As I welcomed patients into last night’s Create to Heal class, music was playing.

“You are listening to one of the great oratorios,” I told them. “Handel’s Messiah.”

“Whenever I am tired or overwhelmed, feeling off” I continued, “I listen to “Hallelujah” from The Messiah composed in 1741. Why? Because it is so uplifting … I literally have a change of heart – a change in perspective, a change in biology.”

Scientists tell us when you listen to music, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain linked to reward and motivation. Listening to music can be so pleasurable that even the anticipation of listening to music can cause a release of dopamine. No wonder I feel better!

Scientists and research also tell us that healing from the Heart is real. The Heart is our center of intelligence, a source of wisdom, that informs all parts of our body, including the Brain. In fact, the communication from the Heart to the Brain is constant. The heart is a high-speed, intuitive, discriminating organ that is the command post for everything in the body, including healing. The neurological system that goes from the heart to the brain is extensive.

The Heart is also an electrical organ, producing the most bio-electricity in our bodies, up to 40 – 60 times stronger than our second most powerful source, the Brain. This energy permeates every single cell … so when you have a change of heart, you are truly changing your perspective, outlook, and ability to make decisions. Next time you need a boost, listen to Handel or any other piece of music that inspires you. It will lift your Heart, the rest will follow.