Resolving Dissonance

The following is a paraphrase of a story included in one of my favorite books, How Then Shall We Live, by Wayne Muller. I told this story at the beginning of my lesson this past Sunday. I have not confirmed that it is factual; regardless, as with many great stories, it speaks of deep truths.

There is a tribe in Africa in which the birthdate of a child is not observed by the day he or she is born, but from the date the child is thought of in its mother’s heart and mind. When the mother knows that a child is to come through her, she sits under a tree in solitude in order to hear the song of the child that is to be born. She then returns to the village and teaches the song to her husband. As they come together physically to conceive the child, they sing the song as a way of inviting it. During her pregnancy, the mother teaches the song to the midwives who sing it during delivery. Throughout the child’s life, the villagers sing the child’s song to remind him/her of it. If the child falls and hurts himself, the villagers gather to comfort him by singing his song. If she does something that may be contrary to the truth of her song, they do not condemn or punish her. Rather, they surround her with love and sing her song to remind her of her truth. Finally, at the time of death, the song is sung one last time.

I resonate with the image of God as a great matrix of energy vibrating as the frequency of Love. I love music and enjoy singing, so I especially appreciate the imagery of each of us being God resonating as beautiful music that we can perceive and express. I enjoy thinking that, metaphorically of course, each of us is the song of Love that God sings.

God’s song is a vibrational frequency, the Source of all, which has no end and no beginning. It is before and beyond our opinions, political or religious beliefs or affiliations, nationalities, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, or any other of the many and various ways we identify ourselves. God’s song is the song of creation, the song of Oneness, the song of Love.

Although we are God’s song, unlike in this African tribe, most of us are not supported and encouraged to learn and sing it. We are taught to sing the songs of our families, cultures and religions. We learn the songs that they sing for themselves and sing to us, expecting to learn them as our own, hoping to be accepted and belong. We superimpose them upon God’s song which gets drowned out by the cacophony of the world around us. We forget the song of God that is singing us.

We often grow so accustomed to singing another’s song that we begin to believe it is ours. We identify with the roles we play, the categories society assigns us, and the beliefs we are taught. When we sing the songs of our assumed identities, we experience discord, because we are not singing God’s song. God’s song is a song of unity, love, joy and peace. God’s song often gets transposed into a song of fear, control, power and greed. That is not our song. We are not singing God’s song if we are singing a song of separation. When so many of us have been taught to sing songs other than God’s song, we often experience dissonance when we come together. God’s song is always harmonious, never dissonant.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where most hold the mistaken belief that violence is a solution to disharmony. We engage in violence against ourselves and each other in an attempt to resolve our dissonance. While some would argue that they are not violent, I believe that we all engage in violence, albeit sometimes unconsciously.

Violence is any thought we think, belief we hold, word we speak or action we take that denies the vibrant life of God – as ourselves or another. Violence, whether mental, verbal, physical, economic, or emotional only serves to further silence God’s song that is each of us in our highest form. It is never the resolution to dissonance within ourselves or in relationship to another.

All of our “isms” are violence, including racism, sexism, nationalism, ageism, to name a few. When we engage in any of those, we are singing learned songs of our history and presumed heritage, and discord results. We have forgotten our song. In the pain of dissonance, we lash out at each other.

This is evidenced by recent events, such as the shooting of Michael Brown and the reactions that erupted in the aftermath, and more recently in Baltimore, Maryland with the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody, and the rioting in response. Although we don’t know the full story, and probably never will in either situation, it is obvious that God’s song of Love and Oneness was silenced. We are singing the song of fear and pain. We are responding to the pain of dissonance with violence.

Because we are not taught God’s song and encouraged to sing it, we lose touch with the love, compassion and oneness it embodies. When we are not singing God’s song to each other and for each other, we get lost in the discordant energy of fear. We continue to bear witness to the results.

I was dismayed to see the video of the mother who discovered her son among the protesters in Baltimore and proceeded to attack him physically and verbally. She was reacting to her fear and pain and fighting violence with violence. My heart is broken open with empathy and compassion for her and so many like her. She, too, has not been taught the song of Love and how to sing it. It was with a saddened heart I saw many respond to her action as an example of what should be done to create harmony.

We must intervene. Just as dissonant sounds in music create tension that must be resolved by bringing the chords into harmony, we must we find resolution within ourselves. We must commit ourselves to remembering God’s song as our song. We must take time to sit and listen so that we can sense the frequency; become conscious of when we are singing out of key; and make the necessary tunings so that we are in resonance with it. We must help each other remember the song. And, we must help each other learn to sing it.

Resolving the dissonance between God’s song singing as us and the song we have been singing, brings resolution to the internal conflict and helps us to connect with solutions beyond our learned and commonly adopted violent responses, both within ourselves and in our relationships with others.

In order for us to co-create our vision of a world in which God’s song is freely and openly sung by all, we must remember it, learn it and sing it. And, we must encourage each other to do the same. This requires our willingness to engage in conscious self-connection. It also requires our willingness to have meaningful, conscious and loving connection with others.

Listening for, remembering and singing God’s song begins with our decision to do it. I suggest we begin with the affirmations: I hear God’s song. I learn God’s song. I sing God’s song. These affirmations state a clear intention to align our vibrational frequency with the frequency of Love and Oneness.

Devoting time in the silence is necessary for us to hear God’s song. I recommend at least 15 minutes a day in meditation with the specific intention to listen. Begin with deep breathing, and focus your awareness at the center of your torso, the solar plexus area. Breathe into that area and consciously invite the awareness of God’s song. Release any attachment to “hearing” a melody, we are speaking metaphorically, and simply be open to the experience.

Honest self-connection is essential. It is important for us to be aware of the dissonance between the song we were taught to sing and God’s song that is singing as us. We must be willing to question every belief and release those that are not in harmony. While it requires commitment and conscious attention, it is not difficult. Just as dissonant musical chords create tension, so do conflicting thoughts and beliefs. At the first sign of tension, which can manifest as mild anxiety or agitation, stop and become aware of the song you are singing. Invite God’s song to sing through you instead, and notice the tension ease. Moment by moment, we can consciously choose to align ourselves in the frequency of God’s song of Love.

As we begin to sing God’s song out loud, we encourage others to do the same. We remind them of their song, and invite them to sign along with us. It is my hope that we can learn from the story of the African tribe. Let us gather together to sing the song of Love.

Let us renounce violence as a means of restoring harmony. Let us cease engaging in the strategy of punishment, and instead remind each other of God’s song. Let us, together, manifest the Kingdom of God on the Earth joining together in a chorus of love, kindness, compassion and understanding.

The world is waiting for someone to lead the way. Will it be you?