Rhythm is baked into the essence of the universe. There is a fundamental back and forth, ebb and flow, steady and rather predictable repetition that keeps everything alive and ticking.
Nature is sustained by a yearly rhythm. We call the shifts “seasons.” After Winter comes Spring—every time. Which is followed by Summer, and then Fall, and then Winter again—every time. Depending on your geography, these shifts may be more or less pronounced to your senses, but nature doesn’t miss them. Never. Nature thrives on seasons. Each season is a unique window of opportunity for each plant or animal to do something crucial to their survival and the continuation of their species.
Music is built on rhythm. A specific time signature keeps the instruments in step with one another. A certain rhythmic pattern keeps the instruments in sync with one another. It’s rhythm that most quintessentially differentiates genres of music: the rhythms used in Jazz are different from Country, are different from Metal, are different from Hip Hop, are different from the Cuban Son, are different from Rock and Roll, are different from Polka. Regardless of the instrument you pick up—and regardless of whether or not that instrument is even typical of the genre—if you know the rhythm, you can play along and at least fake like you know what you’re doing.
Our bodies are dependent upon rhythms. In a resting state, our hearts beat an average of a certain number of beats per minute and our lungs inhale and exhale a certain number of times each minute. When exercising, those numbers each increase and in relative proportion to one another. Our bodies need regular rhythms of sleep: In the morning our bodies produce cortisol, which wakes us up. In the evening our bodies release melatonin, which helps prepare our bodies for sleep. When production of these hormones is impaired, or when the regularity of our sleep is impaired by some external conditions (newborn babies, anyone?), our health can suffer. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, we are simply not as well.
In the same way, our souls thrive best in rhythms. So I’m going to church today.
