Lyre in Healing Cancer with Yael Barak

By Yael Barak, Harduf, Israel

This summer in Holland was very dry. In the midst of this dry heat, Lyre 2018 took place in the Waldorf School in Zeist.

I am coming from a very hot and dry land – Israel. It was very well felt how this tender listening concentration is difficult in uncomfortable surrounding conditions. Nevertheless, I had 12 participants in my workshop group, who came every morning to experience and learn more about the connection between our ear, the sense of hearing, cancer and music therapy.

I am working as a music therapist in an integrative oncology unit, as well as in our Anthroposophic Center for Cancer Patients in Harduf, Israel. The lyre is a main instrument for my music therapy with cancer patients – not only as a calming, soothing instrument, but as a real healing element. The active quality of listening that the lyre needs and enables can serves as a practical etheric strengthening for the sense of hearing, for the life forces of our body.

I was touched to see the great interest of music therapists from all over the world, as well as people who met cancer in other ways. With creating a special open space for listening, I think we could touch the edges of one of the big secrets of our time – in illness, as well as in healing. I learned a lot through our common search.

I thank the Lyre 2018 organizers and leaders to enable this space.

I invite whoever is interested in the connection of cancer and music therapy to contact us in our therapeutic center in Israel. We are now opening our gates also to world wide patients and co-operations.

Wishing blessing rain and re-enforcing autumn to everyone.

Lots of thanks,

Yael Barak

Music therapist and head manager of Tal Hama, a therapeutic center for cancer patients in Harduf, Israel