An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

Respondent 5, the organist in the URC often used her own initiatives when playingmusic at the beginning and at the end of the services as a preparation or close toworship and healing services. She experienced music as therapy but described it in amore down-to-earth way than the genteel approaches in Priestley‟s (1975) exposition ofmusic therapy. For her, the relationship with other people, with music as a catalyst, isthe therapy. Below, she describes how music, fellowship, worship and friendliness ofthe church attendees made her feel useful when she was feeling low and despondent.She also described how redundant she felt when she was not allowed to play music inone church and how her faith was restored when she was asked to play music in hercurrent church where she took membership. She did not have much academicunderstanding of music and healing but she certainly understood the effect of music onthe congregation and on herself during the services whether or not she was playingpersonally. Priestley (1975) and Hanser (2005a, 2005b) explain how the effects ofmusic on the person in a more academic and detailed way, as the acting out of emotionswith some control through a guilt-free medium of non-verbal sound. Respondent 5could act out her guilt through her music and the hymns which are sung during worshipand healing services.Respondent 5 (URC): 'I was looking after my mother and my husband who by this timehad a mental problem. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer‘s disease. I could not give allmy devotion to him as he had done when I was ill.(I felt guilty) I should not have donebut I felt that I did not have enough energy to support him the way he had supported me301