Today is World Music Therapy Day. As a Sur Siddhi Music Therapist, I would like to give information about this unique and painless therapy.
Who doesn’t like music?
Music is an integral part of universe. How??? Have you heard of a Big Bang? It is known as the origin of the universe. Waterfall’s sound, Birds chirruping, blowing wind through trees have you heard rustle of the leaves, sea waves sound, raindrops sound. If you are a good listener then you can feel and hear music everywhere. Even our breathing, walking, heart pumping etc. have a rhythm, speed and tempo. So, Music is everywhere. Even Suras (Musical notes) are taken from nature.
Pythagoras has invented that “Every celestial body, in fact each and every atom, produces a particular sound on account of its movement, its rhythm or vibration.” These vibrations have effect in the universe.
“Physical Matter is Music Solidifed” – Pythagoras.
In Sanskrit we say: “NAD BRAHMA” The world is sound.
Music gives enormous health benefits. Now let’s understand how we use Music as Therapy. Therapy comes from the Greek word “THERAPEIA” which means HEALLING or a service, an attendance. Wellbeing on Physical, emotional, cognitive and social level.
There are two types of Music Therapy found in the world.
Receptive Process – This is a passive listening experience. In this method Therapist gives music pieces to listen to the clients. Explains the process. And after listening, the client gets the results. In “SUR SIDDHI MUSIC THERAPY” we use this method only. (Our therapies are based on methodologies of Sur Sanjeevan Music Therapy Principles.) We use our Suravalis to heal the patients. This gives the best results on different types of disorders and diseases. Like Schizophrenia, Hypertension, Anxiety, Stress, Diabetes, Arthritis, Spondylitis, Slip disc, cough and fever, skin diseases, addictions, and many more. So, it has more dimensions to work on.
Creative Process – It is also known as Active Process. In this method the client creates music. They learn to play instruments, singing, composing or writing lyrics, and listening to music carefully. Limited therapeutic results like work to calm down children with autism, enhance listening skills, and develop mind and body coordination. Motor skill development etc.
There are references in our ancient literatures, like God Krishna playing flute and Gop-Gopikas, birds and animals used to gather together and enjoy the music. Or Plants giving more fruits and flowers. Cows giving more milk, etc. All these shows us clear evidences that Music has effect on our body and mind. And our ancestors were aware of that scientific method to use music to cure different diseases and disorders. There is reference in book “Sangeet Visharad” published by Hathras publication that during ancient time Dravid has this knowledge of scientific use of music and they have used it in therapies. See the image in heading.
Is Music Inherently Therapeutic?
Music is a magical medium & a powerful tool which has a soothing effect and helps to relax.
Subtly passes the intellectual stimulus in the brain.
There is music for every mood & for every occasion.
It is used all over the world across all cultures. It is a popular form of art all over the world.
Different musical instruments used in different countries.
Music taps into memories and emotions because the brain area which processes the music is close to the amygdala and hippocampus in the brain which are related to emotions and memories respectively. It also helps to improve one's intellectual level.
It provides immediate nonverbal feedback.
Captivates attention
Adapted to and can be reflective of ability. Supports movements.
Social context for nonverbal communication.
Effective memory aid.
Thus, there are various benefits of Music. Also, it has wide spread in the world. Music is a universal language understood by everyone including birds, animals, trees, humans, infants, a person in a comma state etc. So, we can use it in therapies.
I would like to through some light on how our brain perceives music!!!
5. Music also has effect on our Functional energies in body. Tridoshas - Kapha, Pitta and Vata.
6. It affects our endocrine glands.
7. It stimulates our brain waves
What is the role of Therapist or Doctors?
Therapists or Doctors help to facilitate the PNEI Axis. It means to restore the balance to a normal state. This is called Homeostasis. Natural tendency of the body is to recover or heal.
What is PNEI Axis?
P – Psycho – Related to mind
N – Neuro – Related to Nervous System/Brain
E – Endocrine – Gland Hormones
I – Immunity – Immune system
All these 4 need to be in a harmonious state otherwise it will go in disharmony.
How we do our Sur Siddhi Music Therapy?
You might be remembering the Law of Integration learnt in your school days. We use same law to do our therapies. We learnt about Suras and know which suras effect which subdoshas in our body, which helps in particular body/mind function. For eg., Vyan Vayu helps in blood circulation. Tivra Ma is used to influence this energy. (*Experimenting without proper knowledge is not advisable. Only trained Music Therapist knows how to use it.) Now how to use these suras to do therapy is very important process. Failing to do so will not give the therapeutic music and results. On the contrary it will be only Music for entertainment. (Kala Iti Ranjayate)
The act or process of uniting different things means integration. So, when we use a combination of two or more suras in integration then all the frequencies between those suras gives accumulated result and thus we can increase or decrease its energy. Each Sura has a different sound frequency and energy level. And in Indian Classical Music we have different styles to play music like Ghasit, Gamak, Mind, Aas, Tapak, Playing DOT sur etc. We can specifically use these playing styles to stimulate particular centre in brain, brain waves or particular functional energy. We also study - How much time we need to play particular suras, how we need to play it, when to play it, etc. We have also learnt about Binaural Beats / Brain Entrainment which helps us to stimulate required brain waves. It is based on FFR property of brain. All these are based on scientific laws and principles. These rules are very important in our therapies. Only a learnt and knowledgeable person will be able to do it. And considering all the rules and properties of Indian Classical Music+ Ayurveda and Neuroscience we decide which suras energy we need to increase or decrease to cure particular disorder or diseases and which suras we need to omit in our Suravalis.
So now you would have realized that Music Therapists are different than Music Performers. And the music played by both is also different when we study its effects on our mind and body. Ragas are different from our treatment Suravalis which we use for Therapy. We do little modifications to ragas or play it with set rules for that particular Suravali to get particular effects which cure diseases and disorders. Finally, Medicines are different than your normal food or favourite food. Isn’t it?
Sur Siddhi Music Therapy wishes you all a very Happy and Healthy Life.
{{Priti G. Parab}} Sur Siddhi Music Therapy, NLP Master Practitioner
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