Healing through Music

                                                Healing through Music

Music is the pleasure the human soul experiences from counting

without being aware that it is counting.

                   

   - Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibniz, Inventor of Calculus

“I saw my own body on the ground. I said to myself, ‘Oh shit, I’m dead.’ …Then—slam! I was back.” recalls Dr. Tony Cicoria who remembered the whole incident minutely.

Dr. Cicoria, a well-regarded orthopedic surgeon and a former football Player, this robust fellow, actually embraced death and returned back to life, after having been struck by lightning while talking on the phone. He developed several neurological syndromes as explained in Musicophilia by Dr. Oliver sacks.

A couple of weeks later, memory problem persisted, but life has returned to normal when suddenly over two or three days, there was this insatiable desire to listen to piano music. This was completely out of keeping with anything in his past. He started to teach himself to play piano. And then, he started to hear music in his head. In the third month after being struck, Cicoria was inspired, even possessed, by music, and scarcely had time for anything else. Some years passed and Cicoria continued to work as a surgeon, but his heart and mind now centered on music. He got divorced in 2004, and that same year  he had a fearful motorcycle accident. He made a complete recovery through his piano-playing and was back at work in two months.

Music therapy refers to treatment through tunes. Music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. Sounds unleash knots created in our sensory organs caused by routine exertion and yields pronounced, calm and balance in our life. Treatment by listening music, no matter any kind, leads to enhanced thinkable brain and optimism.

Scope Of Music Therapy

“About 22% of music therapists are in private practice and work in a variety of settings with many different clients. said Dr. Michael Migliore, a music therapist at Western State University.  

“There are many uses of music therapy. Today it is being used in schools to work with education and socialization of autistic children; in cancer centers with children to help them and their families understand and be able to be provocative in their treatment.” said Migliore.

After accessing the strengths and need of each client the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, or listening. Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, patient’s abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of their lives. Music therapy also provides avenues for communication that can be helpful to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words. Still the possibility of awareness regarding this treatment remains.

“When I did research, I found there were a lot of non-profit music therapy programs. My worry with the career choice was that it may be hard to make a living off of it.” said Lauren Doucet, singer/teacher at Oakland University and my former instructor.

Researches in this Field

Scientists have discovered that music can affect another physical measurement of stress beyond heart rate and blood pressure ---hormones. The chemical messengers secreted from endocrine system include so-called stress hormones such as ACTH, adrenaline, and cortisol. ACTH stimulates the release of adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream. These two chemicals,in turn, affect the organs that release stored glucose for energy, increase blood flow to the muscles and raise blood pressure. This is all preparation for the so-called fight-or-fight reaction to fear and stress.

Research in music therapy supports its effectiveness in many areas such as: overall physical rehabilitation and facilitating movement, increasing people's motivation to become engaged in their treatment, providing emotional support for clients and their families, and providing an outlet for expression of feelings.

Researchers have explored evidences supporting the importance of  musical vibrations. One of the examples involves water-crystals. Two tumblers of water was kept in two different rooms, of which, one room was fulfilled with noise and hullabaloo, whereas the other one had musical, soft or disciplined tunes. Researchers explored that the room having noisy sounds had dispersed, haphazard water-crystals, whereas, the room having beautiful music had systematic, symmetrical, well-knitted, designs of water-crystals. It was concluded that water crystals are well-integrated by good music.

According to an article narrated by Bangalore-based neuro-physician, Dr. J.S. Kathpal, about a newly born Monisha, who was throttled by her parents and was thrown into dustbin in rural Karnataka, India. Due to hypoxia, her brain did not get adequate amount of oxygen, and hence grown up into a mentally retarded girl. Later, it was observed that she did not respond positively to medicines too. Finally, she was given music of her favourite singer/maestro, which resulted in her better response and she was  back to life.

“Many brain related ailments can be treated by music,” said Dr. Kathpal, at a conference organised by Indian Medical Association, Bangalore, India. “Although music therapy could not be a replacement to Pharmacotherapy; it can work wonders when used as an adjuvant therapy,” he added.

Music & positive vibrations

“I work with a 34 years old female who was involved in a car accident,” Dr. Migliore shared an interesting experience, “...during our once a week and an hour sessions, we work on a drum set. The goals are to improve concentration, memory and coordination. During the session I can visibly see the change in her posture which becomes more erect and her facial gestures which turns to smile.”

To illustrate the relationship between music and optimism, I am just reminded of a funny incident back in 2002, in Delhi, India. I frequently visited a near-by old age home to perform devotional concerts for the old ladies. As usual, I visited the center for my recital to find a 40-50 years old lady, who arrived to stay there, after being separated from her husband and kids. She was detrimental and wanted some sympathising dose and brainwash which she received though. She was carried away by my songs and was pacified a bit. To my astonishment, when I visited the center after a month, I was told that she used to listen to my same recording daily and finally she started missing her husband’s music, who was a Ghazal-singer. I found this pretty whimsical, and gratifying as well, as I had never expected that my music will be responsible for patching someone’s married life.

“I have been fortunate to perform music from the big band era...people often thanks us (the musicians) for reminding them their youth.” said Dan Piccolo, a percussionist at University of Michigan. “People often ask if I have joint pain from playing so much, which I am really surprised because I play that I won’t have arthritis!” he added.

Effect of Beats and Rhythms in mental healing

Music beats  and rhythms have a very close relationship with heart beats. Music having 70-75 beats per minute equivalent to the normal heart beat of 72 has a very soothing effect. Likewise, rhythms which are slower than 72 beats per minute create a positive suspense on the mind and body since the mind body complex anticipates that the music will speed up and this restored vital energy gives a deep relaxation to the body. Rhythms which are faster than the heart beats excite and rejuvenate the body. Rhythms and beats exercises increase the cognitive ability of brain.

Music healing in terms of Indian Music

In India, legend has it that Thyagaraja, the famous musician of South India, brought a dead person back to life by singing the composition "Naa Jeevan Dhara" in Raga Bihari. In 1729, Richard Browne, a physician wrote the famous text 'Medicina Musica', in which he describes the use of music as medicine. Dr. Burnell has mentioned a manuscript named Raga Chikistsa in the collections of Saraswati Mahal Library in Tanjore which deals with the various ragas that can be used for curing various ailments.

Indian classical music is based on the raga system. Therapy performed through Indian music is also called Raga Therapy. Precisely, when patients are dealt with Indian music therapy, they are recommended some specific ragas, comprising a specific note-structure, to listen rigorously for days. Repetitive audition of ragas is one of the methods of treatment, which leads to nullifying of mental disorders by its durability. The muscles, nerves and the chakras of the affected part are contracted when one impulse is given and relaxed during the interval between two impulses.

Some of the examples of Raga therapy are: Raga Mishra Mand has a very pleasing refreshing light and sweet touch while Bageshwari arouses a feeling of darkness, stability, depths and calmness.  Raga Darbari is considered very effective in easing tension. Raga Bhupali and Todi give tremendous relief to patients of high blood pressure. Raga Ahir-Bhairav is supposed to sustain chords which automatically brings down blood pressure. Raga Malkauns and Raga Asawari helps to cure low blood pressure.

Application Of Rasa theory in Raga therapy

The term ‘Rasa’ means essence, color, aesthetics. The aesthetical aspect of  a Raga in Indian Music is characterized by the Rasa theory. The relationship of Rasa and music was primarily created by Ancient-Indian author Bharata in the book Natyashashtra. He states about eight most essential mental states or moods or rasa and their expressions (bhaava) - shringaar (love), hasya (mirth), raudra (anger), karuna (grief), vibhatsa (excitement or energy), bhayanak (fear), Veer (bravery or heroism), adbhut rasa depicting astonishment. Human behavior is governed by these emotions to a large extent and these eight moods or emotions play an important role in modulating human temperament and attitude through different Ragas. Ragas amalgamated with these moods or emotions establish a kind of ambulatory aura for humans.

I would like to conclude my story with an incident of India to convey how music can be fruitful on reviving the plants to green, lushy from their barren state. A music institute was established in a barren, infertile land of Palankhet village, India. Many steps were taken to make the land worth-plantation but in vain, until the establishment of music school. The vicinity developed extensively within eight months and the land not only turned perennial and flowery but also agriculturally rich.

“Devotion associated with the ambrosia of swara and raga is verily paradise and salvation. He who has the knowledge of ragas along with natural devotion is indeed a liberated soul.”

                                                                                              -   Music Saint Thyagaraja