Music as Meditation

Contributor: Linda Kodet 

I walked into the sanctuary on a weekday and was enveloped in the most beautiful music. Bach resounded throughout the space and immediately lifted up my heart. It was Linda Kodet’s mini-Bose speaker sitting on the piano, streaming Pandora. Here’s what she has to say about this particularly powerful meditation practice.  Pastor Linda

My meditation practice is music. I listen to it so much that I have paid the annual Pandora fee to not be interrupted by ads.  Yes – I stream my meditation! Bach is for peacefulness and being especially uplifted. Hawaiian BBQ is for more lighthearted and active times.

I find music to be comforting and especially helpful with tedious jobs. When Pastor Linda found me in the sanctuary, I was arranging flowers. Believe it or not, there are some tedious parts to flower arranging!

I listen while I am cooking. And in the evenings, when I have a big cooking chore to do, music gives me another good two hours of energy.

Now, I’m listening while I garden and pack. Todd and I are putting our house on the market at the beginning of October as we prepare to move to Nevada, where we will be closer to our children and grandchildren. It is difficult to leave – we have lived in Salinas for 39 years and in our current home on Calera Canyon for 10. We will miss our home and friends and our church. We feel very grateful to have the resources to move while we have our health and to be able to establish ourselves close to family.

Bach and Hawaiian BBQ slide guitar carries me through the changes – and I am grateful for the goose bump power of music.