Music Therapy

Music can play an effective role in helping us lead better, fruitful lives. Listening to specific kinds of music at specific times of the day has been shown to be helpful in maintaining good health. Indian music, with its many Ragas, is known to be particularly therapeutic. Find out how music therapy can help you alleviate your problems. Choose a Raga or a disease and get the information you need.

INTRODUCTION

Music is a universal language. It spans continents, languages and sensibilities. From time immemorial, music has been a part of Indian culture. All forms of celebrations have always been accompanied by music. The type of music varies according to religion, region and customs. But its appeal is universal. The saints and seers of ancient India recognized the importance of music. Saints like Kabir, Tulsidas, Namdeo, Tukaram and Meerabai obtained 'Moksha' through music. In the Vedas too, music has an important place. The 'Samveda' is full of music. Hymns have been known to have a positive effect on human beings. The doshas like Vata, Pitta and Kapha can be controlled effectively by Music Therapy. Music can play an effective role in helping us lead better, fruitful lives. Listening to devotional music in the early hours of the morning gets one ready to face the challenges that the day has to offer. In the evenings, after a stressful day at work, the right kind of music helps one relax and refresh. Even during the course of working, light music improves efficiency. Listening to music helps control negative aspects of our personalities like worry, bias and anger. In addition, it can help cure headache, abdominal pain and tension. Music therapy is one of the most effective ways of controlling emotions, blood pressure and restoring the functioning of the liver.

IMPORTANCE

The origin of Indian music is in the principle of creativity. Indian music attaches a great degree of importance to a calm and thoughtful state of mind as opposed to the provocative nature of western music. The attainment of intense concentration is the prime aim of Indian music. It also aims at liberating us from the bonds of life and death. The law of physiology states that when the mind is concentrated, the blood circulation is balanced. Such a body with a balanced circulation cannot be affected by any disease. Music can therefore play an important role in keeping us healthy. The ragas in Indian music are based on principles which provide for different feelings like irritation, happiness, sorrow and so on. It has been established that certain ragas have the power of evoking feelings of happiness, sorrow, pain and anger. For example, raga 'Todi' can elicit tears while 'Shankhadhani' has the power to refresh. Rage 'Bhairavi' encourages detachment while 'Yaman' creates serenity. Background music also proves to be a panacea for many ills. Music is capable of improving happiness, peace, health and concentration. It is however important to know the method and duration for which Music Therapy is to be administered. This knowledge can be obtained through regular experiments and experience. The first step towards this is the correct diagnosis of the disease and then the selection of the precise raga that will be helpful. Procedure, discipline and Systematic method will help achieve this goal.

MUSIC THERAPY: TUNE IN

You don't have to believe this; you've done it. How many times have you turned for solace to your favourite song when you were not feeling too good? Hey presto you've been practicing a form of music therapy most of your life.

The deal: New-age philosophy believes in the power of image and audio. Listening to and seeing positive images and songs can give you a happier outlook to life. Conversely, there are songs and movies, which have left such an impact on people's sub-conscious that they have led to suicides and depression.

The right kind of music can be used in many ways to uplift your spirits and to lift you out of depression. How many times have you left home after listening to a zippy tune and felt good and peppy all day long? You will find that just replaying that tune in your mind will refresh you and make you feel happy again, when your spirits flag.

The Technique: Listening to your favorite song is not actually the correct way to approach this therapy. Your favorite song might not be your best song. The ideal tune is soft, calm and not stressfully full of too much guitaring and drums. Various beats and taals and their combinations trigger different emotions. The right music should detach you from your problem. It should make you feel rejuvenated and happy. A 'good' song can in fact become your anthem and keep you happy all day. Play your song and lie back to relax, for about 15 minutes everyday. The difference is pretty obvious.

Watch out: Stop listening to pessimistic and sad songs. Such songs release negative emotions and leave you teary and even more depressed.

You can try these albums and see what you get:

Chants of Shiva
Music for Meditation
Earth, Wind, Fire and Space
Music Therapy
OM
Osho Oorja Kirtan
Basho's Pond
Tibetan Music
The Music of Deep Forest