Music, as Plato said, is highest philosophy. It fills us with the purpose of the noble and the sacred. It invigorates us with the notion of the good. Soft, soulful music is soothing to our senses. It helps us to create a milieu that is favourable to philosophical and spiritual reflection. In other words, music serves as a vibrant path into the soul. It calms and heals the outer and inner ‘surfaces’ of our psyche, or personality.
Our ancients placed enormous faith in the healing power of music — much more than medicinal herbs. New studies substantiate the fact that there are networks in the human brain apparently and exclusively devoted to music. Other studies suggest that melodies are similar to particles in terms of quantum theory. It is evidenced too that the connection that exists between our genes and musical notes drives our primary level of consciousness. New research has revealed that listening to soulful music augments the harmony between diverse areas of the brain. It’s like using your computer’s processor to detecting and predicting patterns that activate innumerable cognitive and analytical processes.
Music, as a non-invasive, therapeutic tool, has a pristine cadence that arouses us at our profoundest levels. It can treat the cause of underlying illnesses, rather than merely suppressing the symptoms. It eases our misery in stress, headache, depression, asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, cancer etc. Listening to soulful music, as clinical studies reveal, brings down your cortisol — the stress chemical — levels by 30 per cent. Result? You’ll feel de-stressed; also, better. Soft, emotive music is suggested to be better than tranquillisers too. Testimony? Most mentally disturbed patients and highly stressed individuals report that they often spend quiet nights, without sleeping pills, under the calming waves of music. Music is also evidenced to help us relax at the doctor’s waiting room, or hospital. For example — before a dental sitting, or operative procedure. Music is typified to hasten the healing time during recuperation too.
The idea of using song, sound frequencies and rhythm to treat physical illnesses, as Daniel J Levitin, a psychologist and author, who investigates the neuroscience of music at McGill University, Canada, puts it, is a relatively new realm. His research concurs that music improves the body’s immune function, while reducing stress, as also anxiety before surgery, much more effectively than prescription drugs. He adds, “We’ve found compelling evidence that musical interventions can play a healthcare role in settings ranging from operating rooms to family clinics.” His studies also highlight just how music impacts health and wellness. This happens because listening to and playing music enhances the body’s production of the antibody, immunoglobulin A, and natural killer cells — cells that assault marauding viruses and ‘jazz-up’ our immune defence.
Music has, for long, been recognised as an active form of therapy that provides a vent for our emotions. Research suggests that appropriate — traditional, or conventional — music can amplify comprehension and retention abilities in children and adults alike. It can significantly improve our natural abilities for reasoning, facts, formulae skills, focus and concentration. It perks up the temporal and spatial capabilities of the physically and the mentally challenged, no less — sometimes with dramatic results. This isn’t all. Music has the ability to improve your ‘mindful reasoning,’ because the basis for utilising it to ‘tweaking’ your brain is profound. Music has a fine structure, a measured basis, and a systematic progression through time. These are essentials that help us to categorise and propel our thoughts and resourceful abilities through a protracted workday — without boredom.
Music stimulates the emotional centre of our brain; likewise, our long-term memory. So, playing pleasant background music — especially, quiet classical melodies, at less than 60 beats per minute, while studying, or at the office desk — is an extremely effective strategy for many of us. It helps us not only to unwind, but also tackle stressful situations with good effect. Studies have underlined the mind-altering power of music too — the all-natural ‘gizmo’ for mastering your mind and making the most of your life. To highlight a common example — listening to one’s favourite tune is surmised to help us work better with words, maths and also decision-making. For sportspersons — music improves their mind-body focus, concentration, effort and performance.
The resonant role music plays in fine-tuning our mind, body, moods, motivation levels, and also success, is immense. Is this not reason enough for us to ‘tune into’ not only its melodious sonic vitality, but also derive its natural healing effects, along with its philosophical groundswell?
— First published in India First
