The deep effect of music on the soul and emotions

joeg

Now, I'm sure you've experienced something like this before:

I love classical music, and there are some pieces in particular that are immensely beautiful - I can't express the wonder and complexity of the feeling I get when listening to some pieces. Particularly pieces in a minor key - to my mind, they express the very deepest longings, emotions and feelings of the heart. At such times when I really listen to the piece and am being shaken on the inside, I sometimes use the mood and emotions evoked by the music to lift up my heart to God, e.g. if a piece of music fills my heart with sadness, I think of my many sins and shortcomings before God and cry out to Him.

What are your opinions/comments?

pray for me

joe

jydeacon

I've heard that music is like the manifestation of the inner feelings of the soul. So what you are saying makes sense. You can even think of it in the same sense as the tunes in our hymns.

What you are doing is very idealistic in any sense, using secular things in essence to benefit yourself spiritually! This is a great thing!

I'm not sure there is much else to say except that this is a good thing for the most part. As long as classical music isn't taking you away from the hymns :p

Pray for me

joeg

[quote author=jydeacon link=topic=9180.msg113993#msg113993 date=1272678828]
I've heard that music is like the manifestation of the inner feelings of the soul. So what you are saying makes sense. You can even think of it in the same sense as the tunes in our hymns.

What you are doing is very idealistic in any sense, using secular things in essence to benefit yourself spiritually! This is a great thing!

I'm not sure there is much else to say except that this is a good thing for the most part. As long as classical music isn't taking you away from the hymns :p

Pray for me


Thank you John for your reply. I suppose it would be questionable if I lifted my heart to these secular classical hymns just for the sake of lifting my heart - if its not being directed towards God, it could be regarded as wallowing in your emotions, which isn't a lot of use to anyone.

And of course it isn't taking me away form the hymns (the exams are already doing that  :P)

pray for me

joe

Abounasarecool

but try not to base your relationship with God off of emotion...
bc emotion is feeling & God is not a feeling...u know?
Thats what a Bishop told me =]

joeg

[quote author=Abounasarecool link=topic=9180.msg114012#msg114012 date=1272719445]
but try not to base your relationship with God off of emotion...
bc emotion is feeling & God is not a feeling...u know?
Thats what a Bishop told me =]



Yes I see where you're coming from. Feelings pass or change according to your mood or environment. Our relationship with God should be built on something more stable. Like faith.

pray for me

joe

Unknown

[quote author=Abounasarecool link=topic=9180.msg114012#msg114012 date=1272719445]
but try not to base your relationship with God off of emotion...
bc emotion is feeling & God is not a feeling...u know?
Thats what a Bishop told me =]



Sometimes I am very emotional when I listen to beautiful taraniem (coptic songs) and then get sad of my many sins. Also today when I took part of the Holy Mas, I cried and became very emotional.
But I want to know: What's the difference between emotions and real love or regret because of your sins.
What's wrong with being emotional? If I listen to taranim and become sad or somethin wanna make me cry, am I emotional? I am often emotional but also feel sorry for my sins to God, but I really want to know the difference.

mabsoota

emotions are fine, however we must worship God in spirit and in truth no matter how we feel. so we go to church because we are sinners in need of God's grace, not because we 'feel like it'. if you are uplifted by being in church, that is fine. but if you did not feel uplifted, you should not think, 'that was boring, i don't feel like coming next week'.

so you make use of your emotions, crying for sin is good thing, but don't rely on them. so if you don't cry, you should still go to confession. if you are not happy, you should still go to church. if you cry for sin, you shouldn't (usually) cry for many days, this implies that you don't trust God's ability to forgive you.

the more you become like Jesus, the more your emotions will be good, eg rejoicing over the success of a colleague instead of feeling jealous. so check each emotion by thinking 'is this appropriate?' then if not, say to God, 'my emotions are a mess (this is common, especially in teenage years), please help me to give you glory'. if your emotions are appropriate, eg crying for sin and rejoicing after taking Holy Communion, you can say to God 'thank you for your mercy, help me to be more like you'.

in summary, emotions are good, and God helps us to control them, they shouldn't control us  :)

joeg

Thank you Bride of Jesus and mabsoota  :D

pray for me

joe