On a recent trip to the hospital, I was preparing to take my harp into an elderly woman’s room when her nurse came up and said, “Margie* feels no hope and is ready to die.”

After introducing myself and setting up my harp, I began to play. She started “falling” heavier into the bed, almost immediately. I had the sense that she was connecting to her deepest self, her core. (In my presentations, I sometimes mention soul healings and Margie is an example of what I’m talking about.) We stayed in this beautiful, deep space for 15-20 minutes. When I finished playing, she gently opened her eyes and said, “I feel hope again … and I know now I’m going to live awhile longer.”

While a medical diagnosis may take away hope, music and the harp, in particular, can help us to connect with our core/soul where hope resides.

* name changed for confidentiality