Author: Susan Dunn

This might be a time of year where you're looking for, oh, some different ways to soothe, level, motivate, energize yourself and otherwise get on top of your cascading emotions. The EQ Foundation Course© emphasizes the great arts as an adjunct to Emotional Intelligence, though the not-so-great are helpful too.
May we suggest?

1. Need to get solidly centered

Like, as the metaphysicians say, when you vision yourself growing a tail and having it grow like an anchor down to the center of the earth kind of centered?

Try anything with a big solid bass, up loud, but make sure the lyrics don't interfere. The right-brain will dominate and you'll hear the music first, but your left-brain will still be getting the lyrics. Therefore avoid, for instance, "Oh Elizabeth" with it's solid beat but sad lyrics.

OUR SUGGESTION: "I Loved 'Em Everyone," by T. G. Sheppard

2. Need to deal with something heavy

Such as last year your father died on Christmas Eve and here comes the first anniversary

OUR SUGGESTION: Only classical music will work for this and that's why we call it classical. For such a deep need, to maintain your grip when something's rocked the foundation of your world, we recommend, Beethoven's "Eroica".
"Eroica" means "heroic" and that you will need to be. Beethoven lived through the worst thing that can happen to a person. It's there, in his music. For you.

3. To get lightly level

OUR SUGGESTION: Nothing will probably ever compare to Pachelbel's "Canon". After that we give 5 stars to George Winston, particularly "December." Good masseuses play these tapes. There are no ups and downs and that may be just what you're aiming at. :)

4. To rip the heart out of Christmas

Like when you want to just sit down in front of the tree and cry at the beauty and the splendor of it all and get it over with and then eat a pint of Haagen Daz and go to sleep.

OUR SUGGESTION: Pavorotti's Christmas video, Panis Angelicus duet with the little boy, especially if you had a little boy who now has whiskers on his cheeks. Or Placido Domingo with the Vienna Boys Choir. Then you can pull out your heart and put it on the table beside you, right there beside the dish of peppermints, and the cinnamon-scented candle, and you'll know you had Christmas.

5. Want something Christmassy but light

OUR SUGGESTION: Harp music is good for this, like for baking cookies to. It doesn't pull the emotions. It's close to the lyre, the instrument the Greek god Orpheus played to soothe the savage beasts, and to win a favor from Hades, the god to whom there is no altar (death), the god with whom there is no bargaining.

Completely upbeat, light and fun is "A Reggae Christmas," by Various Artists, and yes, my friend, "sensei" does rhyme with "pear tree." Listen to it on the way in to work. That's girl's laughter will carry you through your day. Listen to it on the way in to work. (The Ras Family, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas") And June Lodge's "Joy to the World" will bring joy to YOUR world.

6. Need to get some work done, sick of Christmas, got the kids around, underfoot and bored?

GP RECOMMENDATION: (1) "Great Balls of Fire," Jerry Lee Lewis. How could you possibly be "mindful" with that going on? It's great fun. It will clear the air. (2) "Don't Worry Be Happy," by Marley.

NC-17 RATED VERSION: The Pogues with Kristy MacColl, "Fairytale of New York". "It was Christmas Eve in the drunk tank ... The boys of the NYPD Choir were singing 'Gallway Bay' and the bells were ringing out on Christmas Day," and C.D.'s favorite line, a wry and melancholic Irish lad himself, God rest his soul in peace, "You scum bag, you maggot you cheap lousy ..., Happy Christmas your ass, I thank God it's our last." Ah, the Irish, they would've conquered the world were it not for .... No cards and letters, please. Sometimes ya gotta vent. That's what art is for, catharsis. (P. S. Use your EQ; don't take "it" out on your partner.)

7. The out-laws are coming, I mean the IN-laws, and you, exhausted, crabby and high on sugar as you are, must clean the house and you aren't exactly in the MOOD for a Christmas Carol, if you know what I mean

OUR G SUGGESTION: If you haven't cleaned house with your two preschoolers marching along behind you to a John Philip Sousa march, you haven't lived. Give the little one a paper hat and get out his toy drum. Ok, now quit laughing and taking pictures and get back to work, you!

OUR PG SUGGESTION: Got older kids you need to get working with you? Call it "the main event," and put on the Jock Jams, "Let's Get Ready to Rumble."

OUR X RATED SUGGESTION: You and your partner put "Cotton Eyed Joe" on -- I mean the Texas version - and invent your own lyrics appropos to the, um, challenges of the moment. (This is popular at office holiday parties with adjusted lyrics as well!) And DO the Cotton Eye Joe as you push that vacuum around.

8. Need to be inspired and also to get in touch with the spiritual side of Christmas

OUR SUGGESTION: Handel's "Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus," of course. Just the chorus, unless you're an aficionado and can afford to tire yourself out.

Remember, if you will, that when you hear "The Hallelujah Chorus," you are to stand up. Do this. Right there at home in your living room. It will do something for you.

9. Now, or any time you're beginning to feel just slightly resentful of all your "blessings"

OUR SUGGESTION: "Lord, What Did I Ever Do," by the Oak Ridge Boys is great for attitude adjustment.

10. For the peace that passeth understanding

OUR SUGGESTION: Stille Naq, Noite de Paz, Noche de Paz, Sainte Nuit, Cicha Noc, Glade Jul, Stille Nacht, Po La`i E, or, as many of us know it, Silent Night, the lullaby that's been translated into every language on earth, composed by the greatest unsung duo in musical history, Mohr (lyrics) and Gruber (melody).

We also recommend "Ave Maria." Especially the Caccini, arranged by Brinums, sung by Inessa Galante.Let them still your heart and bring you peace.