Music has an intrinsic meaning, which has always been mysterious

Hear the words of Jordan Peterson, seeker of order and interpreter of the human spirit: “Music has an intrinsic meaning, which has always been mysterious to me.” In this confession lies a paradox, one that has puzzled philosophers, poets, and sages across the centuries. For music speaks, yet it has no words. It moves the heart, yet it names no object. It carries meaning, yet the meaning cannot be fully explained. It is a mystery, and yet it is more real than reason, more ancient than speech.

To say that music has an intrinsic meaning is to say that it carries truth within itself. It does not depend upon description or translation. A melody from a thousand years ago can still move us, though its composer is long gone, though its context is forgotten. A drumbeat from a distant land can stir the body of one who has never known that culture. This meaning is not given by argument, but by being. It is the meaning of rhythm, of harmony, of vibration—the hidden mathematics of the soul, which touches all who listen.

The ancients knew this mystery well. Pythagoras spoke of the music of the spheres, teaching that the planets themselves moved in harmony, that the cosmos was built upon ratios of sound. Plato declared that music was the training ground of the soul, shaping virtue through its rhythms. Even King David, with his harp, soothed the tormented spirit of Saul—not through words, but through the sheer intrinsic meaning of melody. The ancients saw what Peterson acknowledges: that music carries meaning that is beyond reason, a mystery that cannot be grasped, only felt.

Consider also the tale of Beethoven, who, though deaf, composed symphonies that continue to stir the hearts of millions. What language could he have used to describe his feelings, cut off from sound itself? Yet through the mysterious power of music, he conveyed hope, struggle, and triumph beyond words. His Ninth Symphony, with its “Ode to Joy,” remains not merely a song but a declaration of human brotherhood. This is proof that music speaks in a language deeper than intellect—one that even the composer himself may not fully understand.

Or look to the songs of enslaved peoples, who lifted their voices in sorrow and hope. Their spirituals carried meanings that could not be spoken aloud, for words might bring punishment. Yet the music itself carried hidden truth—of longing, of faith, of freedom. It was not only a code but a prayer, a lifeline across suffering. The words were veils; the melody was the message. Here again is the mystery Peterson speaks of: music holds a meaning beyond reason’s grasp, but one the heart knows instantly.

The meaning of Peterson’s words is this: music is mystery incarnate. It carries truths that cannot be reduced to logic, yet they shape our souls as surely as breath sustains our bodies. We may not fully explain why a chord brings tears or why a rhythm lifts us to our feet, but we know it does. And that knowledge, though mysterious, is real. To live without music is to live without one of life’s deepest teachers, a guide that speaks not to the mind alone but to the spirit.

The lesson, O seeker, is to revere this mystery. Do not demand that everything be explained before you honor it. Allow some truths to remain beyond words, and trust the wisdom they impart through experience. When you hear music that moves you, pause, listen deeply, let it shape you. If you create, do not strive only for technical perfection, but for the mystery itself—the resonance that carries meaning without needing to be named.

Thus, let Peterson’s words echo in your heart: “Music has an intrinsic meaning, which has always been mysterious to me.” Take them not as a puzzle to solve, but as an invitation to wonder. Embrace the mystery, for in it lies the beauty of life itself. The deepest truths are not always those we can explain, but those we can feel—and in the realm of music, we stand closest to that eternal mystery which breathes meaning into our very souls.