The Healing Power of Music

Imagine what it would be like if all the disease and pain in theworld could be wiped off, just by the sheer power of Music? As incredible as itmay sound, there are a growing number of people who believe in this theory.These people are working towards making this dream a beautiful reality - Areality that could change the way people live! In hospitals and organisationsaround the world; Doctors, Researchers, Musicians and Music therapists areworking on unleashing the healing powers of Music; especially the IndianClassical form, to cure patients suffering from such serious diseases likecancer and epilepsy and disorders like insomnia and schizophrenia.Musictherapy is a technique of psychotherapy that makes a patient listen to andpractice music, for the purpose of healing. It seeks to restore, maintain, andimprove emotional, physical, physiological and spiritual health. It is analternative form of healing and cannot replace medical treatment.Listening tomusic evokes memories, stimulates thought and relaxes the mind. Actually singingor playing the instrument are said to be more beneficial than listening. Ahmedabad based, Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan is one of the finestyoung vocalists of India. He firmly believes in the curative powers of Music. Hestates, "Music is the medicine of the soul. Great legends of Indian ClassicalMusic like Late Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan used to actually heal people withtheir mesmerising music. I have seen disheartened and miserable people returningback with a divine smile on their faces after listening to these stalwarts."Khan teaches Indian Vocal Classical Music at the Saptak School of Music.Chennaibased, Raga Research Centre is involved in the work of Music Therapy. It iscurrently making a comprehensive study of Indian ragas and evaluating theirtherapeutic potential with the help of musicians, doctors and psychiatrists. TheCentre has found the useful in cases of hypertension. helps in the treatmentof insomnia while helpsbuild confidence. The varieties of the afternoonare said to be especiallyeffective against epilepsy, while is recommended for intellectual work. Kunnakudi Vaidhyanathan,Director of says,"When I was 14 years old, my father fell ill and slipped into a coma. I sat nearhim and played for hourstogether. He started recovering slowly and lived for several years after theillness. This inspired me and motivated me to do further studies on the ragas." Hazrat, Inayat Khan, a Sufi saint and firm believer in MusicTherapy, writes in his book, The Mysticism of Sound "The physical effect ofsound has a great influence upon the human body. As there is resonance for everysound, the human body is a living resonator for sound... Pleasant sound has apositive effect on each atom of the body, on all glands, on the circulation ofthe blood and on pulsation..." It''s heartening to see that Modernscience and medicine are now discovering the therapeutic powers of music.Medical practitioners have begun to prescribe Music Therapy as a supplementaryform of alternative healing along with the allopathic medicine. Dr. SohanDerasari, a leading psychiatrist says," I do not think that Music can healdiseases like epilepsy. But, I do feel that if Music therapy is taken as asupplement to the medicines and treatments, it can be beneficial." It may be a distant dream of curing patients suffering fromserious disorders or diseases. But one thing that is clear is that thetherapeutic powers of Music are infinite and pleasing music does help you inmore ways that one. Music therapists around the world are also prescribing Musicfor healthy individuals as it promotes creativity and overall well-being. So,decide to play a or a. Or you may even want to takeup singing lessons. Whatever it may be, just abandon yourself, to discover thesheer power of Music. It''s all about re-inventing yourself with Music Therapy.Rujul Pathak