Voicing the Feels is one that I continue to build over time. I often share it with clients as a starting point for creating their own emotional playlists. It’s not arranged in a particular order, just a growing collection of songs that I’ve found especially emotive or resonant. You’re welcome to explore it as a companion in your own process.