Rafael Scarfullery's Blog

Read my thoughts and/or quotes from writers that help us become better human beings.

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Location: Charlottesville, VA, United States

Visit my website: http://www.RafaelScarfullery.com.
Watch my music videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/rafaelscarfullery.

My main goal in life is to fulfill my purpose on earth and help to fulfill other people's purposes, too. I want to make a little positive contribution and make the part of my world a more peaceful and loving place. I love music and it's the principal channel through which I carry out the above goals. I'm professionally and thoroughly prepared in several music areas: composition, orchestral/choral conducting, performance (classical guitar and organ), college teaching, and church music.

In my website, www.RafaelScarfullery.com, you can watch my music videos, listen to my CD's and buy them, see samples of my compositions, buy scores for downloading, download free scores, read about my music career, read my thoughts and other people's quotes that help us to become better human beings, and much more. If you'd like, send me your feedback. I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for visiting!

Rafael

Friday, March 23, 2012

Music for Healing

Traduzca al Español: http://translate.google.com


We've heard and read that music heals. For instance, David played the harp to calm Saul when he was depressed and/or enraged. For years I've been fascinated by this story and the power of music to bring healing. Of course, just like the spoken 'word', we can use music for any purpose: war, love, peace, healing, solidarity, goodness, hatred, etc. I hope that we always choose it for good purposes.

By the way, I found a program for training musicians who want to minister to people who are sick or dying: MHTP.

http://www.mhtp.org/FAQ.aspx. I also found out that there are many musicians who are hired by hospitals in the USA to play for people who are sick or dying. It's been found that music does indeed help. Read this:

  • At the California State University in Fresno, studies by psychologist Janet Lapp have shown that migraine patients who have started and continue to listen regularly to their favorite music have one-sixth as many headaches as before.
  • Premature babies at UCLA in Los Angeles and at Georgia Baptist Medical Center in Atlanta gained weight faster and used oxygen more efficiently; and babies at Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center had shorter stays in the Intensive Care Unit when music was played for them daily, compared with babies in control groups without music.
  • For adult patients, "half of an hour of music produces the same effect as ten milligrams of Valium", says Dr. Raymond Bahr, head of the Coronary Care Unit at Baltimore's St. Agnes Hospital
  • When used by surgical patients, music has been shown to help reduce the amount of anesthesia needed during surgery and as well as post-operative pain medication, according to Fred Schwartz, MD, anesthesiologist at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Dr. Oliver Sacks, the neurologist who has done studies on Parkinson's Disease, Tourette's Syndrome, and Alzheimer's says, "Whenever I get a book on neurology or psychology, the first thing I look up in the index is music, and if it's not there, I close the book."

Such is the power of music!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Forgiveness

Traduzca al español aqui: http://translate.google.com

Forgiveness. The best way to end a quarrel is by forgiving. The best way to help transform a person is by forgiving. The best way to transform ourselves is by forgiving. The best way to show love is by forgiving. Forgiveness is the best antidote to wars and conflicts. Forgiveness, along with laughter, is the best medicine for our body and mind. Do you want to make lasting friends? Often forgive them. Below is a beautiful tradition of forgiveness:

In The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace, Jack Kornfield describes an African forgiveness ritual: "In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and every man, woman, and child in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused individual. Then each person in the tribe speaks to the accused, one at a time, each recalling the good things the person in the center of the circle has done in his lifetime. Every incident, every experience that can be recalled with any detail and accuracy, is recounted. All his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length. This tribal ceremony often lasts for several days. At the end, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe."

Jesus asks us to forgive always. Infinite times. Let’s forgive and we’ll see how our little world can change one person at a time. We can indeed bring a piece of heaven to earth when we do so.