Flutist plays from the heart to heal spirit.

Byline: Profile by The Register-Guard

Name: Bruce Jarvis, 65, of Florence

Claim to fame: His music on American Indian wood flutes is designed to cut through stress and help bring peace to people's lives.

Personal history: He spent 26 years as a counselor with the California Department of Corrections. After retiring, he went back to school to earn a doctorate in hypnotherapy and worked in a clinic that used hypnosis to help people stop smoking, lose weight or deal with personal problems. He moved to Florence in 1988, where he is mostly retired. He picked up the flute in 1995 and taught himself to play but still can't read music. He's been an Oregon State Police volunteer and lives with his wife, Millie, of 45 years, two dogs and a cat.

About hypnosis: He says almost anyone can be hypnotized and hypnosis can definitely be used to modify behavior and even the way the body reacts. It can be used as an anesthetic, he says, or even to control bleeding.

How he makes music: He plays what comes into his head, often a kind of musical story inspired by nature, and never exactly the same way twice. "You play more of a mood or a tone," he says. "You play your heart. That's what this is all about."

About the wood flute: He likes its soft and gentle tone. It's found in many cultures. He says the Indian version was often used as an instrument of courtship. It's easy enough to play, and anyone can do it with a little practice, he says. Most of his instruments are handmade by Russ Hall of Reedsport.

Where he plays: Places such as the Silver Lining Boutique and the Splash store in Florence, the Tsalila Festival in Reedsport, and Honeyman Park evening programs in the summer, mostly for free. He put out a CD and sold enough to nearly earn back the cost of making it.

The spiritual side: "When you pick up the flute, what you try to find is the heart and spirit in the flute. You become the means of that expression. The playing of the flute is actually an act of honoring creation, and honoring that which was created."

- Larry Bacon

GUARDLINE

To sample Bruce Jarvis' music, from his CD "Flute Expressions - A spiritual journey on the Oregon Coast," call GuardLine at 485-2000 and enter category 3588. The sample is from a song called "Elk Spirit."

CAPTION(S):

NICOLE DEVITO / The Register-Guard Bruce Jarvis likes the soft, gentle tone of the American Indian wood flute, which he plays at various venues on the coast.