This week Awesome Stories brings you music therapy, consumerism, better batteries, and revolutionary love.
Music Therapy
Rex is a musical savant who uses his gift to promote awareness of autism and help others use music to find healing and joy in their lives. Diagnosed at an early age with autism, Rex wowed audiences with his prodigious musical talent. He has been fortunate to explore his musical talent and use his popularity to promote awareness for others with autism. He and friends founded a non-profit called Rex & Friends to offer music therapy and education with individualized programs. Music can provide alternative cognitive, social and life benefits to the students by providing a different way to communicate and connect.
Conscious Consumerism?
Many of us have fallen into the trap of believing we can help change the world and protect the planet with conscious buying choices. The idea of conscious consumerism is mostly a way to ease our guilt. Actions like buying organic sheets make a minor impact and divert our time, money and energy from addressing the underlying causes like a consumer based economy with political and economic systems that don’t value people and planet as much as profits. We would be much better off diverting our time and energy into things that really matter like economic and political reform. This article offers more ideas for changes that can make a difference.
Better Batteries
At age 94, John Goodenough is still working, committed to transforming the lithium-ion batteries that power many of our modern conveniences. If he and his team are successful, the batteries would transform energy storage, accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and possibly bring the end of oil. He and fellow researchers at the University of Texas at Austin unveiled a promising lithium- or sodium-glass battery technology. These batteries would eliminate the risk of battery combustion, provide 3 times the energy storage, offer faster charging and thousands of discharge/recharge cycles. And the sodium version could eliminate the need for harmful lithium mining. Being the co-founder of the original lithium-ion batteries, Dr. Goodenough has the credentials to pull off this breakthrough. Go team!
Revolutionary Love
Valarie Kaur is a woman on fire to transform the way we deal with hate and fear. Kaur is an American interfaith leader, lawyer, filmmaker, Sikh activist, and founder of The Revolutionary Love Project at the University of Southern California. Her recent keynote address at the College Conference in Montreat lit up the attendees with the courage to meet hate and bigotry with love. The mission of TRLP is to declare revolutionary love, resist, and rise up, creating social justice based on love. This is my kind of revolution; standing with the energy of love. Rise Up!
May we rise up in love, embracing the challenges in our life with courage and compassion.
The part about conscious consuming: I saw an article awhile back that talked about converting from a consumer economy to a balanced economy of give and take. I’m doing research on that for my LIFE Project. 🙂 Glad to see that others are thinking along those lines, too. I’m looking at going from two angles: buying fair trade/equitably sourced products and/or recycling items already in existence – and just buying less overall (though I’m a lifelong minimalist consumer – at least in some regards, lol).
In any case, fun stories as always. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Kudos on your integrated approach to simple living Cynthia. I agree that we need to consume less and intentionally. I look forward to hearing about your experience with your intentional living. Hugs!
LikeLike
Music therapy ROCKS! 20 years ago, I looked into obtaining a degree in music therapy. While that did not come to pass, I have found immense peace and pleasure using what I have found. The Mozart Effect has a great series of CD’s for those who are interested in having something to use right away. There is a set for babies, one for children and one for adults. Also, The late, Ted Andrews wrote a great book ,Music Therapy for Non Musicians. Wonderful stuff
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed Annette. Music is wonderful and can have a profound effect if used intentionally like in learning or calming people. Music therapy is awesome! XD
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey Brad! I did a practicum in a school for children with autism, and I did a study (informal) on the effects of music and comprehension with some of the children. I noticed that there was a definite impact on the level of cognitive awareness when lessons were paired with music, and presented my findings to the school administrators who said they would look into this phenomenon! And, on another side note, I believe I know someone who knows this young man in your article! Small world.
Hope you are super and that your weekend is filled with beautiful colors! ❤
LikeLiked by 3 people
How wonderful Lorrie. I definitely notice the effect of music on my state of being and have read about certain music boosting our ability to learn. And fun to know our circles overlap even more. To beautiful music and colors! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
An excellent set of stories, Brad. Rex’s story is my fave this week! So glad he found music.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Cynthia. May the music sing in our hearts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful! I liked all the articles, but the conscious consumerism in particular. There’s lots of wisdom right there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Helen. I hope we can transition away from consumption based economy.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Anything is Possible! and commented:
I’m re-blogging Brad’s awesome stories, starting off with music therapy, for my grandson who has been diagnosed with autism. Music is magic.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you JoAnna. I hope music can help your grandson.
LikeLike
I can’t sing, and the only instrument I play is the radio…but I think music therapy is absolutely incredible!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Music in many forms is soothing to my soul. 🙂 Nice to “see” you here Denise. blessings, Brad
LikeLiked by 1 person
Once again uplifted by your awesome stories, Brad!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful Ka. I hope it carries through your week.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same to you, Brad 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good morning Brad….Once again a fantastic offering. The segment about using music as a therapy is right on the money….I would extend that of course to painting, writing, dancing, etc……all of which are alternative avenues of communication. I think we have so much to learn from autism and savants…..we need to understand more – and I do believe it will come.
John at 94 is an example to us all that as long as we have breath in our body and good health we can continue to grow and create….fabulous.
Here’s to the Love Revolution…..and let’s get rid of just about consumerism other than the purchasing of what we NEED……You can tell I feel very strongly about this subject 🙂 Have a lovely day my friend….and enjoy the spring….janet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Janet. I agree that all the creative arts can help us find our center and path. I’m grateful for people like John that inspire me to be a better person. And I’m with you on being passionate about lowering our impact on the planet! blessings…
LikeLiked by 1 person
What wonderful shares this week here in your awesome stories Brad.. love the one on Autism and Music… So important a link to help bring confidence and progress .. Music is altering our vibration, and is so healing.. I am delighted for those in the video who have come on leaps and bounds due to their connecting to music and Song.
As for that amazing Young Man at the age of 94 I so hope his research is allowed to continue and create great alternatives in energy and storing it.. I know solutions are out there.. I hope can be allowed to take off..
And I hope we can all Rise Up and create Universal Love I have yet to follow that link.. but hope to follow up when I have alittle more time Brad..
Awesome Stories all of them..
❤ Sue 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Sue. You described the reason I like music so much. It directly impacts our energy, so it’s a great tool to use for learning, healing and conscious change. John is certainly inspiring. May we rise up in love!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always…. I maybe told you I had a healing in with Music in a group Meditation with a Gong Bath… A friend played huge Gongs he had specially made in Germany.. The vibration of the Gong went straight through me.. I felt my whole body shake and something shift within.. It was a prelude to me healing from within.. 🙂 As the vibration of the gong resonated within my own vibration…. 🙂 Which is why I love Ting-Sha Bells .. 🙂 have you tried them? next to your ear??
LikeLiked by 1 person
The large gongs sound wonderful Sue! No, I haven’t experienced those bells. Crystal bowls are centering for me, as well as certain music on the stereo, and sometimes drums.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I have my drum.. and my daughter has a huge crystal singing bowl too, which she has used on a healing with me at times.. 🙂 We are made up of vibration, so it stands to reason Music will affect us. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds like you have lots of fun tools!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 we do.. now all I need do is mater the guitar.. 🙂 lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
All stories are great and inspirational…I was really moved with John Goodenough….what a story and the work he is doing at his age…incredible…I’m all about getting off an oil based transportation system for many reasons ranging from economic to environmental…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Kirt. John’s story seems to have touched many people this week. Yes, may we ween ourselves from oil. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for these stories Brad.
The music therapy resonated deeply. Isn’t music simply amazing? I’ve heard about with Alzheimer’s patients, Parkinson’s patients but now autism as well. I have worked with autistic children (teenagers) and as far as I know, none were enrolled in music class. I’ll ask more when I see a former colleague tomorrow.
Great post Brad 🌟🌟🌸
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, music is wonderful, especially used consciously as a learning / healing tool. It will be interesting to see if you can bring that tool to your teenagers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll certainly bring it up with my friend who still works in that area Brad. Thank you again 🌟🌟
LikeLiked by 1 person
. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks and welcome.
LikeLike
. love the one on Autism and Music… So important a link to help bring confidence and progress .
LikeLike
Agreed. Thanks for connecting. Brad
LikeLike
. 🙂 Which is why I love Ting-Sha Bells .
LikeLiked by 1 person