7 Keys to Serenity

Debut author Mazerand, an improvisational composer of “healing music,” arranges his thoughts and concepts musically to produce a self-improvement work with positive insights.

The author organizes this book by “keys” that correspond to musical notes: “A” for “Awareness”; “B” for “Belief”; “C” for “Creativity”; “D” for “Discipline”; “E” for “Energy”; “F” for “Flow;” and “G” for “Guidance on Demand.” Throughout these sections, he offers continuous, extended musical metaphors, comparing human lives to symphonies and equating people’s interactions with the world with musical experiences. Drawing on positive psychology, Mazerand cites research on the power of beliefs, suggesting early on that they can affect physical reactions as well as physical capabilities. For example, he notes that in one study, cancer patients became nauseated and vomited at the mere thought of chemotherapy treatment, which illustrates the mind’s power to create physical realities. He goes on to explore the concept of discipline, emphasizing the importance of self-care and mindfulness about what one consumes. Overall, the book itself is easy to ingest; its writing style is conversational and it’s clearly organized with interludes that begin each chapter—short narratives that guide readers into the lesson of each “key.” He also effectively describes fear, anxiety, and paralyzing angst as “false notes” in a life guided by the mind and not by the heart; as in the creation of music, he explains, life must be expressed through the expression of one’s soul, courage, and trust, rather than through memorization or analysis. Only then, he says, does one achieve balance and authenticity. The work as a whole will appeal not only to the music enthusiasts and creatives, but to anyone looking for expressive, positive insights on personal growth.

A compelling, creatively organized book on healing, awareness, and self-care.