Guest Post by Christine Grace Magnussen

Did you know that a creative outlet is NECESSARY for your health? Savoring nature or your favorite hobbies —anytime you can get "out of your head" and "into your body" can make a huge difference in your state of mind and physical health.

Highly sensitive individuals say the harp “beckons them.”  The gentle sounds of wind and water are lying still in the strings, awaiting a simple touch to calm the nervous system and quiet the mind, body and spirit.

You can play a harp, anyone can, but few know that harps can be held in your lap to melt away stress with beautiful sound vibrations. Just strumming your fingers across the strings awakens the sound of a wind chime and transports your weary mind or body to a place of instant peace. You may say, "I am not a musician” but that is the voice of the adult. As children, we freely explored our environment taking joy in our discoveries. "Playing" with a harp can be like playing in a sandbox. Adults can and must Play, too!

Since medieval days, storytellers and harpers played small harps resembling the lap harps we play today. Harp therapy is now a growing field offering distraction from pain, anxiety and depression. Research has shown that blood pressure and heart rate can be reduced when listening to the calming sounds of the harp. Trained therapeutic harpists play in hospitals, cancer centers, care facilities and at the bedside of hospice patients. Soothing recorded harp music brings calming background to busy and healing environments everywhere.

When I offered harp therapy in chemotherapy infusion rooms, I was introduced to a patient who was a professional sound engineer. He invited me to honor the requests of the patients to take my music “home with them” and record an album. “On Wings of a Dove - Harp Music to Soothe the Soul found its way to healing settings, prisons, schools, and homes around the world.

In these times, our minds and bodies yearn for peace. More than ever, we need to nurture ourselves and soothe our souls to uplift our spirits and optimize our health. In addition to calming music, we need tools to reduce anxiety, avoid overwhelm and relax to sleep.  In the Brain Training Course for the Highly Sensitive Person presented by sensitivity expert and psychotherapist, Julie Bjelland, we gain profound understanding of our limbic system and ways to remain centered and resilient. Her Sensitive Empowerment Community and rich podcasts are lifelines for the HSP to a more peaceful and healthier life. 

I hope to meet you there.

Christine Grace Magnussen is an HSP, Master Certified Health Coach and Certified Therapeutic Harp Practitioner. For instant relaxation, listen to her calming harp music at PeaceCalm.com. and Facebook.com/HarpSpirit

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Julie Bjelland is a Psychotherapist, host of The HSP Podcast, and Founder of the Sensitive Empowerment Community, whose mission is to create a paradigm shift where sensitivity is embraced, valued, and honored. Register for free Masterclasses, get a free guide to calm your brain, a letter to give your medical and mental health practitioners about high sensitivity and take the Sensitivity Quiz at JulieBjelland.com ❤️🌈❤️ (she/her)