Though music, per se, doesn’t claim to cure any ailments, what music therapists believe that music promises is to develop enough immune mechanisms in the body and the potential to restore its healthy functioning. As a consequence, a better quality of life could be the reward for using music
It is however important to note that unlike other therapies, music therapy addresses a patient’s emotional, physical and spiritual needs at the same time. The competition-driven lifestyle of the modern age, with its over emphasis on performance and result orientation is the major reason for stress among all and sundry – be it school children, teenagers, grown-ups, top executives, politicians or seniors.
People from all walks of life – students, company employees, police and law enforcement professionals, government servants, medicos (especially surgeons), airlines staff (especially pilots and air-hostesses), just to mention a few – all succumb to stress in one way or the other. Some develop tendencies to misbehave by being annoyed or angry all the time – inviting indifference and wrath of the people around, which in turn affect their life further and further as a vicious circle. The externally induced stressor may be physiological or an emotionally threatening stimuli that disrupts the body equilibrium of all these people.
It is now well-recognized that the psychological and physiological reaction of the individual to the ongoing stress causes tremendous strain to the individual as well as to those around him or her. The strain and stress manifest in several forms: live-wire irritability, insomnia, laziness, nervousness, giddiness etc. They also have their own physical manifestations: stiffness of neck and muscles, lower back pain, vision problems, lack of hunger, acidity and the resultant indigestion, irregular bowels, vertigo, bad dreams and the like.
How can one cope up with stress?
Psychologists know now that it all depends on how the stressors are being evaluated by the individual under stress. Recent research on the subject indicates that the stressor by itself is not stressful and how exactly the stressor is perceived by the individual makes the problem grave or light! It is here music comes handy. With its infinite patterns and nuances due to endless permutation and combination of tonal frequencies and rhythmic consistencies, it helps melting the rigidity or gravity that could accompany the stressor. Further, music allows one to effortlessly perceive the stressor positively (realistically) using one’s own learning and experience and ensures relaxed alertness to perceive the problems and issues which are the potential stressors.
Music Therapy: The Probable Mechanism
Many therapists are of the view that there is an “enjoyment factor” or a “feel good factor” in music which is the real secret of its therapeutic role. However, till recently music has remained as mysterious as any other mumbo-jumbo. However recent research on the human brain, especially after the arrival of sophisticated electronic instruments has thrown open windows for our knowledge on music.
It is now fairly recognized that all sorts of emotional disorders and out-bursts arising from tensions could be effectively handled by selecting and administering suitable music pieces (musical phrases, melodies, harmonies, songs with or without words which are assertive). Such sound interventions have been found by many to help in containing the flame of rage or anger in the people. Employing most of the archaic and traditional musical instruments such as didgeridoo, damru, conch shell, ektara, bells and singing bowls have all considerably helped in enhancing a pacifying impact in the minds of those who are restless or agitated.
The interesting thing about music therapy is that all kinds of musical experience can enable a patient/client in a positive way to meet a broad spectrum of his/her health or immune requirements. As emotions in music are conveyed in pleasant settings/patterns when presented musically, there is no bitterness whatsoever even when music conveys the ideas of anger or violence. Such ideas are conveyed in a positive and pleasant manner. The anger we hear from music is pleasant; the sorrow we find in music is pleasant and the quarrels or violence we find in music are pleasant. All expressions and emotions involved in music are nothing but pleasant. They are therefore distinguishable from the expressions and emotions we receive from non-musical (or real life) sources which often end up as non-pleasant and sometimes traumatic.
Therefore, when a patient is in a sorrowful state, and when he or she is all set to hear a sorrowful melody, what he or she encounters in such music is the pleasantness in sorrow which when synchronized with his sorrowful moods, convert the latter to be a pleasant experience. In other words, by synchronizing with the sorrowful music, his real life sorrow, which is unbearable, becomes all the more bearable. What one derives from music is to be able to cope with the otherwise unpleasant situations by converting the same as a pleasant one. Thus, with music sorrow, bitterness, frustration, anger, and all such negative emotions get positives and make it more pleasant and bearable.
Personal Tempo of the Patient / Client
El-sheikh, a researcher in music therapy, is of the view that music has a scientific and measurable effect on human beings in accordance with their ‘personal tempo’. The personal tempo’ is defined as the rate of spontaneous behaviour of a person’s audio, visual, speech, sense relation and response to the music tempo one is subjected to. In this context we know that the word ‘tempo’ in music, refers to a time interval between two beats.
According to EI-Sheikh, music can have three effects on human behaviour. He is of the view that music tempo that matches personal tempo stimulates the right hemisphere of the brain which is in charge of holistic functioning — processing multi-sensory input simultaneously to provide a holistic picture of one’s environment like visual spatial skills. This evokes temporary forgetfulness while giving a golden opportunity to slip away from life’s turmoil and problems.
On the other hand, the music tempo that is faster than the listener’s personal tempo is said to stimulate the left hemisphere of the brain which affects reasoning, creating tension, stress and tires the outer nerve receptors, opening the door to hallucination and partial dreaming. Tempo of a song evokes relaxation and pleasure while being conscious of one’s surroundings as it stimulates both sides of the brain.
For the question whether nostalgia (memories) plays a role in our preference for a particular music, Abdel-Salhim, another music therapist, believes that it all depends on how one relates to the tempo in a musical piece. “If it is a soothing tune,” says he, “once a person reaches ecstasy, then the mind starts to develop nice memories to associate it with the feeling. The face of our beloved, birds humming, and all these memories we evoke whenever we listen to such melodies. It is not our happy memories that soothe us; it is the music tempo that does the trick.”.
This article was published in ‘AYURVEDA AND ALL’ July 2009 – Pages 29, 30
Edited by Geeta Shreedar, July 29, 2021