Sister Charleen Pavlik and Karen Evanczuk, founding partners of Angelspring Farm, a 111-acre wellness retreat in Jefferson, Fayette County, have opened their doors since 1995 "to renew the body, relax the mind and rejuvenate the spirit" of their guests.

Recently, they released a CD of music therapy intended to further their work by contributing to the healing and overall wellness of their listeners.

"A Shelter of Wings" draws on four spiritual realities," said Pavlik, a Franciscan nun and adjunct professor of music therapy at Duquesne University for the past 18 years.

The CD runs for nearly 53 minutes and is divided into four sections. "Halo Healing" is inspired by the Navajo chant "In Beauty May I Walk." Canticle is based on St. Francis Assisi's "Canticle of the Sun." "Feather of the Breath of God" is inspired by St. Hildegarde von Bingen's writings, and "Lullaby of Wings" is grounded in imagery of a mother and child.

"Each of the four chants mentions or alludes to a protective presence, most often understood as the presence of angels," said Pavlik, who wrote both the music and lyrics to the CD. "Hence, a shelter of wings."

The CD begins with the sound of rain or rushing water, then segues into a series of birdcalls. In between the four sections, the CD integrates instrumental interludes without lyrics in lieu of terminating each chant abruptly at the end.

The CD sleeve suggests 10 therapeutic uses for the recording, including, insomnia, panic and anxiety disorders, pre- and post-surgery, dental anxiety and cancer treatment. Pavlik said there were many more uses than those listed, including the CDs use as an aid to the grieving process. A disclaimer on the back of the CD, however, discourages its use while driving or operating heavy equipment because of its "strong sedative effect."

"The music on the CD should not be considered as a cure for disorders like cancer, but rather as a tool for lessening the anxiety of treatments such as chemotherapy," Pavlik said.

In their work, Pavlik and Evanczuk, a massage therapist and nurse practitioner, have listened to more than 750 CDs to discover music that works best to the benefit of their clients. They found that most meditative music on the market didn't exactly fit the bill for what they needed, science and research-based music that also is beautiful and pleasant to hear.

"Research has shown that music can lessen the negative symptoms of a disorder and promote wellness," Pavlik said. "Even so, people who don't suffer from any particular disorder can also benefit from the CD."

Karen Vogliano, of Carnegie, first listened to "A Shelter of Wings" during a weekend retreat at Angelspring Farm, in the country north of Brownsville, and found the music relaxing, peaceful and calming. "It's very well done and is a great meditative CD," she said.

The CD was recorded in October at the School of Music at Duquesne University with Pavlik on keyboard and rattle and Evanczuk on djembe, an African drum. Both musicians sang the vocal parts and Evanczuk narrated the guided imagery script that deals with loving in a mother-child relationship and ends in a lullaby.

"The last track, 'Lullaby of Wings,' was created especially for a cousin and friend of mine who developed breast cancer," Evanczuk said. "They played it during treatment and liked it so much they passed it along to others. It's not meant to be a cure all, but a tool to help listeners bring their own personal energies into the healing process."

The Rev. James Jagielski, a retired Catholic Army chaplain living in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has known Pavlik since she was a young nun of 25. Over the years, he stayed in touch with her and recently made a retreat at Angelspring Farm. Recently, Pavlik sent him a copy of the new CD. After listening to it, Jagielski found that "A Shelter of Wings" takes a different approach from other CDs of the same genre.

"As a listener, you have to sit back and open yourself up to contemplation," he said. "If I were an active priest in a parish, today, I'd use the CD as a tool for meditation for my parishioners as well as myself."

For more information or to order "A Shelter of Wings" ($18 plus $2 shipping and handling), call 724-938-2301 or visit the Web site at www.angelspring.net.