Benefits of Healing Music

Swamiji's Music therapy:
Swamiji would know what Rhythm is needed for a particular individual in his trouble and despair and what tone, what pitch and what notes are required for a person's soul to be raised. Since each individual represents an 'AURA' and each musical note, a dimension of spiritual energy, Sri Swamiji would produce such a music which would incorporate and integrate aspects of human nature, planetary position and, correspondingly, choose the most suitable ragas capable of producing the desired musical vibrations for healing and meditation.

Sri Swamiji's therapy lays great stress on Ekagrata (Deep Concentration) on the part of the Healer/Musician and the listener/patient. Listening, he elaborates, is a technique requiring sense control or Indriya Nigraha. Listen with your heart and not with your Intellect, is his instruction. "Cerebral sounds are aroused and long concentration on a Raga creates a healing effect on the listener," says Swamiji, going on to explain his use of different ragas for different health conditions. These are available on audio and video cassettes and can also be bought on 'Prescription'. Certain Ragas are particularly curative such as the Sritanjini, Keeravani, Amruthavarshini and Hamsanandhini.

Naama Sankeerthana - But what about vocal music? Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji is an ardent votary of Namasankirtana. He has himself composed several bhajans that are also said to be replete with curative powers for as he says, "The lyrics of my bhajans incorporate several Beejaksharas (Mystical Syllables) in them". Swamiji bases his compositions mainly on the Ragas of Carnatic Music - Its 72 melas (Parent Ragas) and their innumerable off spring. "Incidentally", says Swamiji, "I come in the lineage of the father of the 72 Melakartha scheme - Venkatamakhi", although not a direct descendant.

Benefits of listening to Music

• Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster beats bringing sharper concentration and more alert thinking, and a slower tempo promoting a calm, meditative state.
• Music can also be used to bring a more positive state of mind, helping to keep depression and anxiety at bay. This can help prevent the stress response from wreaking havoc on the body, and can help keep creativity and optimism levels higher, bringing many other benefits.
• Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure (which can also reduce the risk of stroke and other health problems over time), boost immunity, ease muscle tension, and more.
• It is believed that music stimulates the pituitary glands. Pituitary glands are governing the entire body functions. Stimulation helps gland secretions, affect the nervous system and promotes efficient flow of blood in nerves.
• It is believed that the healing process vibrates the ill cells of the body and it is through these vibrations that the consciousness of a person suffering from a disease can be changed effectively to promote health.
• 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, tension, controlling emotions, blood pressure and restoring the functioning of the liver.
• Music has frequently been used as a therapeutic agent from the ancient times. Music is a kind of yoga system through the medium of sonorous sound, which acts upon the human organism and awakens and develops their proper functions to extent of self-realisation. This is the ultimate goal of Hindu Philosophy and Religion.
• One obvious use of music is that of a sedative. It can replace the administration of tranquilizers, or at least reduce the dosage of tranquillizers
• Music increases the metabolic activities within the human body. It accelerates the respiration, influence the internal secretion, improves the muscular activities and as such affects the Central Nervous System and Circulatory System of the listener and the performer.

Melody is the keynote of Indian Music. The 'Raga' is the basis of melody. Various 'Ragas', have been found to be very effective in curing many diseases.

Indian Classical Ragas
Indian classical 'Ragas' have been acclaimed to have healing effects. They stimulate the Brain, ease tension and remove fatigue. The effect of Music Therapy may be immediate or slow, depending upon number of factors like the subject, his mental condition, environment and the type of Music, selected for having the desired effect. Music Therapy largely depends on individual needs and taste. The use of Music as therapy is based on scientific and clinical approach and has to be used with great care and deep study of the nature of illness. We can call it "The study of Individual- Modality Theory". Before using music as Therapy it must be ascertained which type of music is to be used. The concept of Music Therapy is dependent on correct intonation and right use of the basic elements of music such as Notes[Swara], Rhythm, Volume, Beats, and Piece of Melody. There are countless 'Ragas' of course with countless characteristic peculiarities of their own. That is why we cannot establish a particular Raga for a particular disease. Different types of Ragas are applied in each different case.

Ragas and their Effects

• Ragas are closely related to different parts of the day according to changes in nature and development of a particular emotion, mood or sentiment in the human mind.
• Symphonies of Raga have a definite soothing effect on the mind as well as on the body. Repeated listening to the particular raga being chosen for a particular disease produces a network of sound vibration.
• The Muscles, Nerves and the Chakras of the affected part are contracted when one Impulse is given and relaxed during the interval between two impulses.
• Thus, during contraction of the tissue, Musical notes make the blood flow out from that particular area and in the interval there is relaxation and a state of reduced pressure is produced in these areas enabling the blood from the adjacent area flow inside. This process is repeated again and again and the blood flow and energy flow in that part is enhanced which results in quick and faster healing.
• Energy from URF (Universal Energy Field) to HEF (Human Energy Field) transmitted by the strokes of the different tones of Raga affects the CNS (Central Nervous System) because the roots of the Auditory Nerves are more widely distributed and have more connections than any other nerves in the body.
• Music beats have a very close relationship with heart heats. Music having 70-75 beats per minute equivalent to the normal heart beat of 72 has a very soothing effect. Likewise rhythms which are slower than 72 beats per minute create a positive suspense on the mind and body since the mind body complex anticipates that the music will speed up and this restored vital energy gives a deep relaxation to the body.
• Rhythms which are faster than the heart rate excite and rejuvenate the body
• Certain beats in Music have a close relation with heart beats with those below the pulse rate calm & relax the system and those above excite & rejuvenate.

While Ragas can cure tension, blood pressure, heart ailments, insomnia and other disorders, it should be kept in mind that such therapy treatment should be conducted either early morning, evening or late night, never long sessions on an empty stomach and ideally with regular short breaks in between.

Healing Effects of Ragas to name a few

• Shanmugapriya: Shanmugapriya has the effect of sharpening the intellect of the singer as well that of the listener. It instils courage in one's mind and replenishes the energy in the body. Shanmugapriya is the beloved raga of Shanmuga, who was born out of the blazing wisdom-eye of Shiva.
• Sama Raga: This Raga is good for the nerves.
• Mohana: Mohana is present where beauty and love co-exist. Mohana is a mellifluous Raga. It filters out the ill-effects of Kama, Krodha and Moha bestowing immense benefits on the seeker.
• Kalyani: Kalyani dispels the darkness of fear. It gives motherly comfort and increases confidence. Kalyani means Mangalam. Recited with faith and devotion, the raga is believed to clinch marriage alliances. There are many authentic reports about the Raga's power to destroy fear which takes many forms, fear of poverty, of love, of power, of ill health, of death and so on.
• Sankarabaranam: The power of Sankarabaranam is incredible. It cures mental illness, soothes the turbulent mind and restores peace and harmony. Sankarabaranam, if rendered with total devotion for a stipulated period, can cure mental disorders said to be beyond the scope of medical treatment. Sankarabaranam has the power to shower wealth.
• Hemavathi: Hemavathi sooths the back and painful joints
• Kokila: Raga Kokila helps to prevent stone formation, burning sensation, sleeplessness and anxiety

For more information on other Healing Ragas, Email: dycaustralia@gmail.com