Dissonance of Change: A Musical Metaphor

Dissonance of Change: A Musical Metaphor

The first day of spring will be upon us in a few weeks. The season of rebirth, growth and renewed energy after winter’s sometimes dreary, cold short days. And even though winter here has been very mild this year, there is something energizing about the notion of spring’s arrival. The dissonance if you will, of winter’s overcast days yielding to the consonance of spring’s harmonious blossoming.

Dissonance: discord or as in music, a jarring sound. It creates a tension yearning to resolve. But dissonance can also occur in our lives. When we journey through a momentous occasion or upheaval in our lives, our relationship with ourselves and others may go through a period of discord or dissonance.

Albert Einstein said “Everything is vibration” including the cells that make up our bodies, molecules in constant vibration, with their own unique frequency. When we go through new and/or difficult situations, some believe that our frequencies may be altered and that this change in frequency is felt by those around us. The harmonious relationships we enjoyed are now experiencing a dissonance. Friends, family and colleagues may feel this change and react, seeking to resolve this newly created tension.

This new “imbalance” searches for equilibrium, a return to the old. This may cause people in our lives, even ourselves, to find ways to avoid or ignore this new status quo. As in music, this build up in tension eventually needs resolution. Sometimes, however, the resolution is a surprise, not what we expected. A new key, an unexpected harmonic shift or a different melody. And sometimes this new “consonance” does not work for everyone.

Change is the nature of things, from seasonal weather changes to living with loss, taking on a new job or having a spiritual revelation.

Living through the decades of our lives presents us with ever-changing moments of “dissonance”, with ourselves and with others, even our world that may shift our lives substantially or just incrementally. Embracing these changes along with all their ramifications allows us to emerge from this discord more fully. Our lives are filled with people who move in and out of our sphere, but their presence will always have an impact on the total package we become.

So may this spring bring you some harmony, resolving any dissonances that may be altering your life song!

The Energy of Change, Stephanie Red Feather. Evolving Magazine, Kansas City. October 2016.