A Calming Playlist of Music to Boost Your Peace of Mind

“Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.” So wrote the British poet William Congreve. What do you listen to in times of stress to relax? As we all learn to cope with the uncertainty of living in the time of COVID-19, our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has developed a calming playlist of music to boost your peace of mind in stressful moments. Dim the lights, settle in, and press play here.

a calming playlist to help achieve peace of mind

At its best, self-care is rooted in empowerment. The “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet” Audre Lorde is the O.G. and the original champion of this belief.

Lorde wrote in 1988, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Because of Lorde and people like her, the radical notion that people in marginalized communities are worthy of love and care has been embraced more and more over time.

Sadly, though, the notion of self-care has also changed somewhat. #selfcare is now used ad nauseam, and has become just another way to document our random choices and practices– from rubbing snail slime on our faces to declarations of signing off from social media (again).

music for stressful moments

So it is with this awareness that we say – in the midst of the worst public health crisis most of us have never experienced- self-care is more important than ever. With news updating by the minute, frantic trips to the grocery store, and homeschooling kids while also trying to work, it is essential to clear the mind.

The conventional advice is to try meditating. But for non-regular practitioners (like me), that might be more frustrating than relaxing. We all have our ways of getting to our mental happy places. For lots of us here at Dandelion Chandelier, music is the key.

What’s not to love about the right music? You don’t need any extra resolve or skill to listen. Your mind can take you to your own Private Idaho – and we’re guessing there’s no news feed there.

what’s the best playlist for achieving peace of mind?

We kept this playlist short and sweet- a one hour block of ambient, introspective and restorative music to help you rest and re-set. Whatever that means to you- laying like a lump on the couch, drawing a bath, or baking.

Here are some beautiful melodies to soothe your spirit. Don’t worry. You still have all day to get to that thing you’ve mean meaning to get to.

mood music for peace of mind

That’s it. What other songs do you listen to when you’re seeking serenity and calm? Please share them with the rest of us! And stay safe and healthy, dear reader.

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Crediting her training as a cultural anthropologist at Wellesley College, Julie has immersed herself in various industries in the last 15 years including fashion design, event planning, and fitness. Julie lives in New York where she loves trying every ramen and dumpling restaurant with her husband and three children. She finds joy in bold prints, biographies of fierce women, kickboxing. And spending way too long finding the perfect polish color to express her mood.

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