Since returning from India, my desire to play “magicbox” music has never dimmed. There is no doubt, I could have played more often but during the past twelve years I have performed healing music at most of the major hospitals in and around Denver as well as private homes, assisted care facilities and for patients in hospice.
Here is an example of what commonly occurs as I enter a hospital with my guitars. Someone will ask which floor the party is taking place? Resisting a comedic comeback, I take the opportunity to talk about the Magixbox Project concept, share a few stories and play an instrumental or two. I wish I had photographs and video from these types of encounters. The concept is usually enthusiastically accepted and frequently I get a request to go to the person’s room they know in the hospital and play for them. Many times I do and the results range from tears of appreciation to moving reactions that fuel my commitment. Few feel comfortable in a hospital. Some waiting for test results, some to have their first surgery, the list goes on and on…I sense most patients feel comfortable with me and a familiar comment also includes that the music and it’s effects are more accomplished then they expected and now there is one more believer. By the time I have played for the person I came to play for…I have played for two or three. When I play for people in hospital for extended periods of time, the word of the “guitar player” gets around and the request for my time recalls that “ force” that had a life of it’s own in India.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to play for a friend battling cancer. At first, like most people, she could not help but watch me play and appreciate watching my finger picking style, as would be the case in a concert situation. Finally however, she was able to forget about me and the “performance” and just allow her mind to ride along with the harmonies, allowing the “Magicbox” music to accomplish what up to this point has not been clinical proven but is as real to me as the music itself. Love, empathy and music were helping her body and spirit and when it came time for a bone marrow transplant, her doctors allowed me to play during the procedure. (I stopped playing shortly after the transplant was taking place as it was apparent that the old adage “there is a time and place for everything’ rings true for the “magicbox” music as well). Her name is Carol Baker and I have included a testimonial from her below.
Many of the people I have played for are open to the idea because they have heard me play and always look forward to the intricate finger picking and sounds from the beautiful instruments. Experience has shown that after surgery or when the person is really hurting and feeling poorly they are not “in the mood for a concert”. This is why, before surgery, I talk to the patient, explain how this will probably be their reaction and then I suggest they fight the notion of having me come back when they feel better. This is when they must believe that the music is not a concert but something beyond the music itself and if they can just not do anything except let their mind follow the heart dictated notes and forget about the musician…it helps the body’s natural healing ability to be at full strength (just my unscientific experienced theory). A perfect example is Steve Zavilla. His surgery was a knee replacement. Steve has heard me play several times in concert and as with many of my friends, he also knows about the Magicbox Project. So, after suggesting I play for him after surgery he enthusiastically agreed. I met with him prior to the surgery and explained he may not feel like hearing a “concert” after surgery and asked him to please resist the inclination to have me come back when he was feeling better, and allow the “magic” to happen. After surgery, Steve’s pain and condition proved my prediction to be true and he trusted enough to allow me to play even though, I know he was not in the mood. The Magicbox Project will not succeed by forcing anything, patience and persistence are the keys and I know it. But, I decided this opportunity might have come about to prove my point so I played for him. He apologized for not being more attentive to me and after playing for about twenty minutes I left him , still hooked to tubes and other medical devices in a half conscious state. You may read a letter Steve wrote a few weeks after the surgery and revisit the twenty minutes from his perspective. I am not trying to convince anyone about anything with these examples. I actually feel uncomfortable relaying the stories and while I have many more I could share, want the reader to know the intent for relaying the stories is merely to establish a hint of credibility and help further my suggestion of “lets do the scientific research” then I will personally never have to tell another story… let the findings speak for themselves!
Others have said how the acute pain they were feeling seemed to lessen while I played. Recently at a local rehabilitation hospital, the nurse taking care of my very sick friend commented on how difficult the massive amounts of pills were to swallow during the day but when I played each evening, the pills, including the chemotherapy pills, were received with much less trouble. As I mentioned previously, I really do not feel comfortable going on about experiences. My intent is not to convince anyone about anything by words. The intent is to share a few stories that might open minds to the idea of doing scientific research. I will let the doctors, med schools and the studies speak for themselves, and to scientifically convince the medical community of what I have seen many times and know as true. I only want to be the guitar player. The Project is about scientific research and the future. The reason I have shared these few stories, is to convey, this is not theory for me…I have seen the benefits over and over again. I am puzzled as to why medical science is not using the concept of using empathetically played music to help in situations that it most assuredly can? With no concern for the past, it is time today to prove what I have seen, start its implementation, and embrace future potential …that is what the Magicbox Project is in the genesis of accomplishing.