A N o t e w o r t h y c h a ll e n g e
Making Connections
through Music with the
Intention of Creating Peace
by J efferson G lassie
D
o you believe we can have
peace on earth? Seems like most
people want to, but don’t really
think it’s possible. Maybe that’s the
problem? I’ve often said I believe we
can have peace in the world, and most
folks just say, “Good luck with that.”
So, this is what some might call
a grand challenge. But the way to
achieve such an enormous task is
to first focus on something we can
achieve. That’s what I’m suggesting
we do now. Focus on music and
believe we can make a difference.
Here’s my rationale: How’d we
get to be us? What makes humans
unique? We think we’re pretty
special, but science is showing more
and more that we’re very much like
animals and even plants. For example,
crows count, mice sing, chimps use
tools, trees have social networks, and
even plants have sex.
But here’s one thing that pretty
much only humans can do: keep a
beat. Also, humans can recognize
sequences of pitches in songs, even if
in different keys, which other animals
and even primates can’t really do. You
can recognize the “Happy Birthday”
song no matter who’s singing it. Birds
can sing, but they can’t do that. Many
scientists are coming to believe that
musicality may have been what led
humans to evolve to be such an ad-
vanced species.
We are, however, flunking when
it comes to putting aside fears and di-
visions among humans. We’re failing
in our obligation as the self-anointed
most successful species to end war,
halt the degradation of women and
the environment, and achieve har-
mony and sustainability for the good
of future generations. What to do?
Intention. Well, how do you get
something you want? Money? That
helps, but more important I believe is
simply intention. For most of us, when
we really want something, we get it
simply when we put our mind to it.
Do you want a sandwich, a new
phone, or college education? Nothing
can stop you from achieving what
you really want.
This lesson was brought home
to me recently in The Music Lesson, a
quirky yet profound novel by Gram-
my award winning bass player, Victor
Wooten. He says, “Intention is the key
to everything.”
And you know what? This is
consistent with the science of how
life works, quantum physics. Every-
one thinks that it’s so complex, and it
is; particles and waves moving in and
out of existence, time being relative,
no past or future, and objects coming
into existence only when observed.
But the truth is simple; just like the
observer, we create our own reality;
we create by thought. We create our
lives, individually and collectively.
We manifest our vision. And our
collective vision these days has been
suffering in fear and division, rather
than peace and love.
Our Grand Challenge. So, here’s
what we can do; we can decide to
use the most powerful force we have,
the one that cuts across race, religion,
politics, nations, and demographics.
The force that may have caused us
to be so special. We promote music
and musicians.
I’ve been blown away recently
as I study music and its power. Music
is ubiquitous, in movies, ads, eleva-
tors, cars, and even phones. Music can
change feelings and moods, crank
up a party, or soothe into the sheets.
We’ve all experienced the transfor-
mative strength of music, maybe
even every day.
Musicians create these healing
sounds of the universe for us. Musi-
cians are truly phenomenal; years of
practice and study—and intention—
yield vibrations that cause us to relax
our minds, elevate our spirits, and
open our hearts. In a true sense,
musicians are the “Quantum Physi-
cists of Love!”
And if music and musicians can
affect us profoundly at an individual
level, why not at a societal level? I
think almost all of us appreciate
IMAGINE l Spring 2017 13