I don't believe it helps me to know myself, but it lets me know that I'm not the only one who has been here, and that someone else has walked in these shoes.

Yes. I'm listening to a cd by India Arie right now that I've almost worn out. Excellent question, Jodie44!

My favorite band is Sigur Rós from Iceland. When I started listening to their unique and relatively melancholic music, I bonded with the whole culture. I'm now actively learning Icelandic and whenever I watch their DVD with the beautiful landscapes of Iceland, the people and their unique "Germanic" culture I strongly identify with our roots as a Germanic people.

I don't listen to music for the words or thier meaning as I think one conforms themselves to them (i.e. listening to sad music = sad person). I love the listening to the instruments and how they compliment and play around eachother. I enjoy music a lot. In the car I put my cellphone on "vibrate" and set it under my leg because I won't know if I get a call otherwise.

I don't think so. I do love music and there are certain types that have very strong effects on me. I can get chills down my back by just thinking about music. But I think that's just a natural effect of music. http://youtube.com/watch?v=SUgD2Vn1RHY http://youtube.com/watch?v=bIqnqabXCiQ

For me, listening to my most loved music helps me release emotions. That in turn, I suppose, helps me to pinpoint my emotional state because the music I choose to listen too mirrors the emotions that I need to express. Therefore, I get a better understanding of myself. Music, as far as I am concerned, has almost magical powers. This reminds me of a song by the group Triumph called Magic Power from their Magic Forces album. Here are the lyrics: Something's at the edge of your mind, you don't know what it is Somethin' you were hopin' to find but your not sure what it is Then you hear the music and it all comes crystal clear The music does the talkin' says the things you want to hear CHORUS: I'm young, I'm wild and I'm free I got the magic power of the music in me (Repeat) She climbs into bed, pull the covers overhead and turns her little radio on She's had a rotten day so she hopes the DJ's gonna play her favorite song It makes her feel much better, brings her closer to her dreams A little magic power makes it better that it seems She's young now, she's wild now, she wants to be free She gets the magic power of the music from me If you're thinkin' it over but you just can't sort it out Do you want someone to tell you what they think it's all about Are you the one and only who's sad and lonely, reachin' for the top Well the music keeps you goin' and it's never gonna stop Never gonna stop Never gonna, never gonna, never gonna stop The world is full of compromise, and infinite red tape But the music's got the magic, it's your one chance for escape So turn me on - turn me up - it's your turn to dream A little magic power makes it better than it seems CHORUS