native american flute for music relaxation

Meta calendar says today is the National Relaxation Day in the USA. Whilst, from my experience, life in the USA is far from relaxing, I appreciate this excuse to pause - or at least slow down - and reflect on what the relationship between relaxation and music really is. To gently celebrate, I am releasing into open access this track of Native American flute improvisation with a guiding narrative (in English).

Providing deep relaxation through improvised music - voice, flute, specially tuned steel tongue drum - has been central to my music therapy work with vulnerable adults in medical, palliative and mental health settings. I have improvised similar music many times, in various situations - usually tuning into my client's breathing pattern, matching it. The flute patterns you will hear on this track hold the memory and breaths of many beautiful human beings I was privileged to work with. I think of this as a collaboration, for which I am forever grateful.

It is certainly not a universal therapeutic track, because we are all different and no universal therapeutic music exists. For example, younger children with sound sensitivity usually don't tolerate this flute well. But my hope that this track will continue to help - now beyond my practice. There are instructions in the description of the video for those who will use it, and there is a separate track without the narrative - for those who prefer the pure flute sound. 

I want to express my gratitude and my deep appreciation to the Native American culture that taught me the art of flute, and to Lakota tribe especially.

Joyous Relaxation Day to you!

Some reading for the scientifically-minded:

Effects of Live Music Therapy on Autonomic Stability in Preterm Infants: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of music interventions on stress-related outcomes: a systematic review and two meta-analyses
Effects of Relaxing Music on Healthy Sleep

Music listening and stress recovery in healthy individuals: A systematic review with meta-analysis of experimental studies

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Written by Alisa Apreleva