Music for the Soul

Music is without a doubt one of the most powerful stimulants for memories. I have yet to meet the person who does not remember a first date, first kiss, special event, or fond memory brought forward when that 'special song' plays.

As part of my homeless outreach I play my ‘homeless playlist’ where ever my travels take me. If I stop in my car to engage a homeless neighbor, the playlist is playing in the background. If I sit for a bit waiting for our homeless neighbors to surface, I have the playlist playing full volume on my smart phone.

While researching my hypothesis that music can create neuropathways that change one’s behavior, I am learning that it is not such a crazy or new thought. While former studies indicate that our pathways are pretty well set by age 25, music is being studied as a way to change neuropathways linked to dementia, muscle memory after injury, and by faith-based leaders as an approach to resist temptation. Because of my mother’s battle with dementia, I have been particularly interested in how elder facilities are using music familiar to their patients during their lucid states to bring them back to lucidity during there memory lapses.

My approach to bringing high functioning individuals back into society as fully engaged participants using music is pretty simple. The playlist is composed of songs of redemption, acceptance, atonement, and forgiveness. Each song has been selected to engage our homeless neighbors and let them know they are not invisible, not alone, and not completely lost. The music will be the one constant during phases of engagement, empowerment/education, and elevation.

As stated earlier, I am playing the music every time I engage the homeless. My hope is that neuro-links to acceptance, non-judgement, forgiveness, and redemption will make my efforts to earn their trust easier and expedited. During the Digging Out Series of workshops (empowerment/education) the music will be played anytime the participants are writing in journals or working in pairs. This will reinforce the concepts of redemption, worth, and hope for a brighter future. The music at this point will hopefully be ‘in their heads’ anytime they experience self-doubt, rejection, or fear of failure.

Finally, as we prepare our homeless neighbors to re-enter society (elevate) we will ‘arm’ them with MP3/MP4 players with the playlist on them. As they get new smiles from our generous dentists partners, jobs from the wonderful employers willing to give them a second chance, and a place to live from HUD/VA organizations dedicated to the cause; the music will reinforce their decision to return to society as fully engaged participants.

There are many of organizations focused on the homeless crisis. They are pure in intent and doing incredible works for the least among us. I believe the engage-empower/educate-elevate approach using music to reinforce each phase can result in the our vision to reduce the US homeless population by 50% by December 25, 2030 coming to fruition.

If you would like to know the songs we have included in our homeless playlist or to donate old MP3/MP4 players to our work at Deep Hole Ministries, please send me an email at bruce@deepholeministriesinc.com.

Learn more about our approach at: www.deepholeministriesinc.com