Recent advances in music therapy, which is based on an interpersonal process by a skilled music therapist, using all facets of sound and music to help his clients maintain or improve, their health has now come to stay in medical discipline, as an inseparable field of intervention. Coupled with this objective, it also helps the clients to improve in various domains; like fine-tuning, cognitive functioning, motor skills, emotional and affective development, behaviour and social skills and overall quality of life. Certain in-built features such as ‘fluidity’ that is easily perceived in music can melt away the stubbornness or rigidity in individuals, that lie in physical limbs as well as in the mental processes of thinking and feeling. Interventional therapy by music could be ‘active’ – wherein people create, compose or direct music performances or ‘receptive’ – by listening to music passively for relaxation, reflection to bring in peace or enjoyment.
Music Education and Training: a Therapeutic Domain per se
Music education is just not for gaining knowledge and skill through the means of thoughts and words. It is non-verbal, beyond mind and intellect. Music dwells in a realm of non-verbal intuition and revelation that can hardly be expressed in thoughts and words. What is inexpressible in words is also its strength! Such ‘transcendental’ knowledge as one obtains from music is also considered superior to the ones derived merely by logic and reasons.
The nada yogis have had such transcendental experiences that have surpassed the three mundane states of waking, dream and sleep into a fourth state: Turiya, where life and world look different and more fulfilling. This is actually the real, healing state that determines one’s health in a healing sense.
What is Holistic Health?
There is a growing awareness in recent years that human health just cannot be equated with the absence of infirmity or disease. It is a state of total well-being at physical, social and spiritual levels as endorsed by the World Health Organization. Thus, a positive physical, psychological, social, spiritual and economic component should constitute a healthy personality.
Music as a Healing Intervention System
Till the 20th century, the healing power of music remained in legends and old women’s tales. But after world wars, music bands started visiting rehabilitation centres meant for injured soldiers, transforming their pain and trauma, thus establishing a complementary medical dose. As this fire caught up, the University of Michigan in the U.S. came up with the first music therapy degree in 1944, which culminated in the formation of the National Association of Music Therapy in 1950. India, engrossed in rich and intoxicating raga musical cultures, woke up somewhat late with the formation of Nada Centre for Music Therapy (2005) influenced by a spate of lectures and writings by this author since 1992, amidst many doubting Thomas! First International Music Therapy Conference was conducted by the Centre in the year 2006 and there was no looking back thereafter!
Trials made by the Centre through its growing volunteers’ base have proved beyond doubt that therapeutic intervention employing popular music is quite acceptable to people with mental depression and autism. The self-created depression syndrome has been systematically addressed by musical strains over a timespan. Music therapists have started donning their doctor’s coat in many hospitals or nursing homes in India now (as in the US for the last seven decades) especially in the arena of cancer or as ‘pain-managers’.
Music learning – solo or in groups – has been found to help improve communication skills and attention. Elders who are taught to play simple musical instruments such as hand drums in so-called ‘drum circles’ are found to be more fit, both physically and emotionally, defying the ageing process to a great extent. Musical training has also enabled autistic children to relate to others and improve their learning skills without tears. Singing has improved articulation in speech-affected people.
Music in Physical and Psycho-Physiological Health Care Systems
As the physical composition of the human body is not constituted only by matter made of cells, tissues, bones and blood but which are made functional and ‘movable’ due to inherent pulsations and vibrations – both coarse and fine – Musical Penetration and Synchronization are clear possibilities. Psychological health, which is an important component in human well-being, is also effectively addressed by music. Through pleasant patterns and regulated symmetry, music solves the mental chaos and confusions that creep in, making one’s thoughts, feelings and reflections rusty, losing freshness, shine and glamour over a period of time.
Breathing, which carries energy for metabolism, can be guided by the rhythm and tempo in music, in order to accelerate or decelerate one’s physical activities and to preserve energy to meet challenging times. Thus music therapy coupled with breathing could be an ambrosia for sportspersons and soldiers. It is now well-known that heart rate and blood pressure respond to rhythms and resonance. Rhythms can thus guide the body to breathe slowly or fast, keeping in mind health and well-being. ‘March music’ of soldiers enhances the performance of soldiers during their drill sessions. It is also well-known now that the heart-beat tends to accelerate or slow-down depending on the volume and speed of the auditory stimulus. Louder and faster noises tend to raise both heart-rate and blood pressure, as slower, softer and more regular tones produce the contrary results. Music also releases muscle tension, improving motor skills – a workable medicine in rehabilitation set-ups. It helps re-building physical patterning skills in such clinics. A 1993 study conducted in Michigan State University has proved that just 15 minute exposure to music could mean increasing interleukin-1 levels that heighten immunity. It is also reported that chronic asthma has been kept under control with regular practice of vocal music. Every mother would vouchsafe the role of lullabies in putting babies to sleep! At the same time, we have seen that prudent use of music can energize promoting challenging activities of body and mind.
Music in Neurological Health Care Systems
The musical processes, when synchronized with the mental processes, result in an altered (or elevated) state of consciousness, known to modern neurologists as alpha and theta brain wave concentrations. This is a state known for nada yogis as a state of healing, bliss and harmony – indeed a state of inner silence, of causeless love and limitless joy.
Recent neurological research studies, which have all brought in a compendium of the so-called ‘neuro-musicology’ have gone to show that an increase in the level of endorphins, nature’s pain relievers, a decrease in corticotropin hormones, an increase in lung capacity, a reduction in excitability of adrenergic system thereby soothing the heart, improving concentration by altering neurotransmitters in brain, a reduction of insomnia (sleeplessness), pain are some of the noted beneficial effects promised by music.
There are also stray reports that say that music which affects cognitive performance also facilitates neurogenesis, regeneration and repair of neurons and alters the quantity of neuro-transmitters in the human brain. Through playing musical instruments, one can build coordination in neurological and muscular functioning as well. In this context, the following table can show how different Indian ragas, as tested by Ravi, could help in achieving certain over-all health needs:
| Over-all objective as perceived | Karnataka ragas used (vocally and also through instruments such as flute, violin, veena & mridangam) |
| 1. To bring in peace and serenity | Bindumalini, Kanada, Malayamarutha, Sama and Vakulabharanam |
| 2. For mood elevation or stimulation | Atana, Dheera Shankarabharana and Kedaragowla |
| 3. To bring in ananda and joie de vivre | Abheri, Behag, Mohanam and Nattakurinji |
As regards raga therapy being popularized by this author for the last three decades, a special mention has to be made of these ragas: Nilambari – used as a sleep-promoter (Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, 1998.4.1) Kalyani, Kapi – induce a divine mood Mohanam – cures headache and insomnia.
To avoid repetition, we are not going into the details of ragas which have shown psycho-acoustic effects on listeners.
Music and Socio-Economic Health
Socio-economic health is the ability of an individual to adapt to social and business environments. Activities such as social interactions, relationships, leadership, social communication skills, right decision-making, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-dependence for survival in a competitive world call for powerful pleasantness, which can be inculcated by soaking in music and synchronizing with its intuitive logic. Chorus singing, folk music, bhajans etc. could blur an individual’s ego as friendship, broader outlook on life, love, patience, tolerance and compassion towards one and all could be musical fallouts, as observed by many!
Conclusions
Music therapy has at last arrived at the shores of the Indian subcontinent! Now no more doubting Thomases! To ask whether you are for or against a music therapy intervention is like whether you are for health or for sickness. The days to come will unravel the mystery of music, thanks to the army of medical professionals and scientists who are joining the Centre to explore the exciting journey with music. Best of music!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bagchi, K. (ed.) –Music, Mind and Mental Health, New Delhi
Ravi, Meenakshi, 2012. Nada Manthana, Bangalore
Sairam, T. V. 2004. Raga Therapy, Chennai
Sairam, T. V. 2006. (ed.) Music Therapy: The Sacred and the Profane, Chennai
Edited by Geeta Shreedar, Nov. 21, 2021