Family Matters
Debbie was tired of feeling disconnected in her church. She fought hard against the gossip she often heard and tried to befriend people who were positive. Something was missing. She loved God, but her church experience fell flat.
What she didn’t know was that a simple move like joining the choir could build positive emotions like trust, love and acceptance. Here is how that happens.
Positive emotions involve a hormone made in your brain that travels to the base of the brain by being secreted by the pituitary gland. Most of us have heard of this hormone because of child-birth and breast feeding.
This hormone, called Oxytocin, does more than aid reproduction. When it comes to social bonding, it performs! Oxytocin has an impact on our feelings of relaxation, trust and psychological stability. It can even reduce stress responses. And it is involved in the first stages of romantic love.
But here is the good news. You don’t have to get pregnant, breastfeed or fall in love to release this hormone. Simply, join your church choir or singing group.
When you sing in a group, Oxytocin pulses through the brain and those feelings of trust, love and acceptance start to flow. This is why you hear choir members talk so lovingly about each other and feel bonded to their group. Oxytocin is leading the way. The brain is increasing its production of Oxytocin when you are belting out those choir numbers together. And the benefit to you is that you produce positive feelings of trust and love, not to mention beautiful worship.
So if you want to feel bonded and accepted, join a choir or singing group. Or if the choir seems too intimidating, play music with others; this has the same effect.
Need more positivity? Make a joyful noise to the Lord and make it a group event!
Building Love and Trust By Singing in the Church Choir!
Debbie was tired of feeling disconnected in her church. She fought hard against the gossip she often heard and tried to befriend people who were positive. Something was missing. She loved God, but her church experience fell flat.
What she didn’t know was that a simple move like joining the choir could build positive emotions like trust, love and acceptance. Here is how that happens.
Positive emotions involve a hormone made in your brain that travels to the base of the brain by being secreted by the pituitary gland. Most of us have heard of this hormone because of child-birth and breast feeding.
This hormone, called Oxytocin, does more than aid reproduction. When it comes to social bonding, it performs! Oxytocin has an impact on our feelings of relaxation, trust and psychological stability. It can even reduce stress responses. And it is involved in the first stages of romantic love.
But here is the good news. You don’t have to get pregnant, breastfeed or fall in love to release this hormone. Simply, join your church choir or singing group.
When you sing in a group, Oxytocin pulses through the brain and those feelings of trust, love and acceptance start to flow. This is why you hear choir members talk so lovingly about each other and feel bonded to their group. Oxytocin is leading the way. The brain is increasing its production of Oxytocin when you are belting out those choir numbers together. And the benefit to you is that you produce positive feelings of trust and love, not to mention beautiful worship.
So if you want to feel bonded and accepted, join a choir or singing group. Or if the choir seems too intimidating, play music with others; this has the same effect.
Need more positivity? Make a joyful noise to the Lord and make it a group event!
About This Blogger
Dr. Linda Mintle is a licensed therapist, author of 16 books, and an expert on family issues.