Musical Chills: Do You Experience Them?

[fuzzyfelt]

Nice, thanks.

 

[rhody]

A friend sent me this link, (yeah, right, I swear they did, honest).

Takes the concept of "chills" to a whole new level:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20010797-10391704.html"

Carrellas is featured in a new "Strange Sex" series on TLC, but her brand of sexual pleasure may not be as strange as one might think. Researchers at Rutgers University have been studying the mind-body-sex connection, and have found that there seems to be documented evidence of Carrellas' claims. They put her in an MRI, had her "think off" and found that the parts of her brain that should light up when she climaxes did just that.

The idea of thinking yourself to orgasm is not new. In the early 1970's, the Masters and Johnson research team documented the strong connection between sexuality and thought.

The connection is particularly strong in women, says Dr. Ian Kerner, author and sex therapist. "The brain is the most powerful sex organ," he says. Men, he adds, have a much harder time making themselves climax without any touch whatsoever, but there are documented cases in women.

and

Carrellas, who prefers the gentler term "breath and energy orgasm," has a different opinion.

"Anyone can learn this," she says. You just have to un-teach yourself what you've probably absorbed all your life," she explains. It starts with our first experiences touching ourselves as kids.

"When we are young, we learn the 'quiet and quick' rule - so that we don't get caught. And the only way to climax that way is to hold your breath." But actually, she says, one can experience much richer, much more satisfying orgasms by breathing deeply, which is one of the techniques she uses to "think off."

Carrellas, who is in a relationship, doesn't use breath and energy to the exclusion of traditional sex. "My definition of what sex is has expanded so that genital sex is just one part of the repertoire," she says. Anyway, she says, you can think off with a partner. One way is to hold hands, maintain eye contact, and breathe together, fully clothed.

"It can be quite mind-blowing," she says. Carrellas not only practices this at home, she guest lectures at colleges. "I want young people to have more safer-sex options," she

Rhody...

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Thanks, Rhody.

 

[donwado1]

Hi

Have been investigating and writing quite a bit about the chills. You get them from music and TRUTH. Google---the good chills---and you will see a lot. Don

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Hi Don, I guess there are all sorts of interpretations.

 

[lisab]

Hi Don, I guess there are all sorts of interpretations.

That gave me chills

 

[fuzzyfelt]

 

[turbo]

I still get the chills watching MLK's "I have a Dream" speech. Music often evokes a thrill for me, but sometimes a compelling vision, well-expressed, can do something similar.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

I certainly feel the same, Turbo.

 

[rhody]

Thanks, Rhody.

Am I in the dog house now ?

I am going to try to dig up some valid scientific evidence for this, not just one's woman's opinion. Who knows, this woman may have wanted her 15 minutes of fame and got it.

Rhody...

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Good, Rhody, and no, just at a loss for a response.

 

[Danger]

I guess my brain is changing somehow.

I certainly hope so.
(I could leave it at that and let you consider it an insult, but I will elaborate.)
Every experience that you go through, all of which you learn from, alters your brain structure. Falling off of a bike, cramming for an exam, realizing that the peculiar 'whizzing' sound means that someone is shooting at you... all strengthen synaptic connections. There isn't any "structural" change. (That is so not the right term, but I'm going to use it because I can't think of the proper one.) It won't show up on an X-ray or a CAT scan. Maybe on a PET or MRI machine, but I don't know enough about them to say. Basically, something that shows just neuronal structure won't notice. Something that measures oxygen or glucose uptake will.
So now to explain my first sentence in simple terms: if your brain isn't changing, you are dead. The intent of that opening was to say that I hope you are still alive. If not, your computer has some serious explaining to do about the post even existing.
By the bye, I noticed after beginning this response that I slept through about 4 pages of responses. If I have duplicated anyone's thoughts herein, my apologies.

 

[rhody]

I certainly hope so.
(I could leave it at that and let you consider it an insult, but I will elaborate.)
Every experience that you go through, all of which you learn from, alters your brain structure. Falling off of a bike, cramming for an exam, realizing that the peculiar 'whizzing' sound means that someone is shooting at you... all strengthen synaptic connections. There isn't any "structural" change. (That is so not the right term, but I'm going to use it because I can't think of the proper one.) It won't show up on an X-ray or a CAT scan. Maybe on a PET or MRI machine, but I don't know enough about them to say. Basically, something that shows just neuronal structure won't notice. Something that measures oxygen or glucose uptake will.
So now to explain my first sentence in simple terms: if your brain isn't changing, you are dead. The intent of that opening was to say that I hope you are still alive. If not, your computer has some serious explaining to do about the post even existing.
By the bye, I noticed after beginning this response that I slept through about 4 pages of responses. If I have duplicated anyone's thoughts herein, my apologies.

Yeah Danger,

I could have used a better choice of words in https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2784486&postcount=43". It is good to see someone pays close attention to what you post.

when I said:

BTW, this never happened till reading, "The Brain that Changed Itself", I can't put my finger on the exact cause or causes, I just know for sure it is happening now and has never happened before. I guess my brain is changing somehow. I kind of like it but find it a bit weird at times.

After reading the book, twice now, redlining it and taking notes, I am fairly convinced that the areas in my brain have been remapped, (which is what I meant by, "changing somehow") and as you state above, "strengthen synaptic connections".

In addition, to strengthening the ones I have there is sufficient evidence that new synaptic connections are being created. This process can takes place in as little as three days and occurs in two stages. I plan to cover this in detail in a new thread soon. In addition, since the neuroplastic change is competitive in nature, excess neurons are pruned, and the signals across existing ones are strengthened. A pretty amazing adaptation.

The phenomenon of chills started for me I would say in the April time frame when I was posting in the synesthesia thread, and as time has progressed only gotten stronger. I guess months of fairly regular focused concentration, study and posting have made this possible. It was serendipidious that I just so happened to be reading a book that explains how and why this happens. All I can say for sure is that I plan to keep up this practice, because I enjoy the feeling I get from it.

The chapter on worry and anxiety in the book also had something to do with it because, when you worry or obsess over something, you can't possibly feel good at the same time. Three parts of the brain are involved when you worry or obsess, the orbital frontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and caudate nucleus, the gearshift that allows thoughts to flow from one thought to the next. When you focus on a new activity, you keep the caudate from getting stuck, by growing new circuits in it. When this change occurs the frontal cortex becomes less active, the caudate nucleus allows the gearshift to work normally. Once improved the firing in a hyperactive way (the locked condition) is vastly improved, and you are no longer stuck with worrisome or obsessive thoughts. I think this is the biggest benefit I have seen and I really love the feeling. I have been a worrier all my life. Now, this has been vastly improved as well as focus and concentration with repeated practice since April. Sorry to take this thread off topic but I thought it important to discuss.

Rhody...

 

[Danger]

when you worry or obsess over something, you can't possibly feel good at the same time.

I am actually going to respectfully disagree with that particular statement based upon personal experience. (A lot of personal experience... more personal experience than a mere mortal should expect to live through...) The plasticity of the brain is truly astounding.
Anyhow, I'm a bit too inebriated right now to continue with this topic, so I'm going to bail out. I find your posts very interesting, though, and would like to read the book that you mentioned.
If I had the intellectual capacity right now to distinguish between my *** and my amygdala, I would continue. Unfortunately, that ain't the case.

 

[donwado1]

Hi Don, I guess there are all sorts of interpretations.

So what do you think? A happenstance occurrence when one electrial cord hits another in the brain. Did you read any of the writing? Disagree? I am confused by "I guess there are all sorts of interpretations." Enlighten me to what you are saying. Thanks. Don

 

[donwado1]

Yes, there seem to be other inducers including maths.

MY guess is the equation had truth and he felt it. don

 

[donwado1]

I too can frequently experience this 'frisson' when listening to music. I am male, age 22. I played music semi-seriously for 6 years when I was younger and listened to a hell of a lot of Classical music at the time. Nowadays I listen to much different music. Today I had one of the best experiences with of my life with frisson. I have to say it came really out of the blue, nothing especially emotional going on today or anything.

It feels like waves of electricity on the surface of my skin, it starts at the base of my neck and very quickly radiates out down my arms, back and legs. It takes about .5 to 3 seconds to fully radiate out and dissipate when it reaches my toes and wrists. Today while listening to a particular song it happened about 15-20 times in fairly rapid succession. Near the end it became so overwhelming I almost started crying and my eyes welled up. The song I was listening to was very upbeat not sad at all and the tears felt like tears of happiness/joy, it really was a skin orgasm.

I can't say I've experienced frisson from anything other than music, possibly but I can't recall a specific incident.


Thanks for the info, interesting read on those research documents

To me, the chakras open to the divine and you are one with the divine,even for a few moments,until the chills dissapate.

No scientific proof---science has not, to my knowledge, done much. Don


I get a mesage from the site here that my message is too short. Trying to respond.

 

[donwado1]

I too can frequently experience this 'frisson' when listening to music. I am male, age 22. I played music semi-seriously for 6 years when I was younger and listened to a hell of a lot of Classical music at the time. Nowadays I listen to much different music. Today I had one of the best experiences with of my life with frisson. I have to say it came really out of the blue, nothing especially emotional going on today or anything.

It feels like waves of electricity on the surface of my skin, it starts at the base of my neck and very quickly radiates out down my arms, back and legs. It takes about .5 to 3 seconds to fully radiate out and dissipate when it reaches my toes and wrists. Today while listening to a particular song it happened about 15-20 times in fairly rapid succession. Near the end it became so overwhelming I almost started crying and my eyes welled up. The song I was listening to was very upbeat not sad at all and the tears felt like tears of happiness/joy, it really was a skin orgasm.

I can't say I've experienced frisson from anything other than music, possibly but I can't recall a specific incident.

Thanks for the info, interesting read on those research documents

Some music that gives me the chills:

Conquest of Paradise

Et les oiseaux chantaient

May it be

deliver me

Try------some old ones...and a new spiritual band here to here at the end


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_eU...01BC933F9&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=4

And Cat Stephens “Can’t Keep it in” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W_SGoBFJxs&feature=related

www.hereiihere.com-----play[/URL] all the way through---slow at first----"Holy" track 2

let me know what you think---Don

also...words...at

[MEDIA=youtube]PbUtL_0vAJk[/MEDIA] Martin Luther I had a dream
and Obama’s “A more perfect union” speech found on that same page to the right.

 

[brainstorm]

I wonder if music can give you chills the first time you listen to it, unless it evokes some past emotional-connotation. My point is that I don't think the chills are a direct result of the music itself as much as they have to do with cognitive-emotional associations it evokes. Anyone think otherwise?

 

[donwado1]

I wonder if music can give you chills the first time you listen to it, unless it evokes some past emotional-connotation. My point is that I don't think the chills are a direct result of the music itself as much as they have to do with cognitive-emotional associations it evokes. Anyone think otherwise?

Sure, first time and many times afterwards. The chills are not emotional in my opinion. I do not understand " cognitive-emotional associations it evokes." TRUTH works and music. I can invoke the chills at will also. Not as strong as some music and especially music with TRUTH. Google good chills and you will find me.

Try...
Music

Stevie Windwood’s “Finer things” at

Cat Stephens “Oh Very Young” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_eU...01BC933F9&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=4

And Cat Stephens “Can’t Keep it in” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W_SGoBFJxs&feature=related

Peter Cetera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok2Jyjtm698&feature=PlayList&p=E6E06D9C241B566B&index=0&playnext=1

Ritchie Havens—Woodstock Original


Famous Speeches/Truth

Martin Luther I had a dream
and Obama’s “A more perfect union” speech found on that same page to the right.


Most all give me continual chills. Old? music---let me know what you thinkThanks, Don

 

[lisab]

I wonder if music can give you chills the first time you listen to it, unless it evokes some past emotional-connotation. My point is that I don't think the chills are a direct result of the music itself as much as they have to do with cognitive-emotional associations it evokes. Anyone think otherwise?

Hmm, I don't remember ever getting chills the first time I heard a piece of music.

For me it's really a combination between the emotions evoked by the lyric, and the emotion in the singer's voice.

 

[Danger]

Hmm, I don't remember ever getting chills the first time I heard a piece of music.

For me it's really a combination between the emotions evoked by the lyric, and the emotion in the singer's voice.

I'm with you on that, but I don't know that the first bit is for the same reason as it is for you. I might get chills the first time I'm exposed to a song, but I don't know for sure because I almost never hear a piece clearly or in its entirety until I make a concentrated effort to do so. I have a strange hearing problem (my auditory circuits work fine, but my speech-interpretation centre doesn't). Usually, therefore, it is something intense that gets my attention part-way into a song. That can be superb vocals such as from the aforementioned Bonnie Tyler and Laura Brannigan, Neil Diamond, Billy Idol, Madonna in "Like a Prayer", etc., or catching instrumental work or overall tune that I can't even determine the lyrics to until I find a video and lip-read it. (In fact, during the beginning of this post I popped another screen open and pulled up The White Stripes because that little guitar riff that the guy does is really cool. I heard it a couple of dozen times on the radio, but never had a clue as to the words until I got it onto the computer. Now I like the whole song.)

 

[fuzzyfelt]

So what do you think? A happenstance occurrence when one electrial cord hits another in the brain. Did you read any of the writing? Disagree? I am confused by "I guess there are all sorts of interpretations." Enlighten me to what you are saying. Thanks. Don

I’d hoped to learn more and enjoy an interesting discussion about an experience that seems a measurable and repeatable response to music by starting this thread, and have, rather than wanting to draw any particular conclusions. I have some ideas, for example, music being an art form, I think aesthetics is involved. The discussion has been about studies, anecdotes, noting of similarities and differences with possibly relevant information, leading to some interpretations. “Truth” is another interpretation, the meaning in this context isn’t entirely clear to me, and also I don’t see that you’ve given some support for this which could be used for discussion. So, I agree you have a view, and I'm pleased that I’m not alone in finding this interesting.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Yeah Danger,

I could have used a better choice of words in https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2784486&postcount=43". It is good to see someone pays close attention to what you post.

when I said:


After reading the book, twice now, redlining it and taking notes, I am fairly convinced that the areas in my brain have been remapped, (which is what I meant by, "changing somehow") and as you state above, "strengthen synaptic connections".

In addition, to strengthening the ones I have there is sufficient evidence that new synaptic connections are being created. This process can takes place in as little as three days and occurs in two stages. I plan to cover this in detail in a new thread soon. In addition, since the neuroplastic change is competitive in nature, excess neurons are pruned, and the signals across existing ones are strengthened. A pretty amazing adaptation.

The phenomenon of chills started for me I would say in the April time frame when I was posting in the synesthesia thread, and as time has progressed only gotten stronger. I guess months of fairly regular focused concentration, study and posting have made this possible. It was serendipidious that I just so happened to be reading a book that explains how and why this happens. All I can say for sure is that I plan to keep up this practice, because I enjoy the feeling I get from it.

The chapter on worry and anxiety in the book also had something to do with it because, when you worry or obsess over something, you can't possibly feel good at the same time. Three parts of the brain are involved when you worry or obsess, the orbital frontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and caudate nucleus, the gearshift that allows thoughts to flow from one thought to the next. When you focus on a new activity, you keep the caudate from getting stuck, by growing new circuits in it. When this change occurs the frontal cortex becomes less active, the caudate nucleus allows the gearshift to work normally. Once improved the firing in a hyperactive way (the locked condition) is vastly improved, and you are no longer stuck with worrisome or obsessive thoughts. I think this is the biggest benefit I have seen and I really love the feeling. I have been a worrier all my life. Now, this has been vastly improved as well as focus and concentration with repeated practice since April. Sorry to take this thread off topic but I thought it important to discuss.

Rhody...

Rhody, that is really interesting, and I’m sorry that I must not have read your posts thoroughly enough. I’m looking forward to seeing your elaborations in another thread. I’m heading away in a few days, so may have to wait until I’m back.

 

[fuzzyfelt]

Sorry to disagree with Lisab and Danger, but I really think I have felt chills on listening to a piece for the first time. It could be that I've been aware of some studies about this for some time and have been attentive to my reactions, or just talked myself into it :) !
It has been a rare occurrence, and has happened when I've tried to imagine how the music would resolve itself and found to my surprise that it did so in a way that was far better than I could have imagined it would.

 

[Andre]

I'm not sure myself, I would tend to think it could happen the first time. I do know that music that would not touch me at all during childhood, can do so now. For instance the Wolga song performed by Rudolf Shock was my dad's favorite. But at that time I had no thoughts about it. My favorite chillers then were the Pearl Fisher duet (linked to earlier by Fuzzyfelt) and the slaves chorus from Nabuccodonosor of Guiseppe Verdi.

Also if I hear unknown music devellop the way as I expect it to, I'm wondering if it's a deja vu, from something I may have heard in the past and about which I had forgotten.

 

[rhody]

Sorry to disagree with Lisab and Danger, but I really think I have felt chills on listening to a piece for the first time. It could be that I've been aware of some studies about this for some time and have been attentive to my reactions, or just talked myself into it :) !
It has been a rare occurrence, and has happened when I've tried to imagine how the music would resolve itself and found to my surprise that it did so in a way that was far better than I could have imagined it would.

Fuzzy,

Holy ... ! What you just said convinced me that I am not crazy. When I said awhile ago that I can give myself chills in thinking about some fantastic idea or a piece of music, or after stopping listening to music and imagining it. What I didn't state was that if I was feeling worry before the chill experience, it is replaced by a sense of well being that comes with the "chill" experience. The worry disappears. This is such a great thing I can't begin to describe it. I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt, at least for me, that my worry is a "mild" form of OCD, and the chill experience breaks the cycle of it.

as I replied to Danger in https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2820215&postcount=144"

Three parts of the brain are involved when you worry or obsess, the orbital frontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and caudate nucleus, the gearshift that allows thoughts to flow from one thought to the next. When you focus on a new activity, you keep the caudate from getting stuck, by growing new circuits in it. When this change occurs the frontal cortex becomes less active, the caudate nucleus allows the gearshift to work normally. Once improved the firing in a hyperactive way (the locked condition) is vastly improved, and you are no longer stuck with worrisome or obsessive thoughts. I think this is the biggest benefit I have seen and I really love the feeling. I have been a worrier all my life. Now, this has been vastly improved as well as focus and concentration with repeated practice since April.

Rhody...

 

[Andre]

...and coming to think of it, solving things like https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=2334851&post2334851 certainly gives the same experience. maybe that explains my activity over there.

 

[brainstorm]

Also if I hear unknown music devellop the way as I expect it to, I'm wondering if it's a deja vu, from something I may have heard in the past and about which I had forgotten.

Well, some people may not realize it but music does have various languages and vocabularies. So there's really no such thing as a piece of music that's totally unrecognizable. If nothing else, music usually consists of notes from a 12 interval division of octaves. If you would divide octaves into 13, 11, or some other number of equal intervals, you would probably still organize the notes into relatively consonant and dissonant harmonies. If you didn't organize them at all, and even didn't bother with any discernible rhythm, you would have a hard time distinguishing such "music" from noise. So, generally most music plays on past emotions you've experienced through or to music and evokes them in innovated ways by varying the elements in various ways.

 

[Danger]

Sorry to disagree with Lisab and Danger, but I really think I have felt chills on listening to a piece for the first time.

I don't consider you to be "disagreeing", not that you should be sorry about doing so anyhow. You're merely relating a different experience than ours. I can't even say for sure that it has never happened to me; it's just that I don't remember such.