Developing the Use of Peaceful Nonviolent Language through Music Therapy

Introduction

As the founder-director of Music Therapists for Peace, Inc. and originator of one of its main projects "Students Against Violence Everywhere-S.A.V.E-Through Music Therapy, I have been painfully aware of the prevalence of language that has violent connotations and implications. Used habitually and automatically by well-meaning adults, such language when imprinted on the impressionable minds of innocent children can have an influence on their emotions, behavior, attitudes, and actions. This article offers music therapy interventions that address establishing the mindset that consciously generates peaceful usage rather than mindlessly violent usage. What precedes the music therapy interventions is a discussion of the issue giving graphic examples of violent speech that affect and may possibly reflect a person's lifestyle and mode of conflict resolution. The music therapy interventions are designed to give nonviolent, peaceful alternatives, particularly to young people who are exposed to and witness violence so rampant in the schools today.

Language Usage

It is a given of linguistics that use of language has a profound affect on the psyche of the human being and on the way we humans conduct our lives. This is an impassioned plea to parents and teachers-when speaking to children, when rearing children, when teaching children, when just talking to children-to be consciously aware that although expressions of violence may not be perceived as conveying messages of violence, inadvertently they can be harmful and destructive. Thus, attention is directed to violence that is taught on subtle levels unintentionally. The fact that it is unintentional is what makes it frightening. Unawareness of the automatic use of language having violent connotations and implications is what we have to watch. For this mindless usage inures us and desensitizes us--feeds our subconscious thus making violence acceptable. It becomes the norm.

Following is a mere sampling of usage identified as violent language and suggested peaceful alternatives:

This issue raises many questions. Are we too complaisant about it? Why must ordinary, basic ideas and thoughts be expressed in language that has violent connotations? What does this tell us about the need to investigate the roots of violence? What does it tell us-reveal to us-about our society? Is it cross-cultural? What does it tell us about the need for change and transformation of consciousness that will bring about a more loving human species? A more peaceful.

It is imperative that we become aware of the deep-seated effects of language by being on the alert for ways of counteracting violent words and expressions-catching them as they are utterred and replacing them with words and expressions that have a positive intention, purpose, and meaning. On an encouraging note, most individuals need only a gentle reminder which might evoke a lift of the eyebrows or a self-conscious giggle or a quizzical facial cast. However, once the awareness is awakened they oftentimes make a spoken or unspoken pledge to not only eliminate violent speech from their vocabulary but to make a mindful shift to nonviolent, peaceful language that conveys the intended meaning.

Music Therapy Interventions

Peace-giving Language

A wide variety of percussion and melodic instruments are used to express different tonal and dynamic qualities. Clients are encouraged to make choices, to change and exchange instruments and to experiment with producing sounds that impart both violence and nonviolence. The group or individuals are asked to identify what kind of sounds they hear and what emotions are being expressed. Using two musical modes-instrumental and vocal-each client may voice the words/phrases s/he is using by improvising chants or songs along with playing an instrument, thus serving to reinforce what is being expressed and possibly increase the impact.

Another approach is to have available lists of violent language that will be altered to convey the same meaning by using nonviolent language. The clients select instruments and are then divided into dyads of "A" and "B." The pairs stand face-to-face, making direct eye contact, ready to take turns at having "A" improvises on an instrument while chanting or intoning a violent word or phrase which "B" responds by improvising a nonviolent version. The process is reversed so that everyone has the opportunity to experience the transformation of violence to nonviolence.

Using the music therapy strategy of Reflection, the approach to this would be to have "As'" reflect or mirror what the "Bs" are doing and vice versa. Ian other words, the "As" are going to express a violent word or phrase and the "Bs" will reflect it or do the same. Then, we will repeat the process, this time using nonviolent words and phrases."

Call-and-response between all the "As" and "Bs" and vice versa is an effective means of both individual and group expression. Also, another music therapy technique-entrainment-is an excellent means of tapping individual self-expression and eventually galvanizing the group.

Adapting to the age level of the clients, the music therapist may engage them in sharing how they are feeling about themselves and others in the group, and how the awareness of what they
experienced might make a difference in their daily lives.

Mindful Lyric Making

A valuable avenue and outlet for positive words, this intervention taps the creativity, innovative ideas, and spontaneity of both clients and therapists by the process of consciously selecting lyrics of improvised songs/chants or changing of lyrics of existing songs . Also, rapping is a particularly effective approach with preteen- and teenagers.

Peaceful Disagreement

Disagreements and conflicts can evoke unconscious, mindless use of language that is harmful to the user and his/her target. Using conga drums, pairs of clients communicate through drumming along with verbalizations. After expressing disagreement, the dyads achieve peaceful disagreement or conflict resolution by conveying nonviolent drumming and verbal alternatives.

Onomatopoeia

When vocalizing or making the natural sounds of words and phrases, as for example, "crack", acting out or expressing them by dramatic body movements can drive home- give an added dimension of the approach to awareness of the meaning and effects of language. Clients are encouraged to engage in this onomatopeic expression of both nonviolent and violent language.

These and many other interventions bear many repetitions, with the music therapist creating "variations on a theme." And, just as readers are invited to contribute violent language and their peaceful, nonviolent counterparts, so are music therapists invited to contribute original music
therapy interventions that deal with this critical area of our work.

Also, I invite music therapists and people-at-large to be on the alert -to ferret out -words, phrases, expressions that can be categorized as "violent language, and to counteract them with nonviolent, peaceful alternatives. Submissions for additions to this article are most welcome.

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References

Boxill, E.H. (1977). Students against violence through music therapy-S.A.V.E.- through music therapy: a manual of guidelines and music therapy interventions. New York: Music Therapists for Peace, Inc.

Boxill, E.H. (1977). Students against violence everywhere-S.A.V.E.-through music therapy. Brochure designed by Jeffrey Gonsalves.

Boxill, E.H. (1977). The miracle of music therapy. Gilsum, NH.: Barcelona Publishers.

Bruscia, K. (1998). Defining music therapy (second edition).Gilsum, NH: Barcelona Publishers.

Chomsky, N. (1998). On language: Language and responsibility. New York: New Press.

Hanh,T.N. (1987).The miracle of mindfulness. Boston: Beacon Press.

Hanh, T.N.(1992) Peace is every step. New York: Bantam Books.